Saturday 1st February 2020 | Austin Ainsworth
Wakefield AFC commenced a run of five away games in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League at Chaucer School, the home of Ecclesfield Red Rose 1915. Wakefield, fresh from the second half collapse that marred their last game, were looking for a positive response and would have been hopeful of one against this opposition, whom they clinically dispatched 4-0 when the teams last faced each other in September.
Ecclesfield, now above 10th placed Wakefield in eighth, were never likely to roll over on this occasion, buoyed by their own six game unbeaten run and Wakefield’s run of seven games without a win. In truth, the conditions transpired to ensure that any form went out of the window, leaving the game as an absolute non-event that was dominated by the strong winds. It was the in-from Ecclesfield who ran out 1-0 winners however, with a second half goal gifted to them by the aforementioned conditions.
Chris Turner stuck with the 4-4-2 formation from the last game, perhaps mindful of the electric first half showing that produced the team’s first goals in six games. Quinaceo Hunt played in goal behind a back four – from right to left – of Cedric Kouakou, Marvin Emmanuel, Yemi Ayodele and Chris Sholu. Ifeanyi ‘Ify’ Covenant Ofoegbu, the club’s own version of a January deadline-day signing, played on the right wing. Kyron Richards captained the side in the centre of midfield alongside Noah Hamelberg, who moved in from the left wing to allow Deji Alabi to play there. The front two were unchanged, with Arnie Grayson lining up alongside Nathan Weekes, who was fresh from his two goal showing in the previous match.
In a game that won’t live long in the memory, there were no chances of any note for either side until the 22nd minute, when a comically sliced shot from an Ecclesfield player ended up playing his teammate in, who subsequently shot high and wide of Hunt’s goal. Wakefield got closest to the Ecclesfield goal in the 30th minute when Hamelberg stood over a free-kick within shooting distance. His shot hit the wall and rebounded to Richards, whose powerful shot skirted just wide of the goal.
It was clear both teams were struggling on the exposed school pitch, with the gale-force winds leaving them unable to play the ball high; and the long, bobbly grass leaving them unable to play it on the ground. In what more closely resembled a game of volley-ball rather than football, the closest either of the two teams came to goal was shortly before half-time when Hunt took control to punch a dangerous free-kick clear. The ball fell to an Ecclesfield player on the edge of the box, who struck his shot just over the bar.
The second half was much the same, and the fans again had to wait 22 minutes to see any attempt at goal, which was the cruel moment that allowed Ecclesfield to take the lead. The game, bordering on pantomime due to the conditions, was always destined to be defined by a moment of calamity at one end or the other, and you could have flipped a coin to determine which way that luck would go. The toss went Ecclesfield’s way when Hunt left his area to take a free-kick. The wind caught his kick and an Ecclesfield player won it to put his teammate in behind, ahead of the chasing Wakefield defence. Hunt had scrambled back to the edge of his area and positioned himself to be able to clear the ball before the striker reached it. However, the ball bobbled over his foot on the uneven surface just as he swung his leg to clear, leaving the Ecclesfield player free to tap the ball in to an open net.
It was an unfortunate moment for Wakefield, who had managed the conditions quite well up to that point. In a game of few chances, Wakefield were unable to offer a real response with their best moments coming in the 73rd and 81st minute. The first was a chance for new boy Ofoegbu, who rode a challenge to drive in to the area, after Richards won the ball well in midfield. The half chance came and went as Ofoegbu’s shot went over the bar. The second chance fell to Grayson, looking for his first goal for the first team, but a rare moment of incisive play culminated in a cross from the right just travelling over his head as he waited to pounce at the back post.
Turner made substitutions in the closing moments, including throwing on the returning attacker Thomas Eclapier for his first appearance in four matches. However, much like the previous 80 minutes, the game finished without any real excitement, consigning Wakefield to their fourth loss in a row. The result means they remain in 10th position, as Ecclesfield move up to sixth.
Perhaps the only real talking points of the game were the absence of one player and the debut of another. Club captain Manny Katundu was missing as he has jumped up the leagues to sign for Stocksbridge Park Steels in the Northern Premier League South East Division. The player, arguably Wakefield’s player of the season up to this point, is deserving of the move and the club wishes him the best of luck in his promising career. His performances on the pitch, with seven goals from midfield leaving him joint top-scorer, have spoken for themselves. However, his character and personality have also set him apart and will no doubt be sorely missed. As stated, the loss is in part counter-balanced by the arrival of Ify Ofoegbu. He is a player of football-league pedigree who Chris Turner hopes can take the club forward. On his arrival, he commented: “He has tremendous pace and power and at one time looked as though he may make a career within the EFL… I see this as a positive move for the club.”
Wakefield can also take some positives from the game, with an improved overall defensive showing and further good displays from Richards – who showed he is an able replacement for Katundu as captain – and Weekes, who did hold the ball up well on the rare occasions he received it. Aside from the loss, Turner may also look at where the goals will come from in the absence of Katundu, with only nine league goals in the entire starting 11 and this the team’s seventh goalless showing in eight games.
On the game, Turner stated: “The game was, in my opinion, a complete waste of time for everyone. No team deserved to lose the game and the conditions made playing any sort of football impossible. The wind was horrendous and the playing surface made any sort of passing of the ball impossible. The winning goal summed up the afternoon; a through ball that, when it reached our goalkeeper, bobbled on the surface over his foot presenting a chasing forward an open goal. Ecclesfield took the points due to this mistake but anyone watching the game had to have sympathy with both sets of players, as playing in the game could not have been enjoyable.
I thank our opponents for their hospitality on the day.”
Wakefield, now with one win in 10 games in all competitions, have the chance to get back to winning ways and avenge the second half collapse against Houghton Main last week, when the two sides meet again on Saturday 8th February 2020 at the M-Tec Stadium, Little Houghton: kick-off 14:00PM.
Half Time: 0-0
Full Time: 1-0
Starting XI:
Quinaceo Hunt, Cedric Kouakou, Marvin Emmanuel, Yemi Ayodele, Chris Sholu, Ify Ofoegbu, Kyron Richards (C), Noah Hamelberg, Deji Alabi, Arnie Grayson, Nathan Weekes
Goals:
67m, Ecclesfield
Subs Used:
85m, Thomas Eclapier for Arnie Grayson
85m, Monaye Mitchell for Cedric Kouakou
85m, Redon Gashi for Noah Hamelberg
Cards:
Kyron Richards (Yellow)
Stats:
Wakefield AFC
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 2
Second Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 1
Ecclesfield Red Rose 1915
First Half
Shots on Target: 0
Shots off Target: 4
Second Half
Shots on Target: 2
Shots off Target: 2