Cheshunt 0 – 0 Wealdstone
Cheshunt0 - 0
WealdstoneA couple of enforced changes today as Wealdstone were without Lee Carroll in goal and also missing Ernest Simon and Andreas De Morales through ‘travel difficulties’, Manager Gordon Bartlett was able to draft in Mitch Swain, Carl Martin returned after a bout of Flu and Neil McDonald retained his place after the abandonment against Kings Lynn.
Stones started the relegation battle well, an early chance falling to Papali whose shot was saved, though for long spells in the first half Cheshunt enjoyed the greater possession. Stones defended well and Swain only having one save to make, at full stretch from Trevor Paul. At the other end, Gooderick, Papali and Montgomery all saw efforts go just wide or be saved by the home defence, as the half wore on and Stones began to force the play.
Montgomery was replaced on half time after a heavu challenge left him with a damaged ankle, Stuart Goodhall coming on, and he almost made an immediate impression as he ran fully thirty five yards chasing a loose ball and beat the defender, swinging in a low cross which beat the home keeper – but unfortunately it beat the Stones forwards also as it ran to safety across the goal.
The early stages of the second half saw Stones in the driving seat and efforts from Papali and Gooderick again were cleared by the home defence while Fergie Moore had a rare right foot shot cleared of the line from a corner.
As the game drew to a close Cheshunt had two opportunities to steal the points from breakaways, but Hicks and Fenton both shot wide to leave the scores even at 0-0.
Wealdstone: Mitch Swain, Josias Carbon, Fergus Moore41, Neil McDonald, Lee Chappell40, Carl Martin s76 Hector Mackie, Dean Clark, Chris O’Leary25, Matt Gooderick, Dean Papali s88 John Christian, Graeme Montgomery s45 Stuart Goodhall, Subs Not Used: John Christian, Josh Cooper, Hector Mackie, Stuart Goodall, Adriano De Moraes
Harrow Times
Cheshunt 0 – 0 Wealdstone
By Steve Paull
No New Year luck for Stones…..
WEALDSTONE finally kept their first “clean sheet” of the season on New Year’s Day at Cheshunt in a game they dominated for long periods and should have won.
Skipper Chris O’Leary was superb in his tigerish tackling midfield role, but serious-looking injuries to Graeme Montgomery and Carl Martin may present selection headaches for the weekend.
The game began quietly. Mitch Swain made a couple of regulation saves and Neil McDonald, promoted from the reserves, headed the first Wealdstone chance wide.
Anthony Fenton, the large Cheshunt centre back, might have been dismissed by a more strict referee following his last man foul on Matt Gooderick, but only saw yellow.
Soon after both Dean Papali and Gooderick had shots blocked, and another Papali effort brought out an acrobatic diving save from home keeper Peat.
Now, as Stones dominated, in the space of a frustrating four minutes, three Papali efforts all failed to find the target.
Only as the half was ending did Cheshunt get a glimpse of the Wealdstone goal with efforts from Hicks and Allen off the target and Swain saving from Highton at the foot of a post.
Obeng was booked following a crude foul on Montgomery that saw the youngster not come out for the second half, but Stuart Goodall always does well in his limited Wealdstone opportunities and did so again here.
Gooderick had a diving header wide early in the half but, when Papali “scored” just before the hour mark, play incredibly was brought back for a Wealdstone free kick.
Still Wealdstone dominated; Gooderick’s header was saved, Papali fired wide and a fierce drive from Fergus Moore following a corner was cleared off the line by Dean Fenton.
Carl Martin looked to be injured as he gingerly walked off at half time, but carried on for a further 25 minutes, wincing with discomfort with every kick, until finally being replaced, in a positive substitution, by Hector Mackie. For a time Stones played with three forwards, but with the defensive upheaval caused by Martin’s absence Cheshunt were now creating chances so they settled for a draw with the introduction of John Christian for Papali late on.
Wealdstone almost failed to get that draw when, following some defensive confusion, the ball fell to Hicks, unmarked 20 yards out and only just wide of goal. Fortunately for Stones, the shot was sliced wide.