Classy CASIM leave Crow chasing shadows

Photo: Paul Sterritt

Carrion Crow V Casim of Manchester, match played at Snipe Clough, Oldham. Pic shows, Callum Beckett, playing for Carrion Crow, (blue strip), taking a penalty, that was saved by the Casim goalkeeper..

Carrion Crow 1, CASIM of Manchester 9

OLDHAM Sunday League newcomers CASIM of Manchester maintained their bright start to the season with a thoroughly convincing win against Carrion Crow in the Jack Abbott Premier Division.

CASIM (Christ Ambassadors Sports International Ministry), formerly of the Manchester Developmental League, is a voluntary sports ministry with church background formed by Timothy and Ruth Olugbenga Daniels to help young players at grassroots level to realise their dreams and to reduce crime rates in Manchester.

Club spokesman Timothy said: "We hope we can add value to this wonderful city of Greater Manchester through Oldham.

"The players were so calm in victory and it was so nice to receive words of encouragement and welcomed to the Oldham Sunday League by the referee.

"We thought it wise to join a well-organised and known league."

It was a bit of a back-down-to-earth day for Crow after a rare double sequence of wins which saw them triumph in the Manchester County FA Sunday Cup followed by a first ever league win in the top flight.

Crow manager Lee Harrison, who suffered a bout of illness just before kick-off which forced him to miss the majority of the match - Aaron Turner stood in - said: "I'm disappointed after two good wins on the spin. We lacked energy.

"In the previous two games we moved forward as a team and we just didn't do that against CASIM, but all credit to them and they deserved their win."

On a balmy autumn afternoon at Snipe Clough, CASIM were three goals to the good inside the opening 16 minutes.

Under strength and below par Crow, however, were landed a life line just past the half-hour mark with an uncontested spot-kick, but the usually reliable Calum Beckett failed from 12 yards.

There is little doubt that CASIM will be one to watch in the Sunday League this season.

CASIM were home and hosed when two further goals either side of half-time underlined their superiority.

Crow's few flights to the other end of the pitch produced a late goal and, although there were determining factors in the scoreline, the Manchester-based side's efforts - with four further goals - were duly rewarded.

CARRION CROW: Waterworth, Standring, Quinlan, Leech, Hawley, Edge, Haywood, Lloyd, Palfreyman, Beckett, Fitzhugh. Subs: Gilmore, Stansfield, Dickinson.

CASIM OF MANCHESTER: Adwak, Olaiya, Diogo, Bakimama, Fernandez, Amoah, Hill, Bamghoye, Odobeatu, Matthews, Raheem, Subs: Samuel, Okaisabo, Valera, Lawlor,

GOALS: Carrion Crow - Standring (74). CASIM of Manchester - Matthews (2, 11 47), Rasaq (15), Odobeatu (43), Dean (56), Fernandez (78), Valera (82), Hill (88).

REFEREE: N Gibbons.

STAR MAN: Jamie Matthews (CASIM of Manchester) - Smartly taken hat-trick.