Attendance: 224
The Millennium Stadium played host to Wakefield AFC’s first game of the season in the delayed 20-21 installment of the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League, as Jubilee Sports FC were the visitors in front of a 250 strong crowd of supporters. Those Wakefield supporters would have been hopeful of a positive result, buoyed by both a strong pre-season and Wakefield’s previous form against their opponents; a 3-1 win back in October of 2019 in what was the only previous fixture between the two sides.
In truth, both teams consisted of very different players back then, and this meant previous results – and the fact Wakefield finished six places above bottom side Jubilee in last year’s curtailed league – counted for nothing as pre-season optimism and excitement gave way to anger and despair following two late goals that allowed the visitors to seal a 2-0 win.
New manager Adam Lockwood stuck with the mostly successful 3-4-1-2 formation seen in pre-season, giving the only returnee from last year – Crescenzio Arvanitis – a start in goal. In front of him were new recruits Gervas Chipasha and captain Greg Hunter, with Patrick Hoyle moving back from his usual midfield spot to anchor the defence as the middle centre-back. The two midfielders were the experienced Tom Raithby alongside Jack Burton; with support on the wings coming from wing-backs Jack Budge on the left, and Jake Dickinson on the right. American magician Bryce Orsini was the attacking-midfielder, in behind a front two of Dan Palmer and Samuel Amissah.
The home side started well, and dominated the ball for large periods; with Amissah in particular looking threatening when running at the Jubilee back four. However it was the visiting team who had the first real chance of the game in the 9th minute, when Arvanitis was caught in no-man’s land on the edge of his box. The ball went over his head and rolled threateningly towards goal as the on-rushing striker gave chase. Thankfully, Hunter was on hand to prevent a nightmare start for Wakefield.
In the ensuing minutes Wakefield took control, as Raithby dictated play in the middle of the park. That led to a host of chances for Lockwood’s men, the first coming for Orsini who somehow hit his shot over the bar from six yards out after good work from Budge on the left to deliver the cross. The ever-dangerous Amissah then had two chances; in the 15th minute when he broke free but hit his shot straight at the ‘keeper, and then three minutes later when he worked the space on the edge of the box before curling a beautiful, right-footed shot just wide of the Jubilee crossbar.
Jubilee’s game plan was clear; as they grew in to the contest by winning nearly every second ball, being stern in the challenge and delivering the ball swiftly to their attackers at every opportunity. They were complemented by a strong and experienced looking back four who cleared everything and stayed tight to the Wakefield strikers. That didn’t prevent another good opportunity for Amissah, after Palmer excellently received the ball with his back to goal, before playing a sublime reverse pass in to Burton. The midfielder squared it for the striker who could only knock his faint touch over the bar from within the six yard box.
By now, Jubilee were starting to threaten and Arvanitis was forced in to a fine save in the 26th minute when he tipped over a half-volley from the edge of the box that would have been a certain goal. The visitors had two more gilt-edged chances before half time; initially when Wakefield’s increasing lack of urgency nearly cost them following a corner that wasn’t cleared, and the striker somehow missed an open net when he was unmarked at the back post; then, when Arvanitis was called in to another fine save at the striker’s feet, after two Wakefield defenders had been left flat-footed in their penalty area.
Amongst all of that, Wakefield’s best player of the first half – Samuel Amissah – did have another golden opportunity to score when he again cut in on to his right foot. Having previously failed with finesse, this time he tried brute force, but his right-footed shot went flying over the bar leaving the game goalless at halftime.
The first 15 minutes of the second half went much the same way as the first half, with the visiting goalkeeper forced in to a good save to tip an Orsini free-kick from distance over the bar not long after the restart. That was one of many free-kicks for the home side, as Jubilee looked to disrupt and destroy at every opportunity. On one such occasion they were lucky to keep ten men on the field, after Amissah went through on-goal before he was cynically hacked down by the chasing Jubilee defender. The increasingly physical game also gave way to a melee, as both sides looked to be honouring the Featherstone Rugby ground’s heritage with a scrum in the middle of the park. That prompted a meeting between the referee and his assistants, followed by a talking-to with both captains but ultimately no further action.
Other than an excellent opportunity for Palmer, who showed some good footwork to beat two defenders before hitting his shot at the goalkeeper, Jubilee took control of proceedings after the hour mark and Wakefield seemed to have no response. It was again a ball over the top complemented by high-pressure from the Jubilee players that bore fruit for the away side. Hoyle couldn’t latch on to a bouncing ball, which allowed the Jubilee striker to beat the onrushing Arvanitis with his shot. The shot hit the post but bounced back in to play, leaving a simple finish in to the open net for Joel Magill who beat the Wakefield players to the rebound.
Things went from bad to worse minutes later as Wakefield calamity combined with Jubilee audacity as their striker Jordan Turner increased the score to 0-2. It came from nothing, as Chipasha delivered a throw-in from the right in his own half back to Hoyle. Hoyle’s touch was slightly heavy on the bouncing ball, before out of nowhere the onrushing Jubilee striker saw Arvanitis off his line and hit a half volley from all of 45 yards in to the back of the Wakefield net.
Wakefield were left stunned, and never looked like mounting a comeback in the closing 10 minutes. The best they could offer were a few more speculative shots from distance that flew over the visiting side’s bar. That meant an unwanted, opening-day 2-0 home defeat was the final result.
Despite dominating for large periods, Wakefield and their manager could have no real complaints as the more experienced and savvy away side made them pay for their profligacy in attack and lack of bite in defence. After a pre-season full of promise, in which the club have got everything right off the pitch, it was a sobering day for the players, management and fans.
The positive remains that Wakefield have secured a wonderful location to play their football this year, with excellent playing and hospitality facilities and an exciting new group of players to take up the challenge. They will be watched on by near record attendances for this league that will generate an electrifying atmosphere. However, the off-field success will count for nothing in a challenging season of football. On the pitch is where it matters, and Lockwood’s developing side will now look to bounce back on Saturday 26th September 2020 away at Houghton Main’s M-Tec stadium: kick-off, 15:00PM.
Match Reporter: Austin Ainsworth
The Squad
GK: Crescenzio Arvanitis
RWB: Jake Dickinson
CB: Gervas Chipasha
CB: Patrick Hoyle
CB: Greg Hunter
LWB: Jack Budge
CM: Tom Raithby
CM: Jack Burton
CAM: Bryce Orsini
ST: Samuel Amissah
ST: Daniel Palmer
Subs:
Ruben Musat, Louis Andre, Tom Davies, Bruno Bagi, James Makuba
Subs Used:
67m – Tom Davies for Tom Raithby
73m – James Makuba for Jack Budge
80m – Bruno Bagi for Dan Palmer
The Stats
Goals
73m, Jubilee Sports FC (Joel Magill)
79m, Jubilee Sports FC (Jordan Turner)
Cards
Patrick Hoyle (Yellow)
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 6
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 4
Jubilee Sports FC
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 2
Great team, unlucky not to win go again next week