Saturday 7th December 2019 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC welcomed Wombwell Main F.C. to the Dorothy Hyman Stadium with the two sides third and fourth respectively in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League. Injury-hit Wakefield, with four losses in their last five games, were hoping for a return to winning ways against the in-form Wombwell.
The game was played on the grass pitch in view of the main stand for the first time, coincidentally, since Wombwell last visited in early November for cup action. Wakefield were hoping for redemption this time, after going down to 10 men and losing 4-1 last time out. It didn’t come though as, unthinkably, the home side contrived to lose two men to red cards this time, before conceding a heartbreaking last minute goal in what was – sendings off aside – a heroic performance.
Chris Turner was again forced to experiment with the side, and opted to try out a 3-5-2 formation. That meant Cedric Kouakou continued as a make-shift centre-back with Yemi Ayodele – captain for the day in Manny Katundu’s absence – to the right and reserve-team regular Bright Idafum on the left, with Quinaceo Hunt behind them in goal. Chris Sholu and Danny Kabeya continued as the full backs, albeit slightly further forward in the new formation. Noah Hamelberg played in midfield alongside debutant, Ishmed Turay, whilst Jamie Hardwick operated slightly in front of them, behind a front two of Deji Alabi and Rayjon Moore.
The game started off in scrappy fashion as Wombwell, perhaps recalling the silly red card Wakefield had last time out for an off the ball incident, seemed intent on getting in to the home players’ heads with sharp tackles and even sharper tongues. That also applied to their approach to the referee, as they pressured him every time Wakefield tried to respond with some physicality of their own.
It meant that the first 20 minutes saw no real chances of note, with the game broken up by niggling fouls. Wakefield bossed possession whilst the away side looked to put the ball over the top. Catastrophe struck in the 21st minute however, as the referee blew for a soft foul outside of the Wakefield box. That followed a similar tackle in the centre circle by a Wombwell player that went unpunished. A melee ensued with nothing more than the usual pushing and shoving, but amazingly the linesmen called the referee over and instructed him to send Turay off less than half an hour in to his debut.
Wakefield rallied around as Kouakou moved up in to midfield in what was now a 4-3-2 formation. Smelling blood, the away side had good chances to take the lead in the 28th minute but couldn’t get past the resolute Wakefield defence. First off, an inspired Hunt somehow deflected the ball over the bar as he dove with his feet to block a point-blank shot from the striker who had gone clean through on goal. Then from the resultant corner, Kabeya blocked a goal-bound header with a last-ditch lunge along the goal-line.
Wakefield were still able to dominate possession and had their own opportunities to take the lead towards the end of the half. Alabi, without a goal in his last five games, struck a thunderous left-footed shot just past the cross bar after a quick turn on the edge of the box from a free-kick played in to his feet. Hardwick also had an improvised toe-poke go just wide following an excellent 1-2 on the edge of the box with striker Moore.
Despite the disadvantage of having ten men, Wakefield came out in the second-half even more dominant in possession against an away side that seemed to tire. 12 minutes in to the half, Moore had an excellent opportunity to grab his eighth goal of the season and the lead for Wakefield. He was played clean-through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. However, having easily beaten the onrushing keeper to the ball just outside the penalty area, his poor touch allowed the keeper to knock it clear with a sliding tackle. A more decisive Moore may have opted to simply knock the ball past the keeper but his confidence has seemed affected recently by a lack of goals.
That was the best chance of the half with nothing more than long-range shots for the rest of the match. The game evened-up for ten minutes just before the hour-mark as the away side had a man sin-binned for dissent after arguing his yellow card for diving. That was a rare moment of strength from the referee who, truth be told, was led by smart and cynical play from the more experienced away side.
That was the case again in the 70th minute when Hamelberg was red-carded for an alleged elbow when battling for the ball, causing the Wombwell player to fall dramatically to the ground. Hamelberg, man-of-the-match up to that point, seemed hard-done-by as he attempted to fight off some aggressive man-marking. His arm did appear to flail out but – other than the linesman, who again appeared to make the decision for the unsighted referee – it was doubtful anybody else in the ground could have argued any real intent on Hamelberg’s part.
Strangely it seemed to spur the Wakefield side on more, who battled for every ball in what was now a 4-3-1 formation. Players were all over the pitch, particularly Alabi who had good chances down the wings, as he flirted between midfield and wide-forward, but was unable to find a cross with the lack of bodies in the Wombwell box.
Nathan Weekes came on for Idafum for the last 15 minutes in an aggressive substitution from Turner who, despite the two man disadvantage, was still hopeful of a win as Wakefield continued to attack and see most of the ball. Hardwick had a hopeful shot from the edge of the box skirt wide after a quick 1-2 but a miraculous home win wasn’t meant to be.
Heartbreak came in the last minute of regular time as Wombwell, with their only real chance of the half, headed in the winner from a corner-kick to finally break the home side’s resolute defence. That wasn’t the end of the drama as lightning nearly struck thrice when Hardwick seemed to punch out at a player in the 94th minute right in front of the referee. In what appeared to be the most violent of three incidents during the game, he received only a yellow card to further evidence the indecision of the referee.
The loss is Wakefield’s third in succession at home in what is also a run of three games without a goal, that sees them fall to fourth in the league. Wakefield can argue the red cards were harsh, however may also reflect on their indiscipline and inexperience in failing to realise that the much more experienced and cunning Wombwell were playing a mental as well as physical game in looking to antagonise the younger home side. They can reflect on a much improved and committed performance and hope that, despite the two further suspensions suffered, they can return to winning ways at home on Saturday 14th December 2019 at 14:00 when Hepworth United F.C. visit.
Attendance: 40
Goals
90m, Wombwell
Starting XI:
Quinaceo Hunt, Yemi Ayodele (C), Cedric Kouakou, Bright Idafum, Danny Kabeya, Noah Hamelberg, Jamie Hardwick, Ishmed Turay, Chris Sholu, Deji Alabi, Rayjon Moore
Subs Used:
74m, Nathan Weekes for Bright Idafum
Stats:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3
Wombwell Main F.C.
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 5
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 3