Christmas Came Early At Corinthian As Casuals Run Riot

On a crisp, chilly morning on 14 December 2025, Corinthian Casuals U12 welcomed Barnes Eagles U12 to the Corinthian ground for a festive early kick-off at 9:30am. Wrapped in gloves, snoods and pre-Christmas cheer, the home side delivered a footballing gift of their own, storming to a commanding 8–2 league victory in a 9-a-side, 60-minute encounter played in front of a cosy crowd of around 20 spectators. The referee kept things ticking along nicely, allowing the game to flow despite the cold conditions.

Corinthian Casuals lined up in a 3-4-1 formation, striking a fine balance between defensive control and attacking freedom. Albie Safarty, warmly welcomed back after injury, started in goal — and wasted no time showing how valuable his return was, producing at least three excellent one-on-one saves to shut down Barnes attacks and keep the home side comfortable throughout.

From the outset, the Casuals imposed themselves. Inside two minutes, a corner from Carter Matthews found Freddy Horwood, who powered home a close-range header to open the scoring. Horwood’s aerial presence caused problems all morning, and he came close to adding a second later on with another thumping header that narrowly missed the target.

Barnes attempted to respond with direct attacks down their right, but Lourenço Afonseca patrolled the flank superbly, repeatedly frustrating their quick number 13 — keeping him unusually quiet and increasingly irritated as the match wore on. On the opposite side, Alfie Vine showcased near-perfect timing in the tackle, stepping in cleanly time after time to halt attacks before they developed.

By the 10th minute, Fraser Ross reminded everyone that he is not only influential in midfield but also a genuine goal machine, smashing a right-footed strike from distance into the net. Two minutes later, he doubled his tally with a close-range left-footed finish, the product of sustained pressure and quick reactions in the box.

Much of that pressure came from the left, where Cooper Lund’s endless runs consistently stretched the Barnes defence. Overlapping movements and relentless energy down the flank kept the visitors pinned back, while centrally Archer Edwards dictated the tempo, threading passes through lines and finishing the match as the team’s top assister.

As the game opened up, Harvey O’Connor brought his trademark intensity into midfield battles, even unveiling his now-recognisable late-tackle-turned-perfect-dive signature move, earning smiles from the touchline.

The Casuals continued to create chance after chance, looking capable of stretching the scoreline further at any moment. That dominance was rewarded when Harvey delivered a delightful cross that Thomas Albuquerque met with a beautifully controlled volley, extending the lead in style. Just before the break, Barnes Eagles pulled one back with a scrappy close-range finish, slightly against the run of play, but the hosts still headed into half-time firmly in control.

The second half brought more of the same. Leo Bradley produced one of the moments of the match, collecting the ball deep and embarking on a Forrest Gump-style solo run, carrying it relentlessly through the Barnes defence before finishing calmly from close range. Reports suggest he may still be running now.

Despite Barnes managing another goal midway through the half, the Casuals never lost control. The midfield partnership of Archer Edwards and Fraser Ross continued to dominate proceedings, combining superbly as Fraser added two more goals in quick succession — one from outside the box and another from close range — completing a devastating personal haul.

As the clock ticked toward full time, Carter Matthews simply refused to let the final whistle blow without getting on the scoresheet, unleashing a superb left-footed strike from distance in the 59th minute to round off a relentless attacking display.

A special mention also goes to Lino Adam, who worked tirelessly up and down the flank — despite the winter glare meaning he reportedly “couldn’t see the halfway line” — and to the entire squad for maintaining intensity and humour right to the end.

At the final whistle, Lourenço Afonseca was deservedly named Player of the Match, a reflection of his calm, intelligent defending and his success in completely neutralising one of Barnes’ key attacking threats.

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League Table Watch ????

This emphatic win sees Corinthian Casuals U12 sitting 3rd in the league after 7 matches, with an impressive record of:

• 5 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss

• 39 goals scored, 11 conceded

• 2 clean sheets

Individual numbers are equally eye-catching:

• Fraser Ross and Carter Matthews are tied on 13 goal involvements

• Fraser leads as top scorer

• Carter tops the assists chart

With confidence high, chances flowing and Christmas just around the corner, the Casuals head into the festive break full of momentum — and plenty to smile about.