Report – Hampton & Richmond Borough 1 – 1 Wealdstone
Hampton & Richmond Borough
1 - 1
WealdstoneWealdstone’s play-off hopes were finally dashed in an Easter weekend draw with Hampton & Richmond Borough at the Beveree Stadium.
The Stones dominated the second half after a poor start to the game; Christian Jolley gave Hampton the lead on the 26th minute with a stunning 25-yard strike before Ciaron Brown flicked in a smart header after 51 minutes to register his first senior goal for the club.
Gordon Bartlett made two changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Hemel Hempstead Town the previous week. Elliott Godfrey and Jonny Wright came in for the injured Ricky Wellard and suspended Aryan Tajbakhsh.
Hampton began the game in the ascendancy and almost scored after seven minutes when Kieran Murphy headed wide from a corner.
Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick then nearly gave the home side a lead from his head, but Jonathan North was equal to it and did brilliantly well to tip over the bar.
Hampton finally took the lead midway through the half. Jolley won the ball off of Sam Cox on the edge of the area and the midfielder smashed the ball into the top corner off the crossbar, well out of North’s reach.
The home side almost doubled their lead just three minutes after half time, Jolley played a ball over the top to Brendan Kiernan, he opted to lob North when one-on-one and it floated harmlessly over the bar.
Home keeper Sam Howes didn’t register a save in the first half but six minutes into the second he was picking the ball out of the net. Danny Green’s corner was met by Brown at the near post, who flicked a powerfully accurate header past Howes and into the far corner .
This buoyed the Stones and after a spell of intricate one-touch football Wright almost poked in a Matty Whichelow cross at the far post.
Hampton almost gifted the Stones a goal too. Cox hooked a ball forward and a race ensued between Eddie Oshodi, Joe Hicks and Howes with Hicks nodding the ball past his keeper, but with the ball heading goalward he was bailed out from a Nathan Collier clearance.
Despite the Stones’ dominance in the second half it was Hippolyte-Patrick who had the best chance in the closing stages, some poor defending allowed him a clear sight of goal, but North was out quick to thwart him.
WEALDSTONE: North, Oshodi, Sellers, Brown, Hamblin, Godfrey (Mavila 84), Wright (White 84), Cox, Fitchett (Benyon 78), Whichelow, Green. Unused subs: Parker, Goulding
Listen to Gordon Bartlett’s post reaction HERE