Tooting & Mitcham United 1 – 2 Wealdstone
Tooting & Mitcham United
1QR1 - 2
WealdstoneStones made a couple of changes today with Rusty Ling and Andy Keepence returning to the starting line-up, and Ross White surprisingly selected after suffering a recurrence of an injury on Monday night, but the side took a similar shape to that which played against Windsor for a difficult tie away to in form Tooting & Mitcham Utd.
Stones started well, moving the ball quickly and they forced the home side onto the back foot in thre first ten minutes, from then on the game evening out as Tooting got into their stride also, but it was Stones who came closest in the early exchanges when Ashton’s free kick from 20 yards cannoned back off of the crossbar.
Within minutes though, Tooting had opened their account when a deep corner found Pinnock who headed home from the far post on 24 minutes. This unsettled Stones and Tooting had the better of the next quarter as Wealdstone failed to hold the ball or create anything for the forwards, though they did settle a little as half time approached.
Neither side had really troubled their opposing goalkeepers other than the goal, and the second half though with possession more in Stones favour started in similar style.
On 51 minutes Stones were level when a corner was swung in deep and Dave Ryan headed home from six yards – almost the only header Dave won all afternoon without the referee blowing for a foul – but once that certainly gave Stones a lift.
As with the first period, chances were limited at either end, and neither keeper really troubled though Stones had the better of the play and looked to move the ball around, the home defence kept the forwards at bay. On 76 minutes, the referee awarded Stones a free kick wide on the left with the crowd baying for the advantage rule to be played (as had happened on a number of occasions) as Jolly and Cooper were in possession in the home box. The referee however called play back, booking Twin and awarding the kick. Burrell struck an excellent cross and Tucker headed home Stones 2nd from 6 yards to the delight of the travelling support.
this was really the last clear cut chance of the game as both defences coped with whatever their opponents threw at them, until the very last minute when tooting may have snatched an equaliser, a corner again beating everyone in the box and bouncing to safety, but it wasn’t to. the result, a 2-1 win for Wealdstone who will now travel to either Whyteleafe or Folkstone in the next round.
Wealdstone: Russell Ling, Phil Turner, Lee Holland (s53 Gary Burrell), Ross White (s81 Ryan Harris), Dave Ryan, Andy Keepence, Robin Tucker, Darrell Cox, Jermaine Beckford, Richard Jolly, Carl Ashton (s65 Josh Cooper) Subs not used: Lee Chappell, Neil McDonald.