Report – Poole Town 2 – 1 Wealdstone
Poole Town
2 - 1
WealdstoneGoals from Steve Devlin and Warren Bentley saw relegation battlers Poole Town mount a second half comeback after Ryan Sellers gave Wealdstone a first half lead at the Black Gold Stadium.
Sellers gave the Stones a 13th minute lead from a low ball across the area which crept under Dolphins keeper Nick Hutchings.
The Stones looked in control for the opening 60 minutes of the game until Sellers brought down Jordan Alawode-Williams in the penalty area, Devlin despatched from the penalty spot to swing momentum in the hosts favour and Bentley eventually nicked a 71st minute winner.
Bobby Wilkinson made one change to the side that won Monday night’s 3-1 game in the mud at Hungerford, Jeffrey Monakana came in for Dan Fitchett.
Jake Sheppard could have doubled the Stones’ lead early in the second half but a bad touch cost him a clear effort at goal and his place on the pitch as he hobbled off injured as a result of a clash with Hutchings in goal.
But the hosts, battling for their National League South status, got a lifeline back into the game when they were awarded a penalty. Devlin sent Jonathan North the wrong way and within five minutes of equalizing they were in front through Bentley.
Stones did mount a response with Fitchett coming agonisingly close twice and Bradley Bubb and Eddie Oshodi’s efforts forcing saves from Hutchings but it was the hosts who hung on for a vital three points and in the process shattering Wealdstone’s slim play-off hopes.
A disappointed Stones boss Wilkinson had this to say after: “I’ve been saying it week in, week out as a group, we have to manage the game a lot better and we had for 70 minutes, but to be open and honest it’s just typical for us to give them a goal and I’ve never been so frustrated in my life today.
‘We’ve been working really hard and keep doing a lot right, but I can’t keep defending the sloppy goals we give away. We win together and lose together but I’m just really frustrated with the manner of the goals we’ve given to them today”.
WEALDSTONE: North, Oshodi, Sellers, Wilson, Okimo, Sheppard (Wellard 64), Whichelow (Bubb 75), Cox, Pratt, Green, Monakana (Fitchett 58). Subs not used: Gayle, O’Brien.
By Chris Woods
Listen to Manager Bobby Wilkinson’s post match reaction HERE
Steve Foster pictures HERE