Saturday 16th December 2023 | Austin Ainsworth
The inclement weather has wreaked havoc with the NCEL Division One schedule in recent weeks, but Wakefield AFC finally returned to action when they travelled to eighth placed Dronfield Town on Saturday for their first league game in nearly a month.
After Wakefield’s run of eight league victories had seen them up to the top of the league in November, they were seeking a return to winning ways after their impressive charge was halted in their last game; a 2-2 home draw with fellow title challengers Shirebrook Town.
Not much has changed in the intervening football-less weeks for Wakefield; they still went in to this game with a four point cushion at the top of the table and manager Gabe Mozzini named a largely similar side to that seen throughout Wakefield’s run of irresistible form. Ben Holmes did come in to the defence for his first Wakefield start to partner Jack Durkin, whilst captain Danny Youel returned to the starting line-up with Nathan Hawkhead absent. The potent duo of Oliver Rodriguez and Mason Rubie retained their places on the wings, as did Ben Gelder up front.
It was a fairly even start to the game in front of 130 spectators, with Dronfield – themselves in the mix at present for a play-off spot – sharing much of the possession and territory with Wakefield. Wakefield, perhaps a little rusty after their three week lay-off, did show glimpses of the free-flowing football that has reaped 33 goals in their last 10 games. And the best chance of the opening stages did fall to the away side after full-back Callum Charlton demonstrated his pace and skill to burst out of defence and accelerate past several opposition players. He then delivered a precise through-ball to meet Rodriguez’s inside run, only for the winger’s attempted shot to fly over the bar under heavy pressure from his marker’s last-ditch tackle.
10 minutes later Jaydan Sandhu also sprinkled some stardust on proceedings as he twisted his way in to the box around three defenders, but was denied by some fine goalkeeping from Lewis Naylor when 1-v-1; Gelder’s attempt on the rebound was also thwarted by the Dronfield ‘keeper.
Just as it seemed Wakefield’s momentum was building, Dronfield struck back in the 22nd minute. A long throw-in was delivered in to the box and, just as appeals for a penalty for handball were waved away by the referee, his whistle did sound after Sandhu clattered in to the back of a Dronfield player who was about to shoot. Goalkeeper George Bristol could do nothing about Max Rhodes’ resultant penalty, which was struck well enough to give Dronfield the lead despite Bristol correctly diving to his right.
Wakefield weren’t phased by the set-back and continued to probe and press, and they should have had their own penalty minutes later when Rodriguez was played through on goal by a smart Sebastian Losa pass. He was felled from behind but the linesman waved his flag for a doubtful offside to rule out any appeals for the penalty.
After some end-to-end action Wakefield did eventually see the award of their own penalty, when Rodriguez attempted a volley when going for a 50:50 bouncing ball. He fell over as the defender also sought to clear the ball, and the referee blew his whistle much to the chagrin of the Dronfield manager, who was booked for his protestation. His mood would have slightly improved moments later though, as Rodriguez saw his spot-kick saved by the Dronfield goalkeeper.
Wakefield, so resolute and relentless in recent weeks, seemed at odds with the idea of going in at half-time a goal behind and their persistence did pay off just before the half ended. A good attack was recycled back out to Charlton on the left who drove towards the dead-ball line and cut a menacing cross back across goal. Sandhu had just dropped off to position himself perfectly in a pocket of space on the six-yard line, and executed a well-timed finish to send his side in level at the break.
Mozzini made changes at half-time as Rubie, unusually quiet in the first half, dropped back to right-back for attacker Oliver Clarke to come on in place of Aaron Pilkington. Henry Kendrick also replaced Bristol in the Wakefield goal. The positive outfield change worked immediately, with Rubie and Clarke combining down the right, before Losa played Gelder in on goal. He took the ball well on the turn but his shot was too close to the goalkeeper, who saved well to deny the striker his third goal for Wakefield.
