Saturday 3rd August 2024 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC went in to the weekend fixtures already with ground to make up on their NCEL Division One rivals, having fallen to defeat on the opening day of the season away to Club Thorne Colliery; that a fixture in which a one goal lead at half-time was turned in to a 3-1 defeat following an early second-half red card for Wakefield.
Another newly promoted side – Dearne & District – were the visitors to Belle Vue for Wakefield’s first home game of the season, themselves enjoying a more positive start to their campaign with four points from their opening two fixtures.
Wakey manager Junior Roberti made several changes to his side, with George Bristol replacing injured goalkeeper Owen Evans, and Jayden John making his first start for the club at left-back in place of the suspended Callum Charlton. Last season’s top-scorer Mason Rubie came back in to the starting line-up, meaning new signing Scott Smith moved infield to form an attack-minded midfield three with Billy Mole and Morgan James. In somewhat of a surprise, it was last year’s player-of-the-season and creative force Jaydan Sandhu that dropped to the bench.
Just as in their opening game, Wakefield had the better of the first half; dominating possession and enjoying the majority of the half’s chances on goal, if not quite reaching top-gear in terms of the speed and fluidity of play which they are surely capable of.
Smith and winger Kiyani Morris were Wakefield’s main goal-threat, the former first glancing a header just wide of the post after three minutes, before Morris latched on to an outrageous diagonal pass from Bristol in goal to run in from the left; his shot firm, but close enough to the ‘keeper to strike his palms rather than the back of the net.
Dearne did have some sight of goal, mainly of Wakefield’s own making; the home side enjoying a lucky escape when a soft, sideways pass at the back was intercepted for the Dearne striker to run through. However, his shot on the stretch was tame and Bristol was able to scoop the ball up.
Wakefield had the ball in the back of the net two minutes from half-time when captain Jack Durkin stole a march on his marker from a Wakefield free-kick. He controlled the ball down well and then dispatched it in to goal but – contentiously – the linesman raised his flag for offside. Wakefield had thought they had the lead, but Dearne should have had it moments later; Wakefield saved by the upright when a counter-attack led to a looping header beating Bristol, but bouncing right back in to his grasp off the post.
With things all square at the break more was needed from Wakefield who, despite their apparent control, just seemed to lack the necessary zip, firmness of pass and speed of play. It was actually Dearne who found their ascendency however, taking the lead 10 minutes after the re-start.
It came from yet another counter attack with Wakefield stretched, their man running in and seeing his shot saved, but not held, by Bristol. The ball rolled out to John, however his attempted clearance bounced right back off the incoming Bayley Lowe and straight in to an empty Wakefield net.
That was the unfortunate defender’s last action of the game, as he made way for the welcome arrival of Sandhu, who was followed soon after by Sebastian Losa for Ben Gelder upfront. The changes did give Wakefield some impetus, with a glut of chances all saved or blocked from close range on the hour mark.
Wakefield did finally have their equaliser minutes later through Scott Smith with his first Wakefield goal, taken clinically on the rebound from close-range in to the bottom corner. It was Mole who drew applause for the goal however, up-to-then on the fringes of the game having first taken up a deeper midfield role and in the second half moving out to the unfamiliar position of right-wing. As always he continued to work tirelessly and did so to win a header above the goalkeeper, before having two stabs at his 50th goal for Wakefield from close range. Both were blocked and Smith was on hand to finish the job.
Wakefield failed to build on any momentum though, never quite finding another level to go on and win the game. Goalscorer Smith came closest 10 minutes later, when a neat touch and turn led to his dipping shot clattering the crossbar.
The visitors, always staying in the game, made the better of their fewer chances though when they bagged the match-winner 10 minutes from time. Bristol came out to meet a corner but his hands could only deflect the set-piece down in to the path of Oliver Yates, whose shot from the penalty-spot took a slight deflection and trickled in to the Wakefield goal.
There was no late Wakefield equaliser, despite Morris coming close soon after kick-off; Dearne, as they had done throughout the game, making another block from close-range. That meant Wakefield fell to their second defeat in as many games, and now drop to second-bottom of the league.
Little can be read in to league positions so early in the season, however ominously, for Wakefield, their predicted rivals this year – Horbury and Wombwell Town – both have nine points from three games. If – as has been the norm for the side that goes on to win this league, and was also so for all of the top three last year – either of those two sides maintain anything like that consistency for the rest of the season, nine points already feels like a mountain for Wakefield to climb. Mountains are there to be conquered though, and Wakefield will quickly hope they can turn potential in to points and start their rise up the league. The next opportunity to do so will come on Saturday 10th August 2024, away to Dronfield Town; kick-off 15:00PM.
Match Stats
Half Time: 0-0
Full Time: 1-2
Attendance: 324
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
George Bristol – Steve Smith, Jack Durkin (C), Keegan Townrow, Jayden John – Billy Mole, Morgan James, Scott Smith – Mason Rubie, Ben Gelder, Kiyani Morris
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
57m, Jaydan Sandhu for Jayden John
58m, Sebastian Losa for Ben Gelder
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 73% – 27% Dearne & District
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 358 – 121 Dearne & District
Goals:
56m, Bayley Lowe
65m, Scott Smith
80m, Oliver Yates
Wakefield AFC Assists:
65m, Billy Mole
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Sebastian Losa (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shot off Target: 6
Dearne & District
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 0