Saturday 2nd October 2021
Saturday brought the beginnings of what is hoped to be a long run in the West Riding County FA Challenge Cup for Wakefield AFC, and with it an opportunity to get back to winning ways after last week’s disappointing league defeat to Ecclesfield Red Rose 1915 FC.
Wakefield were again away from home, with their first round opposition West Yorkshire Association Football League Division Two’s Huddersfield LH FC – who sit two levels below them in the 13th tier of the football pyramid.
The match turned out to be another non-league classic, with favourites Wakefield narrowly avoiding a cup upset as they twice came from behind to eventually run out victorious with a last minute Mohammed Abou winner, to save the tie from the added drama of penalties.
Manager Adam Lockwood made two changes to the side beaten away from home in the previous week – both in midfield – as Morgan Butcher replaced Jack Burton, and Daniel Youel dropped back from his usual attacking midfield position to partner him in the engine room. That meant a first start of the season for Lucas Stubbs, who came in to the side to partner Jake Morrison up front.
The referee made a fast start – strangely opting to start the match 15 minutes early, prior to many of the 78 fans in attendance arriving – and so did Wakefield as they had three good early chances to take the lead. The best fell to four goal striker Morrison, who had his header from a Red Bates cross well saved.
In the first twist of the day, it was however the home side who took a surprise early lead. Not for the first or last time, the referee – seemingly too often busy trying to check for offside in place of the make-shift linesmen provided by each of the teams – had blown for a questionable corner kick to the home side after a phase of play he hadn’t even appeared to have been watching. Nonetheless, Wakefield failed to defend the resultant set-piece as the knock down wasn’t cleared and the Laund Hill player was able to tap the ball in for the lead ahead of the diving James Leverton in the Wakefield goal.
The away side responded well and appeared to be back to their attacking best; Red Bates and Owen Kirman providing menace down the wings. Minutes later it was those two who combined to level the scores as Kirman showed his pace by blasting past the Huddersfield LH defender down the left. He showed good composure to cut-in and cross across goal leaving Bates, who had ghosted in at the back post, to take a touch and finish nicely in to the back of the net to make it 1-1.
Wakefield were in the ascendancy, and looked likely to find their own route to a second goal before long. They were ultimately given a map and directions by the home side in unfortunate circumstances. Calamity is never far away at this level of football, and it seems no player is more at risk than those brave enough to be a goalkeeper. That was the case as Morrison, hungry for his fifth goal in four matches, chased a back-pass towards the home ‘keeper. Morrison was rewarded as the shot-stopper completely missed the ball, leaving the Wakefield goalscorer to run past him for a simple tap-in.
The home goalkeeper may have felt he wasn’t alone minutes later, as Laund Hill found their way back in to the game just before half-time, courtesy of an unfortunate error from his opposite number Leverton in the Wakefield goal. It was again a set-piece, this time a free-kick from 35 yards out. Leverton was high on his line, seemingly ready to come and collect the expectant cross, but was bamboozled as the looping cross-cum-shot went over his head and in to the back of the net via the faint touch of his stretching fingers.
Huddersfield were given life by that late first half equaliser, and were the better side for much of the second half. Always sharp in the tackle and quick on the break, they would have retaken the lead just short of the hour mark were it not for Leverton who more than redeemed himself in the Wakefield goal, as he rushed out to stop a shot when one-on-one with the Laund Hill striker.
The relief was short lived as the home side did make it 3-2 in the 64th minute with a clinical goal. The left-winger made good progress down the flank and spotted the inside run – not tracked – of his team mate. He crossed to the near post to allow for a tap-in for the runner who had beaten the Wakefield defence to the ball.
For a moment, Wakefield appeared shaken and descended in to strife; with the manager and players all verbalising their obvious frustration at how the game appeared to be moving away from them. What followed was a gallant display of character as Wakefield, whilst not at their best, never gave in and found a way to survive.
Morrison, so often isolated up-front, continued to chase and harry the home defence. And, having been rewarded with his fifth goal of the season in the first half for pressing the goalkeeper, was rewarded with his third assist of the season in similar fashion in the 78th minute. The goalkeeper had struggled to deal with a lively back-pass and his touch pushed the ball in to the path of the on-rushing Morrison. He ultimately chased the ‘keeper out of the box and came out victorious, able to square the ball for Kirman who had timed his run to perfection on to the penalty spot to place the ball in to the corner of the net past the covering defenders.
It looked as though that goal, Kirman’s fourth of the season, would only be enough to the see the tie in to the lottery of penalties. Late Wakefield substitute Mohammed Abou had other ideas in the dying embers of stoppage time though, when he latched on to a Lucas Stubbs lay-off from a quickly taken Mason Rubie throw-in. Abou turned twinkle toes and rushed past three defenders in to the opposition box from the right. With a place in the cup at stake, he showed the ice in his veins as he smartly side-footed to the near post past the devastated Huddersfield LH goalkeeper to win the game 4-3 for the jubilant away side.
Wakefield now await the second-round draw for the cup and in the meantime will turn their attentions back to the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League when they welcome Stocksbridge Park Steels Reserves to the Millennium Stadium, Featherstone on Saturday 9th October 2021: kick-off 15:00PM.
Austin Ainsworth
Half Time: 2-2
Full Time: 3-4
Attendance: 78
Starting XI:
James Leverton – Mason Rubie, James Morris (C), Bradley Swain, Cory Woodward – Red Bates, Daniel Youel, Morgan Butcher, Owen Kirman – Lucas Stubbs, Jake Morrison
Goals:
18m, Huddersfield LH FC
33m, Red Bates
36m, Jake Morrison
42m, Huddersfield LH FC
64m, Huddersfield LH FC
78m, Owen Kirman
90+3, Mohammed Abou
Assists
33m, Owen Kirman
78m, Jake Morrison
90+3, Lucas Stubbs
Subs Used:
63m, Josh Lockwood for Morgan Butcher
64m, Mohammed Abou for Red Bates
83m, Cain Tailford for Jake Morrison
Cards
Josh Lockwood – Yellow
Stats:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 6
Shots off Target: 6
Second Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shot off Target: 4
Huddersfield LH FC
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 4