Report – Hungerford Town 1 – 3 Wealdstone
Hungerford Town
1 - 3
WealdstoneWealdstone made it two wins in three days after an impressive 3-1 win over Hungerford Town in muddy conditions at Bulpit Lane.
Goals from Dan Fitchett, Ryan Sellers and Danny Green capped off a solid footballing display as both sides played flowingly in very wet and boggy conditions.
Stones boss Bobby Wilkinson, visiting his old club, made further changes as Stones fixture congestion piles up; the three goal scorers all returned to the starting line-up as did Eddie Oshodi at right-back.
It was a perfect start for the Stones as they took a third minute lead. Green lofted an excellent delivery from a free-kick into the box and Fitchett got the deftest of touches to it to guide it past Oliver Davies in the Hungerford goal.
Stones were almost two-up just five minutes in when Matty Whichelow swerved a shot just wide, but Hungerford played their part in a frantic first half.
Sellers put a last-ditch block in to deny Nicholas Bignall a clear strike on goal and Alfie Kilgour should have tested Jonathan North better with a free header.
On 15 minutes the hosts had their best chance to equalise after Glenn Wilson missed a sliding tackle that allowed Scott Rees a run on goal, North saved his initial effort but Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist followed up with a rebound but somehow North managed to recover in time to save and hold the ball.
Not to be outdone by his counterpart, Crusaders keeper Davies pulled off a fantastic low save to deny Jake Sheppard after he smashed a volley goalward inside the area.
And Wealdstone doubled their lead on 37 minutes when Whichelow picked out Sellers wide left with a perfect through ball, the left-back then burst into the box and smashed a shot past Davies.
The hosts were shooting down the slope in the second half and were back in the game within minutes. Richie Whittingham evaded Oshodi’s sliding challenge to pick out Kilgour at the far post and he slotted past North to halve the deficit.
A frantic couple of minutes then ensued as Whittingham and Rees both shot over when having a clear sight at goal and it took until the introduction of Ricky Wellard for the Stones to grab back the initiative.
Kilgour’s block denied Sheppard placing in Whichelow’s rebounded effort and Wellard played David Pratt in on goal only for Davies’ quick-reaction stop to deny him.
Pratt then won Wealdstone a penalty after he was tripped in the area by James Rusby. Green stepped up and placed low to the keepers’ right, Davies got the slightest of touches to it but it had too much on it and the visitors regained their two-goal advantage.
Stones stopper North still had to be alert to twice deny Louie Soares’ powerful efforts, he also held Alex Wall’s injury time chance after Hungerford cut apart the Stones defence with an intricate passage of play.
Stones now face the prospect of a third game in five days when Oxford City visit Grosvenor Vale on Wednesday night, 7:45PM Kick Off.
WEALDSTONE: North, Oshodi, Sellers, Wilson, Okimo (c), Sheppard, Whichelow (Kearney 79), Cox, Pratt (Monakana 90), Green, Fitchett (Wellard 56). Subs not used: Bubb, Gayle.
By Chris Woods
Listen to Bobby Wilkinson post match interview HERE