Wealdstone 2 – 1 Corby Town
Wealdstone2 - 1
Corby TownThree on the bounce for Wealdstone. Resurgent is probably not the right word, but Stones are certainly showing some fight, and are also getting the results they deserve in their battle to stave off relegation at the end of the season.
The programme listed Tim parks’ five best all time matches, and this one won’t trouble them but a good win none the less.
Stones started brightly taking the game to their opponents who had to win to have any chance of safety and could have opened the scoring four times in the first 15 minutes, Papali and Robinson both hit the bar, Montgomery and Papali also had shots pushed wide and blocked respectively, but it was Corby that took the lead on 24 minutes when Stones only half cleared and the ball fell to Musgrove who shot into the corner from 18 yards.
For a ten minute spell this rocked Stones and only some sharp work by Swain and a couple of blocks from the defence prevented the visitors from extending their lead, before Stones regained their composure.
Stones drew level on 40 minutes when Chappell’s long throw was only half cleared, Dellissier fought for the ball and knocked it across the box where Theo knocked it home from 8 yards, and this made the half time score 1-1.
The second half saw Stones applying the pressure pushing forward, and the visitors limited to breakaways, but both keepers made crucial saves – Pledger a particularly good double save, pushing a Montgomery shot onto the post, then blocking Theo’s rebound, but it was stones that got the final goal on 78 minutes. Sub Clark spread the ball wide to Montgomery with his first touch and continued his run centrally towards the Corby goal, Montgomery beat his man and then knocked the ball into Clark’s feet on 18 yards and his touch and turn opened up a shooting opportunity, the ball nestling in the corner of the visitors goal to give Stones the win.
A look at the tables shows Stones in the driving seat with two games to go, though even at this late stage Cheshunt, Clevedon, Tiverton and Rugby could be pulled into the battle for the 4th from bottom spot (though only Stones, and Cheshunt are at risk of relegation), while in the Ryman League, Ashford Town, Folkstone and Harrow Borough are all in a similar position, as are Ashton United and Leek Town in the NPL. Ashton United are currently in the hot seat and have two games to go, while Ashford Town have a maximum possible of 46 points, so that is the safety target for everyone else. One of these clubs will be a Division 1 club next season, and it could be decided on Tuesday or Wednesday evening as the midweek results come in.
Wealdstone: Mitch Swain, Lee Chappell38 s73 Josias Carbon, Fergus Moore, Carl Martin, Kevin Swift, Scott Donnelly s73 Dean Clark78, Andre Dellissier, Graham Hall, Theo Robinson 40, Dean Papali, s86 Sheyi Adegoke, Graeme Montgomery Subs not used: Leigh Wooldridge, Roderick Mveso-Mputu