Wealdstone 2 – 1 Maidenhead United
Wealdstone
2 - 1
Maidenhead Unitedealdstone put in a hard working and controlled performance to overcome top-of-the-table Maidenhead United at The Vale on Boxing Day afternoon in front of a bumper festive crowd of 1100.
United looked a little hung over with high expectations on their shoulders whereas the home side rode their luck and times but stuck to their task tenaciously after top scorer Dave Tarpey equalised from the spot in an absorbing second half.
Midfielder Elliott Godfrey sent the Stones fans home happy with the winner in the 78th minute.
Stones had to again reshuffle their defensive line up with Josh Urquhart having under gone an operation on his knee; in came the experienced David Hunt filling the centre half position alongside Eddie Oshodi.
After an even start to the early exchanges, Stones gradually got their passing game going and began to find some gaps in the Magpies back line. Matty Whichelow went very close on 19 minutes with a decent drive but the away side soon hit back with Tarpey blazing over when well placed.
Stones were gaining the upper hand but were being caught offside on too many occasions. But they made the all important breakthrough four minutes before the break. Ciaron Brown got free on the left and his smart low cross was turned in by the ever alert Elliot Benyon for his 15th league goal of the campaign so far.
The Magpies should have levelled up the scores almost immediately after the re-start, but Kieron Forbes strike was straight at Jon North. Tarpey, for once, didn’t have his shooting boots on and was again guilty of a bad miss on 59 minutes.
But the complexion of the contest changed when Eddie Oshodi brought down Forbes in the area and Tarpey shot the penalty past North for the equaliser.
Stones stuck to their guns and pushed on with Elliott Godfrey outstanding in the midfield chasing down everything with Ricky Wellard and Whichelow making surging runs. And it was Godfrey that grabbed the winner. From a Wellard free kick the ball fell to him just outside the box and he brilliantly toe poked past Carl Pentney into the top corner.
The reliable North again saved well from Tarpey, but Stones comfortably held on for an important win and a seventh consecutive game without defeat
Wealdstone : North 8, Sheckleford 7, Brown 7, Hunt 7, Oshodi 7, Godfrey 9, Green, 7 Cox,7 Benyon,7 Wellard,8 Whichelow 8 (Wright 81, 7) Subs not used: Freeman, Hamblin, Koroma, McGleish
William Hill MoM: Ricky Wellard
Match Highlights Here
Alan Palmer pictures HERE
WFC Instagram pictures HERE