Brilliant Casuals Come Up Short Again

<p class="MsoNormal">The Local Derby that the footballing world was waiting for was played out on a pleasant Whanganui autumn afternoon and the fans certainly got what they wanted &ndash; drama filled end to end action with new boys the Shamrocks hanging on for a one goal victory.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Casuals must be feeling like they&rsquo;ve lost a pound and found a penny after dominating large spells of the match against higher placed opposition.

<p class="MsoNormal">Antoni Manning the Shamrocks goal machine put the Greens ahead early but from then on the Casuals fought back, held the ball and made most of the play. At half time gaffer Paul Maguire was confident his lads could see off the Shamrocks with some more direct play.

<p class="MsoNormal">But from a corner they found themselves two down. Keeper Buck Buchanan strongly punched away but veteran former Casual Mich Manning unmarked from the 18 yard box nodded a looping header over the grasping big man in goal.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Some changes made early in the second half were now unsettling the Casuals line up and they found it hard to get in the game but just after the hour some beautiful Brazil-like ball work between Cameron Dale, Matt Roberts and Jonathan Sykes fed Andy Gilberd who lobbed the Shamrocks keeper to bring the score back to 1-2.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Game - very much on.

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<p class="MsoNormal">But the Casuals couldn&rsquo;t find that elusive equaliser and the referee called time on a Wembley classic, one that put Shamrocks in with league title shot but sent Casuals closer to the relegation zone.