Saturday 9th September 2023 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC – on an excellent run in the NCEL Division One of four wins, and an aggregate score of 18-0 – faced arguably their biggest game of the season so far on Saturday. The stars had aligned such that local rivals Horbury Town were the perfect visitors for what was also Wakefield’s first Saturday afternoon home game at Belle Vue, in glorious sunshine and on a day free from Premier League football due to the international break.
With attendances already progressing this season for Wakefield, the above factors helped the home side to their first victory even before a ball was kicked; an astounding, record attendance of 1035. The fans, many first-time attendees enticed by the lure of a derby, were not disappointed. As with all real rivalries, the day had everything; a healthy animosity amongst some of the players, goals galore, a red card and a late, late winner.
Wakefield’s team is starting to pick itself thanks to recent form, however manager Gabe Mozzini had to make some enforced changes thanks to defender Robbie Miller’s suspension and the absence of striker Ashley Flynn. Nathan Hawkhead came in to an otherwise unchanged back four, whilst Kieran Ceesay, ex-of Horbury Town, replaced Flynn up front. The ever-improving midfield triumvirate of Jaydan Sandhu, Danny Youel and Billy Mole started their sixth game in succession with the fast-becoming undroppable Oliver Rodriguez on one wing and mainstay Mason Rubie on the other.
For the first half at least, the match never promised anything like the drama that would unfold; Wakefield continuing the trend of their recent matches by exerting utter dominance over Horbury in all the key metrics of intensity, possession, territory and chances created. The goals quickly followed as top-scorer Mole moved to seven for the season inside 10 minutes. The fluidity of Wakefield’s attack was a defining element of the goal as the home side used the fact that Ceesay, not a natural no. 9, was a somewhat makeshift choice to start up-front to their strength, with he and Mole interchanging regularly, and each taking it in turns to drop off whilst the other became the focal point. For the goal it was Ceesay who dropped in to the hole and displayed outstanding vision to drill a teasing ball out to the right wing for Rubie to chase. Rubie won his race with the full-back and the ball was worked back to Sandhu – Wakefield’s creator-in-chief and current leading assist-maker – who rolled a pass inside to Mole on the right edge of the penalty area. Mole let the ball run across his body before unleashing a first-time strike with his left foot that continued to pick up speed as it curled beautifully all the way out to the far corner of the goal.
Wakefield didn’t look back, whilst Horbury – who have experienced a difficult start to their second season in the NCEL – looked as though they were crumbling. Wakefield’s second goal quickly followed and came courtesy of yet another highlight in Rodriguez’s expanding reel, when he displayed excellent close-control with his back to goal to receive a bullet pass from Mole, before shooting on the half-turn with a strike that curled around his marker and then just back inside the post. The goal, Rodriguez’s second of the season, also meant Mole made his third assist of the campaign, taking him to 10 goal-contributions (goal or assist) in just nine games this year.
Wakefield continued to dominate but had to wait until just before half-time to add a third goal. As if scripted, it was Ceesay who bagged his first of the season in a game that perhaps had extra meaning to him, given there is seemingly no love lost between him and his old side. The attack came from a Horbury slip in midfield which allowed Rubie to latch on to the ball. He spotted a smart, well-timed run from Ceesay from the right to thread a pass through to him, with Ceesay then side-footing a shot that just crept under Horbury ‘keeper Paul Hagreen and in to the back of the net. Ceesay, who had already been involved in an off the ball exchange with Horbury defender Thomas Brook in which the latter was lucky to escape a card, let his emotions overcome him as he controversially chose to celebrate by running to the Horbury bench and, with a grin on his face, attempted to shake hands with the coaches. Unsurprisingly he was given short-shrift but, although some would argue it was in poor taste, it was nonetheless a memorable moment and demonstrated the needle that this local derby has about it even after only three games between the two sides.
For Wakefield, bearing in mind the size of the occasion, it was a perfect first half and even the most optimistic of Horbury fans would not have envisaged any form of second half comeback. Derby’s are a different game though and, showing no sign of throwing in the white towel, Horbury manager Darren Barnes made four changes at half-time along with a shift in formation in an attempt to spark his side in to life.
