Saturday 14th September 2024 | Austin Ainsworth
It’s been a mixed start to the NCEL Division One Season for Wakefield AFC, characterised by inconsistency of performances, personnel and results. A corner seemed to have been turned moving into September, Wakefield winning four games in a row in all competitions, a run of results that saw them start this past week in the top half of the table for the first time this year.
After coming through several tough fixtures, culminating in the avoidance of a slip-up against Louth Town last Saturday, Wakefield had the apparent comfort of a home fixture against Glasshoughton Welfare on Tuesday evening – a side they have won all four of their previous fixtures against, by an aggregate score of 10-3 – before a trip to Maltby Main on Saturday.
With Wakefield on a roll, hopes were high of two more positive results against sides Wakefield need to beating if their already dented ambition of promotion is to be met this year. There is no god-given right of victory though, and results have to be earned through a number of key components, components that were sadly missing for Wakefield when Glasshoughton visited the Millennium Stadium.
The home side were forced in to more changes to their starting line-up, Matthew Leaper making a debut for Wakefield in goal, whilst Jamie Allsop missed out, meaning Mason Rubie moved to left-back to allow Steve Smith to return to the side at right-back. However, in front of them things were as they were against Louth, Kiyani Morris and Sebastian Losa as the wingers/attacking-midfielders behind a front two of Akeel Francis and James Eyles.
The match was one to forget, neither side setting the world alight in a game of few chances. Unusually for Wakefield, they were unable to ever truly threaten the Glasshoughton goal, with one solitary attempt on target throughout the entire match – that coming from a speculative Morris shot from wide on the right. Glasshoughton didn’t fare much better, but did force the debutant goalkeeper in to a fine, stretching save in the first half from a well-taken free-kick.
The goalkeeper, despite having little to do in terms of shot-stopping following that first-half free-kick, was probably Wakefield’s man-of-the-match for his assured and confident display. That tells the story of Wakefield’s game though, one of disjointedness, imbalance and frustration. The home side were guilty of forcing things, committing players forward but lacking the cohesion, positional awareness and precision of pass to sustain attacks.
Things were compounded midway through the second half when Glasshoughton took the lead with a rare foray forward. The away side had managed to apply a bit of pressure and defender Ben Holmes was forced in to a good block close to his own goal. The rebound was drilled back through a forest of legs for Alexander Clarke to divert the ball in at the back post with his outstretched leg.
Wakefield had no response and fell to their fourth league defeat of the season. The result meant the pressure of another set-back ramped up the significance of their trip to Maltby Main on Saturday; a side who, following relegation from the Premier Division last year, have enjoyed a relatively good start to the season and came in to the game in seventh place.
Wakefield manager Junior Roberti made more changes to the side, welcoming back Callum Charlton, Jaydan Sandhu and Jamie Allsop to the starting line-up, whilst Hagie Damba made his third start of the season in the merry-go-round of Wakefield’s goal.
Wakefield played downhill on Maltby’s sloping pitch in the first half, but with a strong crosswind to deal with struggled to find any fluency in a half that bore resemblance to the woes of midweek. They failed to muster an attempt at goal of any sort, and were more busy at their own end as ex-Wakefield man Ashley Flynn failed to take a number of good chances close to goal.
Aside from the combative presence of Scott Smith and Abdul Asamoah in midfield, the former of who escaped with just a yellow card for a hefty challenge before half-time, Wakefield lacked urgency and failed to get to grips with a very physical Maltby side.
Francis, key to Wakefield’s turnaround in form last month with his presence, strength and pace up front, again cut a frustrated and isolated figure, and – as in midweek – spent most of his time either on the wing or in midfield.
Change was necessary at half-time and Roberti was decisive, bringing Kieran Haigh on for Sebastian Losa as Wakefield switched to a back three in the second half. That did bring improvement, as Rubie and Charlton were able to push up higher to provide much needed width, whilst Francis and Eyles were able to operate as a more traditional striker pairing.
