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Whyteleafe and Casuals gave good entertainment in a match that was touch and go as to whether it should have been played with a hard overnight frost and the frost was returning before the game was completed. Both sides however adapted well to the conditions in a match that was played with good spirit and a draw was probably the fairest result.
‘Leafe had the first chance in the second minute. Paul Scott was brought down and Mark Hammond took the resultant free kick, floating it deep into the box. The hosts eventually cleared after a big scramble.
After 5 minutes, Casuals won a free kick on the edge of the box for a push on Chris Horwood, but his free kick curled over the bar. In the 14th minute Scott made a good run down the left, and his cross was just out of reach of the well placed Hammond. A minute later Leafe were very unlucky when Hammond's shot hit the post. The rebound fell to Scott who passed to Andy Martin and his shot also hit the post.
At the other end Matthew Mann had to come out quickly to gather from Jamie Byatt who had been sent clear by a long ball. Asher Hudson played a great long ball to Callum McLean on the right. He beat a defender but his cross went just behind the well placed Scott. A poor back pass nearly let Martin in in the 29th minute, but Colin Harris was alert to the danger and just made it first to clear.
Three minutes later Ryan Gray found Martin in the box and his shot was saved by Harris. McLean won another long ball on the right in the 35th minute, his cross found Martin but his shot was over the bar. A minute later Casuals took the lead. Byatt was first to a long ball and he took on Mann on a one on one and got the better of him, shooting past him into the net.
‘Leafe only had to wait three minutes to get back on level terms. Another run down the right from McLean, and this time he found Scott at the near post and he headed firmly into the net.
Just on half time, Martin won the ball off Harris in the box but, with no other ‘Leafe players up, he was forced to shoot from a narrow angle and hit the side netting. Robbie Smith also found the side netting with a shot in the 51st minute. Casuals retook the lead in the 62nd minute.
Byatt, who was the star man for the hosts, having recently returned after a spell away at Kingstonian, scored with a stunning shot. He beat two defenders on the edge of the box and hit a super dipping shot that left Mann no chance.
‘Leafe however equalised quickly for the second time in the match when man of the match Scott crisply turned home a cross from Gray. A minute later Casuals should have taken the lead when Joe Nwoko broke clear, but Adam Broomhead did superbly to get back and make a last gasp saving tackle.
Three minutes later Leafe thought they had scored the winner when a Hammond free kick was flicked on and Martin headed into the net. The referee initially signalled a goal but his attention was drawn to the flagging linesman who had spotted an infringement. Casuals were also unlucky in the 73rd minute when Tyrone Myton hit the post.
Casuals had the final chances of the game, Mann having to make two saves to keep the game level, firstly to save an 87th minute header from Paul Hunt, then finally a save to deny Byatt a hat trick in the 88th minute.
Whyteleafe: Mann, Reeve, Gray, Broomhead, Hudson (Green 74), Goodchild, Scott, Smith, Martin, McLean, Hammond (Jabbie 69).