Saturday 23rd March 2024 | Austin Ainsworth
A lot can happen in a week, and that saying is never truer than in the game of football; more specifically in the NCEL Division One where Wakefield faced two big games after taking just one point from their two fixtures the week before.
That winless week comprised of two away games, the first a draw away to Retford FC before a top-four clash away to Shirebrook that saw Wakefield defeated last Saturday. This past week Wakefield were back home at Belle Vue, but again started with a Tuesday evening match against Retford FC, before another top-of-the-table clash on Saturday; this time Parkgate the visitors.
The difference was night and day, as Wakefield first demolished Retford FC 8-2, before a highly impressive, accomplished 3-1 victory over many people’s title-favourites Parkgate. And there was a different man in charge for the victories, as assistant couch Junior Roberti took the side in Gabe Mozzini’s absence on Tuesday, before Wednesday saw the club announce that move was to be made permanent. There is no doubt that Mozzini leaves the club having made an indelible mark on Wakefield AFC, with his accomplishments set to remain in the memory for years to come; a title-winning, promotion achieving first season; free-flowing, fluid football; 103 games and 64 wins, with a win percentage of 62%; five or more goals scored on 17 different occasions; and an astounding total of 266 goals scored, with an average of 2.6 per game.
But, however fondly Mozzini will be remembered, things move quickly in football and Wakefield did so with an eye-catching, emphatic and energetic week of expansive football under Roberti. Making some slight tweaks, he switched Wakefield to an attack-minded 3-4-3 formation; with attacking-midfielder/striker Sebastian Losa dropping in to a midfield role alongside Jaydan Sandhu, whist Ben Gelder was the striker in a fluid front-three also comprising Oliver Rodriguez and Slater Barnes.
The former put in a man-of-the-match turn against Retford on Tuesday evening, opening the scoring with a goal-of-the-season contender, before later bagging a hat-trick of assists. The goal, in just the sixth minute, was a work of art as the winger latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the box before three perfect touches saw him juggle the ball over not one, but two, defenders. He then touched and accelerated past the third and final defender, and finished from the angle with a precise shot, low to the far corner.
Rodriguez turned provider 10 minutes later, when he delivered a perfect cross for Gelder to head in his ninth goal of the season. Defender T’nique Fishley later made it three from almost the same spot, this time from a Sandhu corner-kick with a powerful header for his first Wakefield goal.
Retford did throw a spanner in the works either side of half-time, pulling the score back to 3-2 from a corner-kick and then a well taken free-kick. Any new sense of jeopardy in the game for Wakefield was quickly dispelled however, with yet another headed goal inside the six yard box, this time from captain Jack Durkin.
Sandhu added the fifth, with a finely dispatched penalty-kick following a foul on Mason Rubie in the box. And, with so many people in on the goalscoring action, it would have been a miracle had second-half substitute Lewis Stephens not added his name to the scoresheet. He didn’t disappoint, heading home his third goal in five games in the 79th minute.
There was still time for Rubie – top goalscorer this year, having added a clinical edge to his game – to take his tally to 18 with two late strikes. The first was a deflected shot after a wonderful Rodriguez pass; and the second was a great demonstration of skill, when he controlled a Jack Cairney clearance perfectly with his back to goal, turning, and in one smooth motion unleashing a pin-point strike with his left foot.
The crushing performance from Wakefield was a return to form after a difficult couple of games, and it meant they went in to the game against Parkgate on Saturday with a spring in their step. That showed, as an unchanged Wakefield side were superior to the visitors in every department. However, as in last month’s 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture, Wakefield nearly gifted Parkgate an early lead through a loss of possession on the edge of their own box. Goalkeeper George Bristol saved his side with a fine save, before Losa opened the scoring moments later.
It was a brilliant move, as Sandhu excellently kept the ball on the right wing, evading several markers before passing to Losa. He executed a quick give-and-go with Barnes, before finessing a curling shot just inside of the far post to move in to double figures for goals scored this year.