Despite their relative improvement, The Falcons still found themselves a goal behind just after the hour when Damba, albeit accidentally, clattered in to the back of a player as he went chasing an overhit cross. It was an error of judgement given the player was running away from goal, and he paid the price when Flynn calmly slotted the resultant penalty-kick inside of his left post.
Wakefield’s hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow when they lost Asamoah through injury shortly after, that coming after one of many late and cynical Maltby challenges. An equaliser did arrive though with 13 minutes left on the clock. Rubie – the man with the most Wakefield appearances of all time, and the only player to feature in all 11 games this year – scored his second goal in his past four matches with a strike characteristic of many of his 33 goals for the club. It came after a good sequence of passes and then excellent work down the left by Francis to steal a yard and cross the ball. The cross was cleared, only as far as Rubie who was lurking on the edge of the box. He needed no invitation to shoot, as he drilled the ball with laser like precision through the box and in to the far corner.
Wakefield were back in the game, but only for a minute as Main were straight on the attack from kick-off. A pass inside from the right fell to Mackenzie Warne, who met the ball well on the half-volley but struck his shot straight at Damba. Fortunately for him, and unfortunately for Wakefield, Damba failed to hold it, as the powerful shot bounced off him and cruelly in to goal.
Despite a late red card for one of the Maltby contingent, Wakefield couldn’t find another equaliser; their best chance coming with the last kick of the game when, following a long Jack Durkin throw-in, the ball fell to Francis a few yards out from goal. On the stretch and under pressure, his shot agonisingly drifted out of play as his teammates fell to the floor in despair with the sounding of the full-time whistle.
With two losses in a week, Wakefield fall back down to 14th in the league having now won four but lost five of their opening nine league fixtures. The season is still in its infancy, and the recent run of excellent results and performances should still garner enough optimism that there is the makings of a formidable Wakefield side that is just yet to fully click.
Wakefield will now forget about their league troubles, as the upcoming week brings a clash with Worsbrough Bridge Athletic in the League Cup before The FA Vase returns on Saturday, with Barnton the opposition. Although “home” games for Wakefield, they are both to be played away due to scheduling difficulties, an added challenge but one Wakefield will hope to overcome given cup competition has so far brought the best from them this season. Wakefield make the visit to Worsbrough on Tuesday 17th September 2024; kick-off 19:45PM.
Maltby Main Match Stats
Half Time: 0-0
Full Time: 2-1
Attendance: 193
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Hagie Damba – Mason Rubie, Jack Durkin (C), Jamie Allsop, Callum Charlton – Scott Smith, Abdul Asamoah – Jaydan Sandhu, Sebastian Losa – James Eyles, Akeel Francis
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
46m, Kieran Haigh for Sebastian Losa
67m, Kenan McKenzie-Grey for Abdul Asamoah
87m, Steve Smith for Jamie Allsop
Possession:
Maltby Main 32% – 68% Wakefield AFC
Passes Completed:
Maltby Main 74 – 166 Wakefield AFC
Goals:
63m, Ashley Flynn (Pen)
77m, Mason Rubie
79m, Mackenzie Warne
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Jaydan Sandhu (Yellow)
Scott Smith (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 0
Second Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shot off Target: 3
Maltby Main
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3
Glasshoughton Welfare Match Stats
Half Time: 0-0
Full Time: 0-1
Attendance: 317
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Matthew Leaper – Steve Smith, Jack Durkin (C), Ben Holmes, Mason Rubie- Scott Smith, Abdul Asamoah – Sebastian Losa, Kiyani Morris – Akeel Francis, James Eyles
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
59m, Jaydan Sandhu for Scott Smith
73m, Kenan McKenzie-Grey for Kiyani Morris
Possession:
Wakefield AFC 61% – 39% Horbury Town
Passes Completed:
Wakefield AFC 256 – 194 Horbury Town
Goals:
65m, Alexander Clarke
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Sebastian Losa (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 6
Second Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shot off Target: 2
Glasshoughton Welfare
First Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 2
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 0