Saturday 7th October 2023 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC had some work to do in the NCEL this past week, having dropped to sixth in the league with a gut-wrenching last-minute defeat at home to Brigg Town last Saturday. They had two opportunities to get back on track, with a midweek fixture at home to Athersley Recreation followed by Saturday’s away trip to Worsbrough Bridge.
Both of the Barnsley sides are at the wrong end of the table and neither have won a league game since August; in theory leaving Wakefield optimistic of a return to winning ways.
Things didn’t quite go to plan for the West Yorkshire side however as Tuesday proved a far more challenging evening than most would have expected. Athersley came with a clear game plan of stationing all 10 outfield players behind the ball and were direct on the very rare occasions they stole possession of it.
Despite Wakefield controlling 80% of the possession and creating a plethora of chances, the issues that have plagued them at times this season continued to linger, with Wakefield, having failed to take their own chances, finding themselves a goal down at half-time from Athersley’s only attempt in the first half; the goal a long ball up field that Wakefield failed to clear, before Oliver McQuillin pounced to finish 1 v 1.
Wakefield continued to probe throughout the second period but were largely blunt in attack, before returning striker Jake Morrison came to life in the 82nd minute to lay the ball off to Billy Mole on the left wing. Mole crossed dangerously and the ball, cruelly for Athersley, deflected in off Wakefield’s former defender Haydn Ward.
The home side had to settle for their first draw of the season and that disappointing solitary point, with any chance of a late winner thwarted by yet another sending off for Wakefield when the up-to-then excellent Nathan Hawkhead departed for a second bookable offence.
The result – on the positive side not another home loss for Wakefield – placed extra pressure on their trip to Worsbrough, with three points needed to ensure they stay in touch with the play-off places.
Several players were missing for Wakefield, meaning manager Gabe Mozzini gave Edward Busfield his first start in defence alongside Jack Durkin. Mozzini also changed things up in attack with Mole, usually the no. 10 behind Morrison or more recently Kieran Ceesay, playing up front. Ceesay himself moved back out to the wing and that opened up space for Sebastian Losa to start the game behind Mole in attacking-midfield.
Wakefield started the game playing uphill on Worsbrough’s bobbly, sloping pitch and that perhaps affected their ability to dictate the game in terms of possession, chances and territory, with Worsrbough seeing several early efforts from set-pieces just miss the target; one a clear-cut opportunity at the back post that was somehow headed over from a corner kick.
It was Wakefield who did take the lead in the 13th minute when Mole moved on to 49 goals for the club with his 11th strike of the season. Jaydan Sandhu, equally prolific at creating goals as Mole is scoring them, was the provider when he lobbed a cute pass over the Worsbrough backline for Mole’s perfectly timed run from the right. Mole let the ball bounce and then drilled a low, half-volley inside of the near post. Despite the challenges of the pitch, the goal was a well-worked piece of art, with Aaron Pilkington starting the move with a pin-point pass and the lively Losa skilfully laying it off for Sandhu and Mole to combine to devastating effect.
Wakefield’s glee didn’t last long though, as they were stung on the counter-attack 10 minutes later. Wakefield themselves had looked to break quickly but Sandhu’s ball out wide was cut-out, leaving the away side exposed. Worsbrough were rapid on the turnover as Taylor Nicholson threaded a pass through to Andrew Horbury. Having just beat the offside trap, he finished well past Henry Kendrick to level the score.
Both sides had further half-chances as the game wore on but neither could have any arguments the game was even at half-time. And, the second half was more of the same with Worsbrough again threatening from set-pieces. They should have taken the lead close to the hour mark when a free-kick was delivered to the back post but, as on multiple occasions in the first half, the ball was headed over the Wakey bar.
Mozzini made substitutions and moved his players round like pieces on a chess board in an effort to find the opening. The changes saw the introduction of Oliver Clarke alongside Mole up front, whilst Callum Charlton was pushed further forward from his left-back position. It was he who had Wakefield’s best chance of the half in the 81st minute when his first-time shot in the area went just wide of the goal.
