Wealdstone 6 – 1 Lewes
Wealdstone
6 - 1
Lewes
It was a case of majestic Monday as Wealdstone sealed their second win in three days with a superb first half attacking performance that saw them trounce Lewes, and, just as importantly, cut Whitehawk’s lead at the top of the table to 7 points.
Stones football in the first half was breath taking as they raced into a 5-1 half time lead, with Peter Dean notching a hatrick before he added his fourth and Wealdstone’s sixth after the break.
Lee Chappell was also in superb form at left back, claiming two assists and also scoring an outstanding 30 yard thunderbolt as Stones racked up their biggest league win of the season.
Manager Gordon Bartlett made two changes from the side which had beaten Margate two days earlier, with Esmond James and Richard Jolly coming into the starting XI in place of Elliot Godfrey and Leon Smith.
There was also a familiar face in the Lewes side, with Tommy Brewer starting in midfield having left Wealdstone the previous week.
Brewer was involved in the thick of the action early on, threading a ball through to Simon Wormull who in turn found Nathan Crabb with a cross but the forward just failed to make telling contact from close range.
It was Wealdstone who took the lead with ten minutes on the clock, Lee Chappell picking out Peter Dean in the middle with a great left wing cross which the Wealdstone number nine met with a powerful header that gave Lewes ‘keeper Kieron Thorp no chance.
A minute later and Stones could have been two nil up when Jolly raced clear of the defence but he uncharacteristically fired at Thorp with the goal at his mercy.
It was certainly a lively opening from the home side, and Jolly had another chance on 15 minutes, hitting an effort on the turn from Alex Dyer’s pullback which Thorp got down low to block.
Dean came close to doubling his tally in spectacular fashion on 21 minutes, controlling the ball before hitting a vicious volley which Thorp did well to hang on to.
The second goal duly arrived on the half hour mark. Dyer took a quick throw down the right hand side which released the impressive James who was able to pick out Jolly in the middle and last season’s Golden Boot recipient made no mistake as he bundled the ball over the line from close range.
Three minutes later and it was three nil. Dyer threaded a great through ball to Chappell on the left who did brilliantly to drill it across goal where Peter Dean was able to gleefully slam home his second of the night from inside the six yard box.
Things got even better five minutes before the break when Stones added a fourth with a goal of the season contender. Chappell picked up the ball 30 yards from goal before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top corner which left Thorp motionless.
A fifth followed a minute later as Stones ran riot against their beleaguered opposition. Jolly chipped the ball in from the right which was met by a spectacular overhead kick by Dean for his hatrick.
The visitors briefly rallied and reduced the arrears in stoppage time, Steve Brinkhurst nodding home unmarked from Wormell’s free kick.
The sixth goal arrived four minutes after the break. Tom Pett won the ball in midfield before picking out Dyer on the left hand side. Dyer found Dean with a pull back, and although he miskicked his first effort, he immediately regained his composure to toe poke the ball into the top corner for his fourth of the evening.
Layton Schaaf had a great chance to pull one back for Lewes on 57 minutes, but he headed over from close range when perhaps he should have scored.
Stones now understandably sat back somewhat towards the end of the half following intense games in the past three days, but Pett did have a good opportunity to add a seventh five minutes from time but Thorp did well to deny the winger as he got on the end of Dean’s pass.
The evening was then soured one minute from the end of normal time when Wealdstone substitute Michael Alaile was given a harsh straight red when he challenged Crabb, with the referee deeming him to be the last man despite the fact that it appeared the Lewes forward was running away from goal.
Next up for Wealdstone is a local derby away at near neighbours Hendon on Saturday, 3.00pm kick off.
Wealdstone: Banks, McCubbin, Chappell, Parker (Alaile 46), Cronin, Dyer (Webb 63), James (Godfrey 60), Brooks, Dean, Jolly, Pett. Subs not used: Moore, Smith
Man of the match: Peter Dean
By Stuart Warren
Steve Foster Match Pics HERE