Wakefield were largely dominant, and ingeniously overcame what – on paper, at least – appeared to be an overly attack-minded midfield, through wing-back Callum Charlton inverting to seamlessly alternate between his wide role and a deep-lying midfield, playmaker role. The tactics worked, and Parkgate were kept at arm’s length, before Wakefield’s achilles’ heel of defending set-pieces again showed itself right on half-time; Ross Duggan heading home, unmarked inside the Wakefield box from a corner-kick.
The scoreline was not a true reflection of the level of Wakefield’s performance, and the home side saw to that in an even more impressive second half. They returned to the lead just after the hour-mark following the award of a penalty, after Rodriguez’s elusive movement saw him fouled in the box. Just as in midweek, Sandhu stepped up and, just as in midweek, he expertly curled it in to the side netting to the right of the goalkeeper; the goal his 14th of the campaign.
Such was the confidence and composure of Wakefield’s performance, even with just the one goal advantage against a team of Parkgate’s calibre, the home side always seemed in control and never looked to sit back or soak up pressure. Their positive football was rewarded close to the end when Barnes capped off another fine performance with his 11th goal in just 13 games, smashing a loose ball high in to the net from close range after Parkgate failed to clear a corner.
That was enough to secure the points for Wakefield in a win that displayed their promotion credentials against one of the league’s best sides. The victory sees them remain hot on the heels of league-leaders Shirebrook, three points adrift having played a game more. Wakefield now turn their attention to another opportunity to consolidate their play-off position, when they visit fellow promotion-chasers Wombwell Town in their next fixture; kick-off 15:00PM on Saturday 30th March 2024.
Retford FC Match Stats
Half Time: 3-1
Full Time: 8-2
Attendance: 242
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
George Bristol – Jack Durkin (C), Jack Cairney, T’nique Fishley – Mason Rubie, Sebastian Losa, Jaydan Sandhu, Callum Charlton – Slater Barnes, Ben Gelder, Oliver Rodriguez
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
57m, Nathan Hawkhead for Sebastian Losa
67m, Lewis Stephens for Ben Gelder
79m, Ben Holmes for Slater Barnes
83m, Bradley Green for Callum Charlton
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 71% – 29% Retford FC
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 276 – 130 Retford FC
Goals:
6m, Oliver Rodriguez
15m, Ben Gelder
32m, T’nique Fishley
44m, Declan Bacon
52m, Aaron Sennett-Neilson
59m, Jack Durkin
72m, Jaydan Sandhu (Penalty)
79m, Lewis Stephens
80m, Mason Rubie
90m+2, Mason Rubie
Wakefield AFC Assists:
15m, Oliver Rodriguez
32m, Jaydan Sandhu
59m, Jaydan Sandhu
79m, Oliver Rodriguez
80m, Oliver Rodriguez
90m+2, Jack Cairney
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Lewis Stephens (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 7
Shot off Target: 5
Retford FC
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 0
Parkgate Match Stats
Half Time: 1-1
Full Time: 3-1
Attendance: 555
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
George Bristol – Jack Durkin (C), Jack Cairney, T’nique Fishley – Mason Rubie, Sebastian Losa, Jaydan Sandhu, Callum Charlton – Slater Barnes, Ben Gelder, Oliver Rodriguez
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
61m, Jordan Halliwell for Sebastian Losa
69m, Lewis Stephens for Ben Gelder
81m, Nathan Hawkhead for Slater Barnes
90m+4, Ben Holmes for Oliver Rodriguez
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 60% – 40% Parkgate
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 213 – 91 Parkgate
Goals:
19m, Sebastian Losa
45m+2, Ross Duggan
64m Jaydan Sandhu (Penalty)
78m, Slater Barnes
Wakefield AFC Assists:
19m, Slater Barnes
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Sebastian Losa (Yellow)
George Bristol (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 7
Second Half
Shots on Target: 6
Shot off Target: 1
Parkgate
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 2