Saturday 8th November 2025 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC have endured an extended break from action after what would have been their last match – at home to Maltby Main on 31/10/2025 – was cancelled due to the weather. However, The Falcons’ season was finally back up and running over the weekend with a trip to 14th placed Ilkley Town.
Such has been Wakefield’s form since manager Jason Blunt took charge, they went in to the game fourth in the league, despite sides around them having had the chance to catch up during Wakefield’s enforced rest. However, a positive result was crucial given the growing gap between Wakefield and the top three, which had been extended to nine points in recent weeks.
Blunt named a strong side and, even after the recent departure of top scorer Ash Flynn, stuck with what has become his favoured 3-5-2 formation, opting to partner Akeel Francis with Oli Robinson up-front. There was also a change in the backline, with midfielder Mo Conteh joining captain Chris Salt and Bolton Makwedza to make up the back three, with the rest of the side remaining familiar to that seen in recent matches.
The Falcons have had no football to play over the halloween and bonfire-night period, but – against an Ilkley side that challenged for promotion last year, and inflicted defeat on Wakefield late in the season – there were no scares on this occasion as Wakefield set straight off like a firework immediately after kick-off.
It took just three minutes for Owen Thomas – with his first Wakefield goal – to put his side ahead when he completed a fine attacking move. Robinson initially did well to chase down a ball down the right, eventually winning a throw-in that was taken by wing-back Igor Mlynarski. The two then exchanged possession before Robinson glided past his man on the right wing, to turn and deliver a perfect cross to the back post. Thomas expertly drifted in to space inside the box and guided a header back across goal to leave the goalkeeper no chance.
Wakefield continued their relentless pursuit of the ball, sustaining their lightning fast start as Ilkley were not given a second to breathe. The away side pushed-up high and were soon rewarded for that bravery a second time, when Billy Mole doubled Wakefield’s advantage in the eighth minute.
Ilkley attempted to play the ball out from the back but had nowhere to go as Mole rushed his man and snatched the ball from behind. Mole then matched his endeavour with expertise, as he touched the ball out from his feet before arrowing an unstoppable shot low, to the goalkeeper’s left for what is now his 54th goal for the club.
On Ilkley’s 4G surface Wakefield continued to dominate, with their crispness and speed of play on the ball equal to their ferocious work out of possession. Francis – looking for his second goal in as many games – was unlucky as his smart run was found by a wonderful reverse pass from Tom Hinton, but he was denied his ninth goal of the season as the Ilkley ‘keeper rushed out and blocked his shot from a tight angle.
Wakefield did have a deserved third soon after though, with Robinson’s electric start rewarded with a goal to go with his earlier assist. The goal again saw good link-up between him and Mlynarski, as the defender glided out from defence to initiate a counter-attack with a ball down the right hand side.
Robinson raced beyond the Ilkley backline and turned towards goal, shooting just as he entered the box with an unerring, low finish across goal that left the goalkeeper no chance; the effort his fourth goal in his last five matches – a purple patch that has also seen four assists since his introduction to the side last month.
Even the most optimistic Ilkley fan would have been forgiven for thinking the game was anything but over after just 16 minutes, given Wakefield’s three goal advantage and the obvious spring in their step that they possessed. However, the home side began to carve out opportunities around the 30 minute mark and gave Wakefield warning of the danger they still possessed. First, the Wakefield post was rattled when Ilkley played through the away side’s high line. Then, Wakey goalkeeper Drew Bremer was called in to action, initially with a good, stretching save from a free-kick on the edge of the box, and then with a scarcely believable effort when an Ilkley striker turned and looped a half-volley toward the far post from the edge of the box; the back-pedalling Bremer somehow stretching to scoop the ball away from the top-corner in what was the save of the season so far.
That was enough to ensure Wakefield took their three goal lead in to the half-time interval, but the change in momentum continued at the start of the second half. Wakefield, understandably not able to maintain the intensity of the first 20 minutes, were perhaps guilty of briefly becoming too comfortable with their early lead.
That led to increased possession for the home side and further chances on goal; Wakefield lucky with some profligate finishing from Ilkley, as the home side spurned three close-range chances in succession, each of them free headers that were somehow sent wide.
Ilkley did however pull a goal back in the 65th minute through Kevin Gonzalez, who capitalised on a defensive mix-up as Salt’s attempted pass-back to Bremer didn’t quite have enough on it, allowing the Ilkley striker to intercept and complete an easy finish past the Wakefield goalkeeper.
The goal probably stirred Wakefield back in to life, with the away side restoring their three goal advantage almost immediately through the impressive Makwedza. Hinton, so often the main source of Wakefield’s goals, was not to be denied a goal involvement when he delivered one of his hallmark, curling free-kicks to the back post from deep. The accuracy of the delivery was such that it looped over the Ilkley defensive line, where Makwedza powered through to side-foot a volley in to goal.
Hinton was then only denied a goal of his own by some last-ditch defending, with a good run culminating in two shots that were blocked and saved respectively. The game – a real feast of footballing excitement throughout – remained end-to-end, with Ilkley also striking the woodwork for a second time late on from an audacious, looping shot from distance.
It was however Wakefield who added to their impressive goal tally at the end of regulation time, with a debut goal for substitute Austin Vicenzio. He had Mole to thank for some fine work in cutting out a clearance 20 yards from goal with a deft touch and even more impressive pass back in to the box, where the young striker controlled on the half-turn, dummied and slotted the ball impressively past the goalkeeper to make it 5-1 to the visitors.
Such was the unhinged nature of the match, it could just have easily been 6-5 to the hosts as it was 5-1 to Wakefield, but – in somewhat of a contradiction to that assertion – there were no doubts as to the impressive nature of Wakefield’s display and them being deserving of the three points.
The performance was a perfect return to action after a break that felt longer than it was, with the result leaving them fourth in the league as they now head in to midweek cup action, with a visit to Tadcaster Albion on Tuesday evening for the second round of the West Riding County Cup; kick-off 19:45PM on 11/11/2025.
Match Stats
Half Time: 0-3
Full Time: 1-5
Attendance: 109
Wakefield AFC Starting XI:
Drew Bremer – Bolton Makwedza, Chris Salt (C), Mo Conteh – Igor Mlynarski, Billy Mole, Mo Callum Nicell, Owen Thomas – Tom Hinton – Oli Robinson, Akeel Francis
Wakefield AFC Subs Used:
27m, Lance Friedrich for Igor Mlynarski
75m, Austin Vicenzio for Oli Robinson
Possession:
Ilkley Town 59% – 41% Wakefield AFC
Passes Completed:
Ilkley Town 363 – 242 Wakefield AFC
Goals:
3m, Owen Thomas
8m, Billy Mole
16m, Oli Robinson
65m, Kevin Gonzalez
68m, Bolton Makwedza
89m, Austin Vicenzio
Wakefield AFC Assists:
3m, Oli Robinson
16m, Igor Mlynarski
68m, Tom Hinton
89m, Billy Mole
Wakefield AFC Cards:
Billy Mole (Yellow)
Attempts
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 5
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 4
Shot off Target: 2
Ilkley Town
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 1
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 7