Report – Poole Town 1-1 Wealdstone
Poole Town
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WealdstoneWealdstone’s improvement continued on Saturday at the Tatnam Ground, but they still had to play their last minute get-out-of-jail card to secure a point that was the very least they deserved. As at Wingate on Tuesday, Stones grabbed a dramatic goal seconds before the final whistle, this time from substitute Omar Koroma
The real hero of the afternoon, though, was Poole Town’s keeper Nick Hutchings who kept his side in contention with some outstanding saves.
Injuries continue to influence the balance and effectiveness of the side with loanee Liam Goulding a big miss and it is to be hoped that the young Accrington Stanley Centre Half will be back for the Christmas games to steady the back line. Tom Hamblin was unavailable due to work commitments abroad.
Poole had their own availability problems but it didn’t appear to stop their attacking intent as they put early pressure on the away side. Their man danger man, Richard Gillespie fired over on 6 minutes as Stones struggled to get going.
Wealdstone had their first real attempt on goal on the quarter hour mark when, following good work from Ricky Wellard, Matty Whichelow shot over.
Whilst the away side gradually got their attacking act together, Poole broke quickly and struck Jon North’s crossbar on 26 minutes. But Stones were now in the ascendancy – Wellard’s effort was just wide and then Sam Cox hit the woodwork.
As the half progressed Stones turned up the heat and put real pressure on a creaking Dolphins back line. Numerous opportunities came and went for Wealdstone with Wellard usually the instigator.
As the going got tougher the home side’s physicality brought bookings for Jamie Whisken and Shaun Cooper.
Elliot Benyon then got in on the act but his accurate header was brilliantly pushed over by Hutchings, but despite all of Stones heavy pressure the half ended goalless.
Wealdstone were made to pay for a sloppy start to the second half when, two minutes after the re-start, they conceded with Gillespie slipping the ball past an exposed North for a simple goal.
Stones worked hard to get back into the game and Nick Freeman’s effort was clawed away by the agility of Hutchings.
The Dolphins had their tails up though and wasted a couple of excellent chances to put the game to bed with strikes well wide of North’s far post.
Gordon Bartlett then threw on all his substitutes and Danny Green, Scott McGleish and Koroma livened up the attack a few notches as Poole dropped back but continued to throw bodies at the ball with intensive defending.
Stones were frustratingly caught offside too often as they continually pushed up in search of the equaliser.
Hutchings then somehow saved a powerful on target effort from Cox.
With the clock running down and into added time Stones won a corner on the right. For once Hutchings was caught out and Koroma blasted the ball home to the huge relief of the players and near 200 travelling army of Stone fans.
Wealdstone: North, Sheckleford, Brown, Urquhart, Oshodi, Godfrey, Freeman, Cox, Benyon, Wellard, Whichelow. Subs used: Green, Koroma, McGleish. Not used: Hunt, Wright.
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