Dronfield did have some half chances of their own, with a couple of free headers carelessly nodded over the bar and another dangerous shot blocked; but it was Wakefield who looked the more likely to score. And they did so in the 71st minute through yet another goal from Rubie. He had been finding more joy down the right running from a deeper full-back position and that showed with the goal, as Rodriguez received the ball in midfield and spotted his run. The young winger sprayed a wonderful diagonal ball over to Rubie who beat the marker, took the ball in his stride and drilled his shot past the ‘keeper for his 11th goal of the season. Rubie, who is one game shy of becoming the first player to play 100 games for the club, now seems to score every time he plays, with half of his 22 goals for Wakefield coming in his last 21 games; a new found potency that now means he is Wakefield’s joint top-scorer this season.
The points were far from secure for Wakefield but they seemed to remedy that as the game moved in to the final ten minutes, when substitute Clarke scored his first goal for the club to make it 3-1. It was a finely crafted goal as Youel positioned himself perfectly 30 yards out to meet a clearance from a Wakefield corner. He resisted the urge to shoot himself and picked out Losa. With his back to goal, Wakefield’s number 10 showed incredible vision to flick the ball in to the path of Durkin who appeared to be through on goal. The defender touched the ball for it to fall perfectly in to the path of Clarke, who took charge and toe-poked the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper.
Any lingering nerves amongst the strong contingent of away fans would have died away at that point, but Dronfield almost immediately injected some jeopardy back in to proceedings with a goal out of nowhere. Wakefield, as they had done for much of the game, had been handling any Dronfield pressure calmly and did so again when Durkin showed composure to dummy the ball on the edge of his own box before attempting a long pass out to the wing. His strike took a slight deflection however, which meant it fell in to the path of Dronfield substitute Oliver Townsend 30 yards out. He bundled his way past Youel before firing off a long-range shot, which skied across the surface and in off Kendrick’s right post.
That set up a tense final few minutes of stoppage time, but Wakefield held out well to return to West Yorkshire with the three points. On the face of it Wakefield had enjoyed the lion’s share of chances, play and possession throughout the game, but that doesn’t do justice to Dronfield, who were always dangerous and always in the game. With that in mind, for Wakefield to come away with the victory in such a tight away game, with the greater perspective of their place at the top of the table under constant threat from several exceptional sides below them, makes the win all the more impressive.
The result means Wakefield are now six points clear, after Shirebrook dropped points. That now means Parkgate – who still have four games in hand, and are arguably still the true favourites for the title until their long awaited first meeting with Wakefield – move up to second.
Wakefield, weather permitting, now move in to a busy festive period, with their re-arranged West Riding County Cup second round tie, now at home at The Be Well Support Stadium, next up on Tuesday 19th December; kick-off 19:45PM. Following that is their next league fixture and final home game before Christmas against Armthorpe Welfare on Saturday 23rd December; kick-off 15:00PM.
Match Stats
Half Time: 1-1
Full Time: 2-3
Attendance: 130
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
George Bristol – Aaron Pilkington, Jack Durkin, Ben Holmes, Callum Charlton – Danny Youel (C), Jaydan Sandhu – Mason Rubie, Sebastian Losa, Oliver Rodriguez – Ben Gelder
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
46m, Henry Kendrick for George Bristol
46m, Oliver Clarke for Aaron Pilkington
65m, Cameron Barnett for Ben Gelder
88m, Edward Busfield for Sebastian Losa
90m+4, Bradley Green for Oliver Rodriguez
Possession:
Dronfield Town 36% – 64% Wakefield AFC
Passes Completed:
Dronfield Town 105 – 203 Wakefield AFC
Goals:
23m, Max Rhodes (Pen)
45m+1, Jaydan Sandhu
71m, Mason Rubie
84m, Oliver Clarke
87m, Oliver Townsend
Wakefield AFC Assists:
45m+1, Callum Charlton
71m, Oliver Rodriguez
84m, Jack Durkin
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Jaydan Sandhu (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shots off Target: 2
Second Half
Shots on Target: 6
Shot off Target: 1
Dronfield Town
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3