Worsbrough were value for their point and had a real claim for all three with the chances created, with Connor Glavin nearly giving the home side a late lead when he turned the Wakefield defence with a long pass out wide before running to latch on to the return ball. He shot towards goal but Wakey centre-back Durkin expertly positioned himself to block the ball, which ricocheted off the post and to safety.
That Worsbrough had come so close to a memorable result likely made what came next even more demoralising for them as Wakefield, who had struggled to create chances, grabbed all three points in stoppage time. It was again Sandhu, with his 10th assist of the season, whose vision proved the inspiration with a line-breaking pass from deep in his own half to find the run of Charlton through the centre. Charlton beat the Worsbrough defence and then rounded the goalkeeper, leaving a tap-in for his first goal of the season.
The drama wasn’t over there though as Mole saw red soon after when he was given a second yellow card, questionably having been adjudged to have caught a Worsbrough player when attempting a sliding tackle. The red was all the more difficult to take given his first yellow had harshly come in the first half for kicking the ball away when he legitimately shot at goal just as the referee blew for a foul. His frustration blew over at the decision, as he appeared to shove the referee, leaving worrying questions for how long Wakefield may now be without their star man.
No sooner had the game restarted had Wakefield lost another man, with substitute Clarke receiving a straight red card for a late tackle; another dubious decision when a yellow card seemed more fitting for what was the last act of the game.
Worries about who will fill in for injuries and suspensions aside, the result leaves Wakefield in sixth but with a game in hand that could see them back in to the play-off places if they win it. Paradoxically for Wakefield, of the last three games it was perhaps their least productive in terms of chances, passes and overall superiority, but their best with regard to the result. And the result was all that mattered, particularly when it came so late and in such battling fashion.
The challenge moving forward will be for Wakefield to combine the doggedness and determination that saw them through this game, with the fluidity and free-flowing football of some of the season’s earlier performances. Wakefield will get their next chance to do so when Ollerton Town visit the Be Well Support Stadium on Saturday 14th October 2023; kick-off 15:00PM.
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic Match Stats
Half Time: 1-1
Full Time: 1-2
Attendance: 160
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Henry Kendrick – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Edward Busfield, Callum Charlton – Jaydan Sandhu, Danny Youel (C) – Mason Rubie, Sebastian Losa, Kieran Ceesay – Billy Mole
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
67m, Oliver Clarke for Kieran Ceesay
71m, Owan Derrett for Sebastian Losa
75m, Cameron Barnett for Danny Youel
90m(+4), Bradley Green for Callum Charlton
Possession:
Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 49% – 51% Wakefield AFC
Passes Completed:
Worsbrough Bridge 105 – 112 Wakefield AFC
Goals:
13m, Billy Mole
25m, Andrew Horbury
90m(+3), Callum Charlton
Wakefield AFC Assists:
13m, Jaydan Sandhu
90m(+3), Jaydan Sandhu
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Danny Youel (Yellow)
Billy Mole (Yellow/Red)
Oliver Clarke (Red)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shot off Target: 2
Worsbrough Bridge
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 6
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 4
Athersley Recreation Match Stats
Half Time: 0-1
Full Time: 1-1
Attendance: 240
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Henry Kendrick – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Nathan Hawkhead, Callum Charlton – Jaydan Sandhu, Danny Youel (C) – Mason Rubie, Billy Mole, Kieran Ceesay – Jake Morrison
MOTM: Henry Kendrick
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
46m, Sebastian Losa for Callum Charlton
46m, Cameron Barnett for Danny Youel
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 80% – 20% Athersley Recreation
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 407 – 83 Athersley Recreation
Goals:
3m, Oliver McQuillin
82m, Haydn Ward (Own Goal)
Wakefield AFC Assists:
82m, Billy Mole
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Billy Mole (Yellow)
Jaydan Sandhu (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shots off Target: 7
Second Half
Shots on Target: 6
Shot off Target: 7
Athersley Recreation
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 0
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 2