It's an old clich but comes to mind so blindingly obviously after this match was over sport is all about taking your chances. Casuals categorically failed to do so and paid the price when they conceded a soft goal five minutes from time to lose a game that seemed barely possible to lose having had nine chances on goal to Tooting's four.

Jamie Byatt, as always, injected some pace and spice into the game and it was he that earned the Casuals opener in the 12th minute when hassling a nervous looking Romuald Bouadji. Byatt nicked the ball away as Bouadji dithered and as he headed nowhere in particular the Tooting man took his legs away. Craig Dunne rolled in the spot kick, Casuals first in many months. Tooting's new signing Carl Gibbs then made an unpleasant impression on the game with an ugly lunge into Scott Hassell that sent the youngster to hospital. Thankfully only severe bruising was found and he should be back in a couple of weeks.

Daniel Green impressed with his hold up play and he created a good chance for Luke Gay after some fine work on the Casuals right. Gay's turn and shot thudded back off the Tooting post with King again beaten. Tooting had plenty of the ball but their passing was awry until Gibbs embarked on a clever run down the right and crossed for Vernon Francis to toe poke home at the near post. Casuals should still have gone into half time in front as first Byatt screwed a shot wide from 20 yards and then Jamie Keith got on the end of a Dunne corner but could not keep his header down.

Another defensive slip should gave gifted the amateurs an early second half lead, this time Francis dwelling too long on the ball and Aaron Colt-Bolt wasted no time in taking it off him. With a free run at goal Colt-Bolt tried to place his shot in the far corner but King got down well to push the ball round his far post. Tooting's one memorable move then produced the best goal of the game as three players combined in midfield with some deft one touch football allowing Allan McLeod to cross from the right and Francis to thump home from close range.

Brian Adamson waited until the hour mark and then swapped Dale Hennessy and Andy Davidson for Kane Sergeant and Rico Morris. The fresh legs of the left sided paring gave Casuals extra impetus they immediately combined for Dunne to test King from the edge of the box. Another Morris run tempted King from his goal and with Morris winning the race to the ball he squared to Dunne, 10 yards out. He only had two players on the line to beat and went for placement but turned in anguish as his aim was poor. The Casuals pressure finally paid off in the 68th minute when Kane Sergeant's seemingly over-hit corner was turned into the top corner by a leaping Chris Horwood.

The final 20 minutes was thrilling end to end action. Jason Pinnock saw a thumping far post header produce a quite brilliant one handed save from Colin Harris but then with five minutes to go and Casuals again mounting pressure, they went behind to another soft concession. Tooting broke down the right and sent a long diagonal cross into the box. The centre halves hesitated and Harris slipped in the bog. Paul Vines almost apologetically shinned the ball back across goal and into the far corner to restore the Tooting lead.

Even then Casuals had two chances for a point. Gay headed Sergeant's cross past King but found Adam Broomhead in perfect position on his own line to head clear and in a frantic finale Byatt blazed over from an acute angle as once again, Casuals were left to wonder how they managed to let the game slip away.

Tooting manager Billy Smith and Casuals legend Simon Liddle were both full of praise for Adamson's men after the game. Speaking to Brian Adamson after the game, he is more than pleased with the style of football his team play and the number of chances they create. He and his players are still convinced they can pull clear of the bottom places and with the youngsters he has brought into the team now feeling and looking comfortable at Ryman league level they hope to start turning some of these performances into points sooner rather than later.

Tooting: King, Broomhead, Simpson, McLeod, Carroll, Bouadji, Lawson, York, Paul Vines, Gibbs, Findlay. Subs: Green, York, Hamlin, Hunt, Pinnock.

Casuals: Harris, Hassell (Keith 20), Hennessy (Morris 61), Gibbons, Horwood, Dunne, Gay, Davidson (Sergeant 61), Green, Byatt, Cole-Bolt.