Wealdstone cruised into the 3rd Round of the Middlesex Senior Cup on Tuesday evening seeing off a struggling Wembley side currently fourth from bottom of the Combined Counties League, Premier Division.

Stones ought to have racked up their highest win of the season by some margin, but a combination of some wayward finishing, including a saved penalty, and rank bad luck in front of goal meant that the net was only found 3 times in an otherwise entertaining match played out on an energy sapping surface.

Ben Alexander had a good opportunity for the home side as early as 4 minutes when the elegant Jacques Floweday, who caught the eye all match, won the ball in midfield, but the burly striker just failed to find the net. Stones were soon into their attacking stride with the Lions back line looking decidedly vulnerable. But following a Greg Ngoyi strike hitting the cross bar, Wealdstone soon made the breakthrough and it was Ngoyi that made no mistake second time around and put a majestic shot past the helpless Berkley Lawrencin for 1-0.

Stones were totally dominating play and in the process attempting to play some neat passing football on the sponge like surface, and, following a great move through the midfield, the ball found Ryan Ashe who powered a great strike past Lawrencin to double the lead on 14 minutes.

It seemed a question of how quickly Wealdstone would add to their tally and they thought that they had done a few minutes later when Ben Clarke was brought down clumsily in the box at the end of a mazy run up the slope, but Ryan Ashe’s disappointing spot kick was well read by the busy away keeper and easily saved.

Stones then survived a scare when Luke Woods brought off an excellent save from Lions veteran midfielder Ian Bates as a well flighted free kick homed in on goal.

Half time: 2-0

Stones continued as they had left off in the second period and immediately the Lions over worked defence were under pressure from Alexander, Ngoyi and Graeme Montgomery down the flanks. A desperate scramble on the Wembley goal line somehow failed to result in a further score as the away side hung on to their two goal deficit. But the very lively Ngoyi was not to be denied and turned smartly to smash in his second on the night and Stones third after Alan Massey had miscued.

Shots continued to rain in on Lawrencin but Stones contrived to either overplay or screw strikes wide or over – typified when Ben Clarke broke free on the right with time and space to compose himself but shot wide.

A couple of unsavoury fouls on Ngoyi somewhat soured the atmosphere and bookings resulted. The diminutive striker was later replaced by Kieron Forbes; Danny Spendlove replaced Ben Clarke Wembley did enjoy a reasonable period of possession and to their credit kept battling away and with a bit more luck may have grabbed a consolation but Massey and Darren Locke were not giving anything away. Young Garry Jones acquitted himself well at left back and had the confidence to make a few good runs forward.

Despite continued pressing, Stones were happy enough to settle for a 3-0 margin and a well earned place in the next round at home to holders Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Wealdstone: Woods, McCoy, Jones, Locke, Massey, Ashe, Clarke, Floweday, Alexander, Ngoyi, Montgomery. Subs used: Spendlove, Forbes. N/u: Haule, Martin, Tony Jones.