Halesowen Town 5 – 3 Wealdstone
Halesowen Town5 - 3
WealdstoneA more normal service now resumed on the website after a couple of weeks away, but nothing changes on the playing front, as a Stones side ravaged by injuries travelled to Halesowen to be beaten 5-3,
Manager Gordon Bartlett called in a fourth Goalkeeper in recent weeks to fill in since Lee Carroll’s non-appearance, Mitch Swain having been injured playing in the Reserves and Rickie Perks, dual signed with St Albans unavailable, so Paul Smith signed from Ryman League AFC Wimbledon, while the search for a permanent replacement continues, hopefully to a successful conclusion this week in advance of Friday’s Transfer Deadline.
To make matters worse, with Carl Martin still unavailable, Kevin Swift suffered a Hernia in the midweek defeat, this likely to keep him out for the season, and both selected starting Centre Halves – Ben Martin and Lordi Kangana were forced to pull out on Saturday morning. This only added to Gordon’s woes as Scott Donnelly had also pulled out on Friday evening with a back injury…..
Very much a scratch side took the field, but that was a poor excuse for the defending in the early stages that allowed the home side to take a 2-0 lead on 9 minutes – both from back post headers, but then Stones steeled themselves and came more into the game.
Theo Robinson pulled a goal back on 28 minutes with a solo effort breaking through the home defence and dean Papali equalised for Stones on 52 minutes tapping home from a corner, but then the wheels somewhat fell off Halesowen scored twice more in quick succession to lead 4-2, and though debutant O’Toole pulled a goal back for Stones with a delightful chip on 87 minutes, Stones were to get nothing more as they pushed forward for an equaliser, conceding a fifth goal at the death, to make survival this season an even harder task.
Wealdstone: Paul Smith, Josias Carbon s71 Andre Delissier, Fergus Moore, Graham Hall, Lee Chappell, John-Joe O’Toole 87, Chris O’Leary, Graeme Montgomery s71 Rod Maveso-Mputu, Theo Robinson28, Dean Papali52, Simon Martin, Subs not used: Dean Clark, Mark Gill
Harrow Times
Halesowen Town 5 – 3 Wealdstone
By Steve Paull
Stones struggle home empty-handed…..
FOR long periods a cobbled-together Wealdstone side put in a battling performance at Halesowen on Saturday. Unfortunately the makeshift defence was nowhere near impregnable and injury-hit Stones returned from their travels empty-handed once again.
Two early headers by Halesowen debutant Palmer had Wealdstone two goals behind before even ten minutes had been played. Aerial challenges to the goalscorer were minimal as a cross from each side-one from a corner – were despatched past another Wealdstone debutant goalkeeper, Paul Smith.
The youngster must have wondered what was going on, but this was not the first time this season that Wealdstone have been caught cold at the start of a game and have to play catch-up.
On this occasion Wealdstone did catch up and, playing down the slope with the wind at their backs, took the game to their hosts.
Josias Carbon might have scored had the ball not got stuck under his feet five yards from goal, but soon after a lovely flick-on from Simon Martin put Theo Robinson clear to strike a low shot past home keeper Dormand and reduce the deficit.
Early in the second half Stones brought the scores back level. Graeme Montgomery’s corner was poor but somehow found its way into the box, Chris O’Leary scrapped for it and, as the ball bobbled around in the goalmouth, Dean Papali smashed it in.
With an hour played and the home side hardly looking threatening, hopes must have been high for Wealdstone getting some reward for their endeavors, but two goals in 90 seconds put pay to that. A ball over the top caught the Stones defence out and, after Smith had saved from Palmer, Fosdick headed the bouncing ball in. Palmer then got his hat-trick with a quick turn and long distance snap-shot that somehow eluded the dive of Smith.
O’Leary and Papali were just off target and Smith pulled off a couple of good stops. One, diving at the feet of Williams was particularly memorable as the game in its latter stages became more open.
When John-Joe O’Toole controlled the ball on his chest and sent a dipping volley over Dormand from 25 yards with a minute of normal time left, still Stones might have come away with something. Alas the same defensive frailties were still there. A cross from the right eluded all in the goalmouth but there was nobody on the opposite wing to get it. Smith went charging off his line but was beaten by Cowley who, with a neat side step and cross shot, finally made the game safe for the home side.