Saturday 30th November 2024 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC have had a rare break from the action after the freezing temperatures wreaked havoc with the NCEL Division One fixture list over the past two weeks. Before that, Wakefield had been hot enough to thaw out any pitch – 6 league wins in a row, with 30 goals scored seeing them back up to the play-off places.
15th placed Club Thorne Colliery were the visitors to The Millennium Stadium on Saturday whose own league position reflects their mixed form. However, they did boast a record of three wins from their last five league games and will have also been buoyed by the memory of a 3-1 victory in the reverse of this fixture on the opening day of the season.
Wakefield are a much changed side since then, in both style and personnel. And, there were more changes to the team for this game as the suspensions following red cards for Owen Evans, Kiyani Morris and Josef Turner in Wakefield’s cup loss to Barnoldswick Town took effect. With Evans missing, there was a debut for goalkeeper Paul Cooper, who became the ninth different player to man the goal for Wakefield this season. In front of him the new defensive pairing of Brad McGowan and Chris Salt continued, whilst Aaron Pilkington made his first start at right-back since returning to the club. The midfield had a familiar look about it, but there were tweaks out wide and up front, with Sebastian Losa making his first league start since the beginning of October and Jacques Etia taking up the central striker’s birth left vacated following the departure of top-scorer Akeel Francis.
Wakefield arguably had the better of the action in a largely uneventful first half, albeit were well off the pace of their recent goal heavy victories. That was down to the discipline and doggedness of Club Thorne’s performance, who sat in a low, narrow block and restricted Wakefield to half-chances. The home side applied the early pressure and came close to taking the lead in the sixth minute, when Etia looked to get his foot to a loose ball at the back post. There were bodies everywhere and Thorne just managed to deflect the ball wide. The imposing Salt also had a couple of attempts on goal through towering headers, but his efforts were just wide of the mark from difficult positions.
Club Thorne spent most of the game in their own half but did have the best quality chances, as opposed to the quantity of Wakefield’s own efforts. The away side had a good spell of pressure on 13 minutes as Wakefield struggled to clear the ball, eventually leading to a good opportunity for their man who swivelled in the box and whipped a shot across goal which was inches away as it bounced back off Wakefield’s goalpost.
The first half somewhat petered out from then on, and was a contest played out in midfield, with Wakefield lacking some fluidity perhaps in part to the bobbling Featherstone pitch.
The first part of the second half continued in the same manner, with Wakefield eventually increasing the pressure close to the hour mark. Losa had a brilliant opportunity after captain McGowan played a wonderfully angled pass out from defence to break both the midfield and defensive line of Thorne. Losa ran into the box and rounded the goalkeeper, but could only strike the bouncing ball wide of the goal from a tight angle.
Soon after, Ben Gelder replace Etia to make his first appearance for Wakefield since leaving on dual registration in August. Abdul Asamoah also returned from injury and both had a good impact on the game. That was particularly the case for Gelder who held the ball well and had a number of attempts at goal.
None of those resulted in too much work for the Thorne goalkeeper, but the young Wakefield striker did play a part in the eventual Wakefield opener on 77 minutes. Scott Smith – Wakefield’s player of the month for November after his impressive midfield displays – raced out to the left wing to continue a Wakefield attack that had been cleared. He snatched the ball and swung in a sublime cross with his right boot. Gelder met the cross and flicked the ball on to the back post, where Salt was on hand to nod the ball home for his first Wakefield goal.
The Wakefield defender’s euphoria soon turned to despair minutes later however, when an unfortunate moment saw him level the score with an own goal. Salt, whose performance was otherwise excellent, attempted to clear a ball 20 yards out but sliced the ball back to his own goal. He tracked back to cover the threat and attempted to head the ball back to Cooper in goal. However, Cooper had already begun racing out to meet the ball and Salt’s header went looping over him into the back of the Wakefield goal.
With time ticking away Wakefield – in the face of slow-timing tactics from the away side – looked to be heading for the draw and their first dropped points in more than a month. However, good sides win games when not at their best, and Wakefield showed just that kind of resolve and determination as the game saw one last twist in the sixth minute of added time.
The Falcons were loathe to settle for a point and saw a flurry of chances, as Jaydan Sandhu received a knock-down on the edge of the box following a punt upfield by Cooper. Sandhu’s shot was deflected wide, where Gelder attempted an acrobatic shot that went back towards the six yard box. Asamoah raced in and dived to head the ball at the ‘keeper, who couldn’t hold on to it as he parried the ball away. That allowed Mo Gashi to cap off a fine individual performance, as he raced in to tap the ball into an open net. The effort sealed the three points for Wakefield and initiated chaotic scenes on the touchline as all the players, subs and coaching staff raced to celebrate the late winner.
With seven league wins in a row, Wakefield ensured they ended the day in the fifth and final play-off place, now just eight points off Dearne and District in second with three games in hand. And, that deficit could be reduced even further next time out, as Wakefield are next in action away to Dearne and District on Saturday 7th December; kick-off: 15:00PM.
Match Stats
Half Time: 0-0
Full Time: 2-1
Attendance: 180
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Paul Cooper – Aaron Pilkington, Chris Salt, Brad McGowan (C), Callum Charlton – Scott Smith, Mo Gashi – Sebastian Losa, Jaydan Sandhu, Callum Brooks – Jacques Etia
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
63m, Ben Gelder for Jacques Etia
66m, Abdul Asamoah for Sebastian Losa
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 70% – 30% Club Thorne Colliery
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 248 – 98 Club Thorne Colliery
Goals:
77m, Chris Salt
85m, Chris Salt (Own Goal)
90m+6, Mo Gashi
Wakefield AFC Assists:
77m, Ben Gelder
90m+6, Abdul Asamoah
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 6
Shot off Target: 10
Club Thorne Colliery
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 1