Saturday 14th December 2019 | Credit: Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC went back to the start at The Dorothy Hyman Stadium, as they welcomed the team they faced in their first ever competitive game, Hepworth United F.C. Both sides were in need of points in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League with Wakefield winless and goalless in their last three, and Hepworth on an eight game losing streak in all competitions.
Wakefield’s inaugural game against this side in August ended in a hard-fought 2-2 away draw. They were hoping to go one better this time after a poor run of form and bad luck with injuries and suspensions, against a vulnerable Hepworth side who sat 14th in the league prior to kick-off. Both sides did manage to end their losing streaks however a goalless draw was the best that they could manage in a game of few real chances.
Manager Chris Turner has likely spent the last few weeks hoping for some luck in terms of player availability and he got it with a welcome return to action for key player, Kyron Richards, who bolstered the midfield alongside returning captain Manny Katundu and debutant Ethan Pond. They played in front of a back four consisting of – from left to right – Chris Sholu, Yemi Ayodele, Cedric Kouakou and Jamie Hardwick. Bermudan rock Quinaceo Hunt continued in goal whilst Redon Gashi, Rayjon Moore and Deji Alabi filled the forward positions in what was a 4-3-3 formation.
The game started off in end-to-end fashion with Wakefield, undeterred by their recent run of poor form, spraying the ball about with confidence and flair. Despite their dominance in possession, goal-scoring opportunities were at a premium as the visitors looked to remain compact, keeping all of their players behind the ball.
Half chances did arrive for the home side after the first 15 minutes, with seven goal Katundu unable to keep his shot down after excellent link-up play between Moore and Alabi. Pond, who made an accomplished debut, also showed excellent vision moments later with an excellent through-ball that Moore was unable to latch on to. No doubt Moore, joint top-scorer for the side, would have been desperate to reach it after his run without a goal stretched to five games.
Wakefield, who were given some rough treatment by the away side, were subsequently limited to set-piece opportunities throughout the half and had several chances to grab their first goal in four games at the back post. The best came when Pond had has name in lights after 23 minutes, but he couldn’t quite grab a debut goal when he met an excellently delivered free-kick but was unable to finish.
Alabi, looking for his fifth goal in 14 games, also had an audacious volley go wide after an excellent cross in the 31st minute. Wakefield’s focus was then briefly turned to their own half as Hunt collected the ball from the back of his net but was saved by the referee’s whistle following an earlier foul on Richards, who was excellent on his return from injury.
Wakefield lost momentum in the second half and, although remaining dominant in possession, were unable to calve out any clear-cut chances in the early stages. Their best route to goal again came from the myriad free-kicks awarded to them as a result of persistent fouls from the away side. Disappointingly, the set-pieces were again either narrowly missed by the Wakefield attackers or hit straight at the away side’s goalkeeper.
The niggling fouls eventually cost Hepworth who had a man sent off for a second yellow card in the last ten minutes of the game. Wakefield, for once the team with the man advantage after recent disciplinary issues of their own, could not capitalise however. Prior to the sendings off, Turner did switch to a 4-4-2 formation in the 70th minute as he went for the win, introducing Thomas Eclapier and another newcomer, Alagi-Baharu Jabbi, for Pond and Gashi.
Jabbi had the best chance of the half when, in what was one of many examples of his good hold-up play, he took the ball on the edge of the box before turning and hitting a beautiful curling shot that had the keeper beat but shaved just the wrong side of the post. That was it from the frustrated home side who huffed and puffed but were unable to blow the Hepworth house down.
Chris Turner stated after the match: “We made all of the play without making any clear-cut chances. We passed the ball well but we lacked the cutting edge. Hepworth made it very difficult at times as they got everyone behind the ball and reduced the space to play in. Frustration got the better of us at times and all that we lacked was the final pass or the clinical finish.”
Things were more positive for the improving Wakefield AFC reserves side – up against it in the Central Midlands League so far this season – who finally got their first three points with a hard-fought 3-2 away win against Chesterfield Town. That result takes them off the bottom of the table following last week’s home draw.
The first team will be grateful for their first point on the board in four games, however will likely see it as the other two points dropped in what was an eminently winnable game. As recently as September, Wakefield were averaging at least three goals a game in a run of eight unbeaten and no doubt would have licked their lips at such a defensive display from the opposition. Their troubles since then are well documented and as such the young side will accept the draw and hope to build on it. Their next step now is to add to the new found defensive solidity – no doubt created by man-of-the-match Kyron Richards’ return to defensive-midfield – and rediscover their goalscoring form.
The opportunity to do so will come on Saturday 21st December 2019 at 14:00, when Wakefield start a run of away games against North Gawber Colliery at Woolley Miners Welfare. That game will be fourth against fifth, with North Gawber sitting only two points below Wakefield in the league, and should therefore be a closely contested affair.
Starting XI:
Quinaceo Hunt, Jamie Hardwick, Cedric Kouakou, Yemi Ayodele, Chris Sholu, Kyron Richards, Ethan Pond, Manny Katundu (C), Deji Alabi, Rayjon Moore, Redon Gashi
Subs Used:
70m, Thomas Eclapier for Redon Gashi
70m, Alagi-Baharu Jabbi for Ethan Pond
Cards:
Jamie Hardwick (Yellow)
Stats:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 1
Shots off Target: 3
Hepworth United F.C.
First Half
Shots on Target: 3
Shots off Target: 2
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 1