Casuals Secure Commanding 5–0 Victory Away At Woking

Corinthian Casuals U12 travelled to Woking College on 23 November 2025 for a crisp 10:00am kick-off and delivered one of their most controlled performances of the season, securing a fully deserved 5–0 victory. They lined up in their familiar 9-a-side structure: Albie Safarty in goal; a solid back three of Lourenço Afonseca, Freddy Horwood, and Alfie Vine; midfielders Leo Bradley, Thomas Albuquerque, Harvey O’Connor, and Fraser Ross supplying balance and width; and Carter Matthews leading the line with his trademark physical presence.

The visitors settled instantly. Five minutes in, Carter picked out Fraser with a long pass, and the winger showed excellent composure to bring the ball under control and finish neatly with his right foot. Just three minutes later, the Casuals doubled their lead after a fast throw-in found Thomas Albuquerque, who flicked the ball past a defender and lifted a composed finish over the goalkeeper. It was a calm, instinctive moment that gave his side early breathing space.

By the 16th minute, the advantage had grown. After linking with Leo Bradley, Carter unleashed a powerful left-footed strike from distance, beating the keeper cleanly and putting Corinthian Casuals firmly in command. Moments later came the first change of the morning, when Archer Edwards replaced Thomas, adding fresh legs to midfield.

A few minutes on, Cooper Lund entered for Leo, bringing new energy down the right. The side maintained complete control as they closed out the half at 3–0.

The interval brought further adjustments, with Leo returning in place of Fraser, and Thomas re-joining the match for Lourenço, this time dropping into right centre-back, where he offered calm distribution and composure from the back. As play resumed, Corinthian Casuals continued to dominate territory, with Harvey and Archer dictating the centre and cutting out counters before they could develop.

Their pressure paid off again midway through the second half. After sustained possession inside the box, a loose ball fell kindly to Freddy Horwood, who reacted quickest to tap in the fourth goal. Freddy left the pitch immediately after scoring — but this time, Lourenço returned as a central midfielder, while Harvey O’Connor slid into the defensive line to cover the back-three role with impressive discipline.

Not long after, Fraser Ross re-entered for Carter, injecting width on the flank. As the game entered its final stages, Freddy came back in place of Alfie, and Carter returned for Harvey, taking up a more advanced midfield role as the team pushed for a final flourish.

It arrived right on the 60-minute mark. A well-placed corner from Thomas dropped inside the six-yard box, where Leo Bradley improvised a ninja-kick style finish, flicking the ball acrobatically into the net and sealing a stylish 5–0 win.

The performance had quality spread across the team. The back line secured their third consecutive clean sheet, with Freddy, Alfie and Harvey (in his defensive cameo) reading danger early and defending with discipline, while Albie was sharp throughout, timing his advances off the line perfectly to intercept through balls. Harvey and Archer anchored midfield with maturity, regaining possession and recycling the ball cleanly. Out wide, Leo and Fraser consistently stretched the pitch, while Carter set the tone with a relentless high press that unsettled Woking Town from start to finish. From such a strong collective showing, the Man of the Match was awarded to Thomas Albuquerque for his combined impact across midfield and defence — but truthfully, several teammates could easily have claimed the honour on another day.

Meanwhile, the match reporter noticed another entertaining detail on the bench. The assistant coach, once the comfortable lead was secured, could be seen checking his phone relentlessly. After closer inspection, it was confirmed he wasn’t checking team tactics or injury updates — he was desperately tracking his fantasy football team, searching for a way to salvage his weekend score.

Corinthian Casuals U12 walked away with a convincing 5–0 victory built on teamwork, tactical flexibility and near-total control of the second half — another confident and promising step forward in their league campaign.