The changes worked, and the shift in purpose and intensity from Horbury was immediately recognisable from kick-off. Town went direct and, whilst Wakefield still enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the half, the home side, at times, struggled to get to grips with Horbury’s attack. Almost immediately from the restart the away substitutions paid-off as Gibril Bojang met a mammoth goal-kick from Hagreen just on the right edge of the Wakefield box. He slalomed inside on to his left foot and curled a wicked shot over Wakey ‘keeper George Bristol in a goal that bore striking resemblance to Mole’s first half strike for Wakefield.
Horbury spotted the way back in to the game the early goal had given them and they took it, adding a second minutes later through another substitute James Cusworth. Wakefield had initially dealt with a long ball well, forcing the attack out to Horbury’s right where Cusworth met the ball. He twisted and turned towards the centre of the pitch, just outside the Wakefield box before using his marker to shield his curling shot from Bristol’s view, who dived to his right but could’t stop the ball curling just inside his post.
Chances were at a premium for Wakefield though they did continue their passing carousel and could have had a penalty on the hour when a slick move saw Rodriguez slide a ball through to Mole, who ran in to the box and was bundled over when trying to shoot.
Just as the home side appeared to have re-asserted some semblance of control on proceedings, Horbury achieved the unthinkable with 20 minutes to go when they found an equaliser through super-sub Bojang. There was again nothing complex about the build-up, as Wakefield failed to press the Horbury centre-back who punted a ball all the way in to Wakefield’s penalty area. The Wakey backline appeared to be caught in two minds as to dropping off or playing the offside trap, and that allowed Bojang in behind who took the ball in his stride and then fired his shot in at the near post.
Wakefield, who had made several substitutions of their own, were sparked back in to life by the unlikely equaliser and had several half-chances as the game headed in to stoppage time. And, as the clock ticked down, Horbury were reduced to 10 men when Abdul Asamoah received a second yellow card for a late lunge on Rodriguez down the wing.
The afternoon’s drama wasn’t over though as, deep into stoppage time, Wakefield substitute Cameron Barnett popped up to make an unforgettable day even more memorable with his first goal for the club. Considering the pressure of the closing moments of the game, the build up to the goal was a true demonstration of beauty, composure and skill, with a string of 14 passes involving all but one of Wakefield’s outfield players leading to the winner. After patient possession Wakefield moved up a gear to find striker Jake Morrison who laid the ball off for Sandhu. The latter’s touch took him in to the penalty area where he passed to centre-back Jack Durkin who had initially moved in to Wakefield’s attack from an earlier free-kick. He crossed low across the box to Sebastian Losa, who showed enough vision to pass to Barnett rather than shoot himself, in doing so fooling the goalkeeper in to diving early and allowing Barnett to turn and shoot to the opposite side of the net.
The capacity crowd erupted as Wakefield’s management joined in the celebrations on the touchline; the late goal securing Wakefield the three points in a much more exciting, if not stressful, manner than the half-time score would have initially suggested.
The result ensures Wakefield remain in third place in the league, just two points behind early pacesetters Wombwell Town and Parkgate; whilst Horbury stay 19th, one point above the relegation zone. Wakefield’s victory and the league standings aside, of greater significance on the day was that attendance of 1035, which is not just a victory for Wakefield, but one also for Horbury, the league and non-league in general. Wakefield return to action in midweek, when they visit Selby Town on Tuesday 12th September 2023; kick-off 19:45PM.
Match Stats
Half Time: 3-0
Full Time: 4-3
Attendance: 1035
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
George Bristol – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Nathan Hawkhead, Callum Charlton – Jaydan Sandhu, Danny Youel – Oliver Rodriguez, Billy Mole, Mason Rubie – Kieran Ceesay
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
51m, Jake Morrison for Mason Rubie
65m, Cameron Barnett for Kieran Ceesay
67m, Sebastian Losa for Billy Mole
87m, Jack McGahan for Callum Charlton
90m(+7), Cory Woodward for Oliver Rodriguez
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 68% – 32% Horbury Town
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 312 – 133 Horbury Town
Goals:
10m, Billy Mole
16m, Oliver Rodriguez
41m, Kieran Ceesay
47m, Gibril Bojang
53m, James Cusworth
70m, Gibril Bojang
90m(+5), Cameron Barnett
Wakefield AFC Assists:
10m, Jaydan Sandhu
16m, Billy Mole
41m, Mason Rubie
90m(+5), Sebastian Losa
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Kieran Ceesay (Yellow)
Cameron Barnett (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shot off Target: 5
Horbury Town
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shots off Target: 3