Corinthian-Casuals 0 Ashford Town (Kent) 2

Casuals are in trouble and dropping faster than a wannabe WAG's underwear on a footballers' night out.

Now winless in their past 10 league outings, the amateurs are badly in need of a result that will restore their confidence.

They started this game, as they have done during most of the winless streak, with a desire to play the ball to feet and out-pass the opposition, and for 39 minutes that is exactly what they did.

Ashford, who were on something of a run themselves with just one defeat in six, were made to look decidedly average with a fairly rustic route one approach not causing much in the way of problems.

Lee Matthews had the first chance of the game, waltzing through the Kent side's midfield but firing straight at keeper Jamie Riley.

Riley looked nervous in this opening spell and a flap at Matt Smith's corner fell to Luke Gay but he blazed well over from the edge of the box.

Another Matt Smith dead ball effort dropped fractionally wide of Riley's left hand upright in the 25th minute and Byron Brown has a decent shout for a penalty turned down when Nicky Humphrey slid in to stop a cross but deflected the ball away with his hands and not his chest.

It was one of those that seem harsh if you are the defending team but always seem to be given if you are playing for Manchester United!

Daniel Green burst into the Ashford box on the half hour, squared to Hinga Amara, who from 12 yards saw his shot blocked when goal bound.

All Ashford had mustered during this was a long range drive out of the ground by Paul Jones but then Casuals imploded spectacularly and conceded a two goal half time deficit.

First a long free-kick from the right was heading out of the back end of the Casuals box. Matt Smith slid in to clear, missed the ball but caught the boot of Jimmy Bottle for a cast iron penalty.

Mitchell Sherwood despatched the ball coolly to Harris' left.

Hinga Amara should have pulled Casuals level four minutes later after Sean Ray inexplicably allowed a through ball to continue its path.

One on one with Riley you would expect the forward to score but Riley pulled off a fine save to his right.

As has happened so often this season, the miss proved costly and the opposition promptly broke to go two up. Another long free kick caused the problems.

Harris flapped at the ball, crashed into Scott Hassell and Bottle fired into the roof of the net from close range.

Two nil down to a team who didn't create either chance knocked the stuffing out of the young amateurs and they were never in the game afterwards.

The second half was all Ashford. Jones should have made it three just after the restart. Chasing another long ball, he barged past Scott Hassell and drew a splendid save from Harris low down to his left.

Daniel Brathwaite, the terminator look-alike in the Nuts & Bolts left back spot, broke regularly down the flank.

One cross fell to Bottle but Richard Price managed to block the effort.

Then in an appalling mix up, Price sliced a clearance from the corner flag into his own six-yard box, Harris dropped his catch and with Bottle looking to apply a cringe-worthy third Hassell slid in spare their blushes.

Casuals' only decent effort of the second period came from Price.

Intercepting a ball in midfield he advanced 20 yards in Alan Hansen style and unleashed a ferocious 35-yard shot that nearly broke the corrugated stand just a couple of feet above Riley's bar.

Any further scoring should have come from the Kent side but Nick Barnes screwed a shot across goal and then put a header over from a corner.

It was a pretty poor game if truth be told, but it was another chance to pick up points that went begging.

The Casuals team of pre-Christmas with Jamel Carr around to produce a spark of magic would have walked away with the three points from this game. It is no surprise that his departure coincided with the run Casuals are now on.

One final thing that should be mentioned.

In the modern age of falling numbers of referees it was wonderful to see a young man in his early twenties take control of a game at this level and referee it with a good deal of common sense, without the obligatory waving of cards to prove who was in charge. Well done Mr RT Atkin. Hopefully, you will go a long way in the game.

Casuals: Colin Harris, Matt Smith (Carlton Murry-Price 81), Dale Hennessey (Ayokunle Olusesi 57), Scott Hassell, Richard Price, Tyrone Myton, Luke Gay, Lee Matthews, Daniel Green, Hinga Amara (Sam Delano 57), Byron Brown. Subs not used: Chris Horwood, Paul Smith.Booked: None, Sent Off : NoneAshford Town (Kent) line-up : Jamie Riley, Nicky Humphrey, Daniel Brathwaite, Lee Hockey (Tony Browne 76), Sean Ray , Ryan Briggs (Anthony Hogg 73), Mitchell Sherwood, Nick Barnes (Danny Lye 76), Mark Lovell, Paul Jones, Jimmy Bottle. Subs not used: Rob Denness, Walid Matata.Booked: None, Sent Off: NoneScorers: Mitchell Sherwood (39 pen), Jimmy Bottle (45).Attendance: 104