Report – Gloucester City 0 – 0 Wealdstone
Gloucester City
0 - 0
WealdstoneWealdstone were held to a 0-0 stalemate away at Gloucester City on Saturday.
Constant pressure from the Stones came to no avail as the home side secured their fourth home clean sheet in a row.
Tigers sub-goalkeeper Tom King almost spilled the ball right into Stones midfielder Simon Mensah in the six-yard box within seven minutes but King spontaneously lashed the ball clear with his right foot.
Seven minutes later Stones full-back Freddie Grant attempted an audacious left-footed volley which went just wide of the far post.
French Gloucester midfielder Fabien Robert floated a teasing cross into the box but went all the way to Stones ‘keeper Jonathan North in the 16th minute.
Just a minute later Grant’s cross from the left found Danny Green at the far post but Green’s header was well-saved by King.
Wealdstone midfielder Christian Smith attempted an edge-of-the-box finish five minutes before half-time but went over the bar.Smith had another strike at goal just two minutes later but again flew over the bar.
On the stroke of half-time Robert tried a spectacular bicycle-kick but the finish lacked power and bobbled away for a goal-kick.
Both sides went into the break after a goalless first half where Gloucester restricted Bobby Wilkinson’s men into minimal chances.
It took nine minutes after the half-time interval for the away side to create another opportunity, a Smith free-kick went wide of King’s goal.
Wealdstone were racking up multiple corners through the second half but were unable to win any individual aerial battles.
The hour-mark was approaching fast before Green hit the post before the set-piece specialist was flagged offside.
Entering the final quarter of the contest, Robert had a speculative shot on target awkwardly parried away by North.
Smith had another edge-of-the-box effort, this time a volley, well-blocked by the Tigers defence in the 73rd minute.
A miscommunication between King and Sam Avery almost gave Wealdstone a simple goal with 10 minutes to go but the ball would not fall down to a Stone.
Jake Sheppard tried to recreate his finish on Monday night but could not find the target in the 84th minute.
Two minutes before time Connor Stevens’ header from a Green cross was well saved by King.
Stevens had another opportunity when he saw his shot go wide of the far post just seconds later.
Gloucester substitute Josh Thomas fired from distance but a bobble in the ground sent the effort high over the bar.
The Stones went down to 10-men in stoppage time when an impact injury ended Sheppard’s afternoon; all three substitutions has been made by Bobby Wilkinson.
There was no action in the rest of injury time as Wealdstone earned another point away from home and are still undefeated in 2019.
Wealdstone: North, Sheppard, Grant, Stevens, Okimo, Poku, Allarakhia, Mensah, Pratt, Green, Smith. Subs Monakana, McKeown, Brown (used) Patterson, Tyler (not used)
Report by Dec O’Reilly
Listen to Bobby Wilkinson post Match Interview HERE
Dan Finill pics HERE
Steve Foster pics HERE