Saturday 19th August 2023 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC’s mixed start to the NCEL season – an unconvincing win over Staveley bookended
by disappointing defeats to Retford FC and Beverley Town in their first three games – placed added
pressure on the last week, in which they faced a home fixture against Dronfield Town in midweek
before a tough trip to high fliers Harrogate Railway Athletic.
Tuesday evening’s visit of Dronfield to Belle Vue transpired to be the perfect preparation for the
weekend journey to table-toppers, and probable title challengers, Harrogate. In what was a
dominant, 4-0 win, 17 year old Oli Rodriguez shone on his first start, which was capped with a
fine goal, and striker Jake Morrison made a timely return from injury as a second-half substitute,
celebrating it with his 41st goal in just 44 Wakefield appearances over three seasons.
Unsurprisingly, Wakefield manager Gabe Mozzini’s starting line-up against Harrogate was almost
identical to that previous match; Mason Rubie the only new addition as – after a first clean sheet of
the season – goalkeeper Henry Kendrick and the back four kept their places. Ashley Flynn also
retained his position up front, with Morrison still deemed only fit enough for the bench.
Wakefield’s starting 4-3-3 formation was, on paper, consistent with what is their usual set-up, but at
times their tactics were world’s apart from the norm. Perhaps with the opposition and prior record
in mind – two losses to Harrogate in both fixtures last year – unusually for Wakefield they gave up
plenty of possession and territory to the home side; but balanced that with resolute defending, a
rarely seen sharpness in the tackle, ultra-aggressive pressing at the right moments and rapid
counter-attacks. The tactics worked, as the away side boasted the best goalscoring chances of the
game and saw their own goal rarely threatened.
Wakefield didn’t have to wait long to see the fruits of their labour, with centre-back Jack Durkin
opening his official Wakefield AFC account in the seventh minute. The goal came from a free-kick
that Harrogate failed to clear, with Durkin holding his high position at the back post as the ball
came back in from a wayward defensive header. His touch was perfect as he killed the ball and
then drilled a shot to the far post which deflected in off Harrogate’s Harry Croft on the line; the
referee awarding it as an own-goal but, with the shot clearly on target, one that should be credited
to the Wakefield man on appeal.
Harrogate did nearly find an immediate route back in to the game moments later, when their
overlapping winger Luca Bolino was given the ball down the right. He cut in and beat goalscorer
Durkin on the dead-ball line, before squaring to Lucas Umpleby who was just two yards from goal.
However, Wakefield left-back Jack McGahan showed great awareness and determination to race
back and somehow block the shot off the line.
Wakefield never really looked back from that and Railway would not go as close again, as
Wakefield’s game-plan continued to reap chances. Rodriguez, so effective on his full goalscoring
debut against Dronfield, continued to threaten on the wing and he could have doubled Wakefield’s
lead 15 minutes in. Wakefield no. 10 Billy Mole had initially sprung Wakefield’s counter with a crisp
long ball into Flynn’s feet. He turned and played Rodriguez in to acres of space down the right.
Perhaps keen to gift Flynn a chance at his long-awaited first Wakefield goal, the winger attempted
a difficult pass back inside to the striker rather than take what appeared to be his own better
chance to score.
Mole, as always, was at the heart of the action both defensively and offensively, and he had his
own chance to score on the half-hour mark after some fine interplay between him, Aaron Pilkington
and midfield lynchpin Jaydan Sandhu. Mole, having initiated the attack, was given the ball back 20
yards out before his fine, curling shot rattled the crossbar. The move was indicative of the game
and Wakefield’s play; quicker, more productive and more incisive than Harrogate when in
possession.
The second goal did come from Wakefield just before the stroke of half-time, with perennial assist-
maker Mason Rubie adding to his 10 goals for the club with a fine strike from the edge of the
penalty area. He had capitalised from a poor clearance from Harrogate following a Wakefield
corner to touch the ball down just inside the left corner of the penalty box; he set himself quickly
and curled a deft shot to the inside of the far crossbar, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.
No. 9 Morrison replaced Flynn at half-time and, following two early long-range attempts on goal by
Rodriguez at the half’s start, the striker nearly made it three for the away side when he showed
trademark strength and pace down the channels to meet a fine pass from Mole, before firing just
wide of the goal from the angle.
