Saturday 1st October 2022 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC made the trip to North Yorkshire on Saturday, as they faced fifth placed Harrogate Railway Athletic in the Northern Counties East League Division One. Wakefield – sixth at the start of play – were looking to move back in to the top four after an unexpected loss to Worsbrough Bridge in their last match.
Although Wakefield would have been eager to bounce back from the previous week’s disappointment, the challenge was obvious as they went in to the game again without a recognised striker, away to a Harrogate side who finished fourth in the league last season and who had conceded only seven league goals so far this year.
Manager Gabe Mozzini made several changes to the side beaten against Worsbrough; with Harley Blankley coming back in to play in an unfamiliar striking role in Wakefield’s endless effort to replace the injured Jake Morrison, whilst Josh Craig returned to left back and veteran midfielder Tom Claisse made his Wakefield debut in the absence of injured Jock Curran.
There wasn’t much in the opening stages, with Wakefield perhaps just edging proceedings without ever truly threatening the home goal. Jaydan Sandhu – looking for a third goal in three games since his debut – had Wakefield’s first sight of goal in the fourth minute when he dragged his shot just wide, after Wakey’s no. 10 Billy Mole showed good strength to shrug two Harrogate players off to play his midfield companion in.
Wakefield controlled much of the possession throughout the first half and had the better share of the scant efforts on goal, however unfortunately for them the home side showed a clinical edge in capitalising on the solitary shot on goal they had in the first 45 minutes to take the lead against the run of play.
The goal came from a questionable free-kick, as Mole robustly looked to make amends for a loose ball in midfield when he excellently tracked back, and appeared to have timed his challenge from behind to perfection in stopping the Harrogate counter. The referee disagreed and blew for a foul 24 yards out to the right of Wakefield’s penalty area. The resultant kick from Luke Stewart somehow made its way all the way through to goal as it missed a host of attempted attacking and defensive touches, before worming its way past the unsighted Henry Kendrick in to the far corner.
Wakefield had chances to equalise, the best a stinging long range effort from debutant Claisse which came after some intricate play down the Wakefield left between Josh Craig and Mason Rubie, but went straight in to the Harrogate ‘keeper’s grasp. Both goalkeeper’s remained underworked as the the half played out in the middle third; the score remaining in Harrogate’s favour at half time.
With work to do in the second half to find a higher gear, Wakefield unfortunately stalled as any attacking threat evaporated while Harrogate upped the ante themselves. Wakey manager Mozzini had tried to impact proceedings, making a half-time substitution with youngster Jack Wilman coming on for Daniel Hernandez. The change meant a shift in formation, as Sandhu moved out to more of a left-wing position, to allow the former to play in midfield.
Wakefield also tried yet another approach in attack, as Mole moved further forward to swap with Blankley for the second half. In truth, although it was right to try something different when a goal down, the changes didn’t work and Wakefield were second best throughout the half.
With Sandhu having moved to the left, his natural inclination was to drift inwards to midfield, whilst left-back Craig moved further forward to provide width; that left space for Harrogate, who time and time again threatened down Wakefield’s left as Cory Woodward was dragged from centre-defence to cover.
There were several warnings, with goalkeeper Kendrick somehow preventing Harrogate doubling their lead in the 55th minute when he saved low to his right from close range after an attack down Wakefield’s aforementioned left side.
10 minutes later Harrogate’s second did come from down that side, when Woodward lost out attempting to cover close to the left corner flag. Craig’s subsequent lunging challenge served only to fortuitously play Harrogate in, with Kendrick forced to demonstrate his lightning-quick reactions to again somehow stop the close-range effort. However he, nor any Wakefield defender, could do anything to prevent Luke Stewart from completing the simplest of tap-ins from the rebound to claim his, and Harrogate’s, second of the game.
Disappointingly for Wakefield, aside from that second goal – not for the first time in recent fixtures – they saw much of the ball in the closing stages but never looked like creating any sort of opportunity to score; the match finishing 2-0 in Harrogate’s favour to leave Wakefield in sixth and move Harrogate up to fourth.
Worryingly for Wakefield, that is now four losses in their last five games. Having failed to score in three of those, the loss of striker Jake Morrison – absent in all of those fixtures – is becoming more and more obvious. To put their current travails in front of goal in to perspective, Wakefield failed to net in only two of their 26 league fixtures last year. Although that last stat may point more towards the gulf in class between defences of step seven compared to this year’s step six, it is clear Wakefield have work to do to return to their free-flowing best.
Work they will, as is their champion’s nature. Moreover, Wakefield – as a newly promoted side – should keep their heads held high with an impressive record of five wins from their opening 10 league games, showing it is not all doom and gloom. Wakey now get a break from league action, as their attention turns to the first round of the West Riding County Cup next Wednesday 12th October when they welcome Yorkshire Amateur to the Millennium Stadium: kick-off 19:45PM.
Match Stats
Half Time: 1-0
Full Time: 2-0
Attendance: 148
MOTM: Tom Claisse
Wakefield Starting XI:
Henry Kendrick – Aaron Pilkington, Kristijonas Joksas, Cory Woodward (C), Josh Craig – Daniel Hernandez, Jaydan Sandhu, Tom Claisse, Billy Mole, Mason Rubie – Harley Blankley
Subs Used:
46m, Jack Wilman for Daniel Hernandez
66m, Taylor Rayan for Mason Rubie
77m, Tom Booth for Jaydan Sandhu
Goals:
20m, Luke Stewart
67m, Luke Stewart
Cards:
Cory Woodward (Yellow)
Tom Booth (Yellow)
Attempts:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shot off Target: 0
Harrogate Railway Athletic
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 0
Second Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 4