MATCH REPORT: Wakefield AFC 1 – 0 Oughtibridge

12^th October 2019 | (Half time: 1-0)

Manager Chris Turner made several changes from the side which beat Jubilee Sports last Saturday. The first was forced upon him as Quinaceo Hunt was back in Bermuda for international duty as his country face Mexico and Guatemala. The 19-year-old with one cap to his name was on the bench as his country lost 5-1 to Mexico but the second game had not been played when this article was written. Turner also switched from the 4-3-3 formation which had proved successful in recent matches and reverted to the 4-2-4 system used earlier in the season. This was largely down to the absence of holding midfielder Kyron Richards through injury but also in order to give a full debut to Mo Hamid to play in the hole behind Rayjon Moore. Another full debut was given to Michael Ash who became the team’s third left back of the season after Jack Enkh left the club and Jean Merour was out injured.

The absences of Merour and Richards through injury meant that midfielder Jamie Hardwick became Wakefield’s only ever-present player so far, sharing the middle of the park once more with captain Manny Katundu. Ryan Eades was back to replace Hunt in goal and walked away with the Man of the Match award in many people’s eyes. Ash joined Chris Sholu, Yemi Ayodele and Marvin Emmanuel in defence while Deji Alabi and Redon Gashi retained their roles on the wings.

Heavy rain during the preceding week meant that the match was moved to the stadium’s 4G pitch rather than the grass where the team have played their best football this season. It’s difficult to know whether that or the number of changes to the team affected their form but the performance overall was below par compared to recent weeks and at the same time, Oughtibridge upped their game since the last time we faced each other. On that occasion we came back from a goal down to lead 2-1, only to throw away the win with a mix-up between defence and goalkeeper in the dying minutes.

Eades was not allowing any such errors this time around though as he kept the team in the game on several occasions and saved one shot that everyone thought was bound for the net. While Hunt has been playing for the first team, Eades (who doesn’t turn eighteen years old until next month) has been improving in the reserves and gave an outstanding performance upon his return to the first eleven. Sometimes it’s the goal scorer who wins the match for the team but on this occasion, it was the keeper who saved all three points for Wakefield.

The winning goal came from Katundu who also set a Wakefield record in the match. The 20-year-old midfielder became the first player to score in four consecutive matches when he hit the 43^rd minute winner. Gashi worked the ball well on the left and fed Hamid on the edge of the box. The forward then spotted Katundu’s run down the right and played him in perfectly to beat the keeper with a near-post shot from ten yards out. The goal also ties Katundu at the top of the scorers list with Moore on six goals, all of which came in this last four matches. He must like scoring in the second quarter of the match too as five of the six goals have now come between the 21^st and 43^rd minute of a match.

The sign of a great team is one who not only wins when everything is going their way but one who wins when they don’t play well, when their backs are against the wall and they’re having an off day. Saturday was one of those days and against a team who had the better chances, more chances and hit the woodwork twice they still came away with all three points. Manager Chris Turner said “Oughtibridge played well and deserved more from the game but we hung in there and got the result. Sometimes you cannot have it your own way. Our players on the day were below par going on recent performances. It’s all a learning curve for the players”.

Next up for Wakefield is a home match on 19^th October 2019 in the League Cup against Division One side South Kirby Colliery before an away trip to Houghton Main the following Saturday for a league encounter.

Goals:
43m Manny Katundu

Starting XI:
Ryan Eades, Chris Sholu, Yemi Ayodele, Marvin Emmanuel, Michael Ash, Manny Katundu (capt), Jamie Hardwick, Deji Alabi, Rayjon Moore, Mo Hamid, Redon Gashi

Subs Used:
69m Cedric Kouakou for Mo Hamid
78m Mike Owusu for Rayjon Moore
84m Nathan Weekes for Redon Gashi

Bookings:
Marvin Emmanuel, Jamie Hardwick

Stats:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots On Target: 4
Shots Off Target: 2

Second Half
Shots On Target: 2
Shots Off Target: 4

Oughtibridge:
First Half
Shots On Target: 0
Shots Off Target: 1

First Half
Shots On Target: 7
Shots Off Target: 10

Next five fixtures:
Sat 19/10/19 – South Kirby Colliery (home)
Sat 26/10/19 – Houghton Main First Team (away)
Sat 16/11/19 – Wombwell Main First Team (away)
Sat 23/11/19 – Stocksbridge Park Steels FC Reserves (home)
Sat 30/11/19 – High Green Villa First Team (home)