Walton & Hersham 1 – 0 Wealdstone
Walton & Hersham
1 - 0
WealdstoneA turgid match at Walton & Hersham today – and not just from Stones – as neither side seemed capable of stringing passes together after the first ten minutes.
Stones started brightly – from the kick of keeping the ball with some sweet passing, Walton’s first impact on the game was a foul after fully 90 seconds, but despite having the better of the exchanges. Stones could only muster a half chance from Beckford who shot wide.
Walton then had a similar spell where they dominated on the ball, but they too struggled to find a way through, their best chances when Jackson was late coming off his line and Zoricich had to clear a long ball.
The only other point of note in the first half was Beckford retiring with a slight Hamstring pull to prevent him causing it more damage after about 15 minutes, his replacement Thompson also leaving injured after 50.
The second half was similar fare, except on 55 minutes when George took the ball from Turner in the centre circle and then ran straight at the Stones defence beating a number of half challenges before drawing Jackson and shooting low past him on the onrushing Chappell to score the only goal of the game.
Stones had chances to both equalise and take the lead in the space of a few minutes as an excellent run and cross from Chappell found Zoricich but his header bounced up on the chest of Perks in the home goal, and a few minutes later Turner did well to get his shot away in the box, the volley again being saved by Perks, but it wasn’t to be as Stones lost a game that neither side really deserved to win.
Wealdstone: Glen Jackson, Lee Chappell, Leigh Harrington (s60 Graeme Montgomery), Graham Hall, Jamie Palmer, Chris Zoricich, John Christian, Josh Cooper, Jermaine Beckford (s15 Thompson s50 Turner), Miguel DeSouza, Gary Burrell, Subs not used: Dave Ryan, Lee Holland