Saturday 21st December 2019 | Austin Ainsworth
The Christmas break came early for the Wakefield AFC first-team, who had their league match at North Gawber Colliery postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. That meant all attention turned to the ever-improving Wakefield reserves side, who were up against Heanor Town Reserves at the Dorothy Hyman Stadium in The Phoenix Trophies Division One Cup, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
The reserves side were worthy of the increased focus, as they put in a performance full of character and spirit to first fight back from a goal down to lead late-on, before again overcoming adversity with a last-minute wonder-goal when the fixture appeared destined for extra-time, after Heanor Town had equalised with minutes to play.
Reserves manager Steve Adams went with a 4-4-2 formation and opted to give a debut to goalkeeper Krystian Drobek, who has just signed for the club. Interestingly that meant that regular reserves keeper Ryan Eades, who has also distinguished himself on several occasions in the first-team, dropped to the bench – primed in full outfield kit! First-team regular Chris Sholu captained the side from left-back alongside Marvin Emmanuel, Bright Idafum and Jean-Claude Ngoyi. Danny Kabeya and Sopula Ubah anchored the midfield, with Husman Kanteh and Mason Smith on the wings. Alagi-Baharu Jabbi, fresh from a substitute debut appearance for the first-team, led the line in company with Amos Kabeya.
The first half was a scrappy affair and Wakefield struggled to maintain meaningful possession, giving the ball away too often with loose passes. It wasn’t long before Drobek was called in to action on his debut, with a fine save to tip a looping long-range effort over the bar. Heanor Town played with confidence and got the ball forward at every opportunity, with the Wakefield defence looking vulnerable both in the air and on the turn.
That vulnerability turned in to a deficit for the home side midway through the first-half, after they failed to clear the second bounce after a well worked cross to the back post. The ball fell kindly to the Heanor Town striker, who smashed it past the helpless Drobek from all of two yards. The goal was the only real chance of the half for either side and allowed the visitors to take their lead in to the break.
Wakefield were a different beast in the second-half, with a noticeable increase in intensity and better decision making ensuring that the majority of the play was in the opposition half. Sholu, who was excellent at left-back, started to get forward with several eye-catching runs, whilst Ubah took control of the midfield by physically dominating his opposition. That also meant that Jabbi became more and more involved, as he showcased his own physicality with tireless running and excellent hold-up play to bring those around him in to the game.
That paid dividends midway through the half for the home side when another of Sholu’s lung-busting runs ended with Jabbi in possession close to the left corner flag. After taking the ball well, he turned and beat his man before firing a shot-cum-cross along the goal-line. Amos Kabeya demonstrated his experience by darting to the back post to meet the ball, where he nudged it home from a yard out.
Wakefield continued to play with vigour and thought they had the winner inside the last ten minutes, when Jabbi’s fine display was rewarded with a goal. Smith, who had briefly swapped wings, played a first-time in-swinger from the left with wonderful accuracy. The Wakefield strikers were not on the same wavelength and as a result the ball appeared set to be collected on the six yard line by the goalkeeper. However Jabbi, again doing the necessary hard work off the ball, chased the ball down in case of a mistake and was gifted it when the keeper spilled, leaving him with a simple finish in to the back of the net.
Adams made substitutions as he tried to see the game out, with Eades proving his outfield kit wasn’t fancy-dress as he came on to the right-wing – minus his goalkeeping gloves – to replace Smith. Asim Butt also replaced Kanteh on the opposite wing. Tragedy struck however, and the tie appeared to be heading for extra-time when an incisive pass beat the hitherto solid Idafum and Emmanuel. The Heanor town player, having beaten the offside trap, from a tight angle then beat Drobek who was perhaps a bit too hasty off his line.
Miraculously that wasn’t the end of the late drama as Ubah, who had already been a contender for man-of-the-match prior to Jabbi’s own late goal, claimed the individual honour and a spot in the next round with absolute audacity with just seconds remaining on the clock. Having once again found himself on the ball in the middle of the park, he took a touch to set himself and from 35 yards out fired a right-footed missile in to the top corner leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Match-winner and man-of-the-match Sopula Ubah said after the game: “I’m feeling good. Obviously the first-half was nowhere near the standard that we wanted to play. But, we dug deep in the second-half, moved the ball a lot quicker and we were winning the second and third balls. That’s how we got the goal and I’m happy with the team for that.” On his wonder strike he added, “Alaji [Jabbi} pulled the defender away. So, 35 yards out, I’ve practiced it in training and I said why not?”
In the end Wakefield reserves were well deserving of the win, with some excellent performances throughout the team. That is now a draw and two wins in their last three matches, with the side growing in confidence. As a result they are in to the quarter-finals of the cup and off the bottom of the league table. If it is onwards and upwards for the reserves side, the same can hopefully also be said of the first-team who are next in action on Saturday 11th January away against High Green Villa, kick-off at14:00PM. The reserves can fill the void before then with a match scheduled for 15:00PM on Saturday 28th December 2019 away at Harworth Colliery Reserves.
Half Time: 0-1
Full Time: 3-2