Wakefield ‘keeper Kendrick wasn’t solely a spectator in the second half, as he was forced in to a
fine save, low to his right, to deny Harrogate’s Umpleby a goal from a well-taken free-kick. The
talking point of that event, however, came with the initial award of the set-piece as it didn’t look like
a foul from Wakefield substitute Nathan Hawkhead, who appeared to have won the ball right on the
line of the penalty area. That the referee deemed it a foul made it all the more strange he had not
then awarded the home side a spot kick, and it did nothing to ease Harrogate’s growing frustration
at their lack of a grasp on the game.
Mole was arguably Wakefield’s star performer on the day and, having already tested the Harrogate
goalkeeper with a fine solo effort moments earlier, he made it three for Wakefield in the 68th
minute. With his back to goal, he controlled a driven pass from Pilkington well, before slipping his
marker and turning in to the penalty area on to his left foot. Like a man with all the time and space
in the world, he picked his spot and simply passed the ball beyond the reach of the stretching hand
of the goalkeeper. The goal, his third of the season, puts him back level with his long-term striker
partner Morrison on 41 goals for the club. When they play together one, if not both, usually finds
the net and the stats serve only to underline how important it is for the club to keep them both fit
this season.
As the game moved in to the last 20 minutes it was obvious there was no way back for Harrogate,
with their frustrations boiling over when their defender Croft was shown a straight red card for an
off the ball moment with Rodriguez, in which he kicked him from behind in full view of the referee.
That served only to open up more space for a vibrant Wakefield, who continued to create
opportunities; the best when Morrison touched and turned quickly to fire off a shot in the penalty
area just before full-time, only for Harrogate ‘keeper Jonathan Dash to deny him with a fine save,
low to his left.
The result moved Wakefield up to 10th after five games, while Harrogate remain top having played
more games than those around them. However, the effect on the league table so early in the
season will likely pale in to insignificance for Wakefield compared to the immeasurable benefit it
will have on confidence and optimism for the long season ahead. The standard has now been set,
and the challenge is to meet that standard every match.
The next opportunity to do so will be in another first for the still fledgling Wakefield side, when they
make their debut in the FA VASE away to Droylsden in first round qualifying; kick-off is at 15:00PM
on Saturday 26th August 2023.
Harrogate Railway Athletic Match Stats
Half Time: 0-2
Full Time: 0-3
Attendance: 147
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Henry Kendrick – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Robbie Miller, Jack McGahan – Jaydan Sandhu,
Danny Youel (C), Billy Mole – Mason Rubie, Ashley Flynn, Oliver Rodriguez
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
46m, Jake Morrison for Ashley Flynn
52m, Nathan Hawkhead for Robbie Miller
61m, Callum Charlton for Jack McGahan
74m, Sebastian Losa for Billy Mole
Goals:
7m, Jack Durkin
45m(+3), Mason Rubie
68m, Billy Mole
Wakefield AFC Assists:
68m, Aaron Pilkington
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Aaron Pilkington (Yellow)
Robbie Miller (Yellow)
Oliver Rodriguez (Yellow)
Attempts:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shot off Target: 7
Harrogate Railway Athletic
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shots off Target: 3
Dronfield Town Match Stats
Half Time: 1-0
Full Time: 4-0
Attendance: 319
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Henry Kendrick – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Robbie Miller, Jack McGahan – Jaydan Sandhu,
Danny Youel (C), Billy Mole – Kieran Ceesay, Ashley Flynn, Oliver Rodriguez
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
60m, Jake Morrison for Ashley Flynn
60m, Nathan Hawkhead for Kieran Ceesay
71m, Sebastian Losa for Billy Mole
80m, Mason Rubie for Oliver Rodriguez
Goals:
24m, Billy Mole
67m, Oliver Rodriguez
76m, Jake Morrison
88m, Jaydan Sandhu
Wakefield AFC Assists:
24m, Aaron Pilkington
67m, Jaydan Sandhu
76m, Danny Youel
88m, Mason Rubie
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Billy Mole (Yellow)
Jack McGahan (Yellow)
Henry Kendrick (Yellow)
Attempts:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shot off Target: 7
Dronfield Town
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 0
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 1