Wealdstone 2 – 3 Hendon
Wealdstone3R
2 - 3
HendonA young Wealdstone side missing six first team regulars in the starting line up through injury and unavailability took the field against a very strong Hendon side, in this re-staged cup tie. Missing Godfrey, Courtnage, Tucker and White from the side that started the abandoned match on Tuesday, Stones were on the back foot early on against the quick Premier division forwards.
Stones competed well and were by no means overrun in the early stages, although they fell behind on 20 minutes to an excellent shot from Binns that Carter could only palm onto the stanchion and over the line.
Stones continued to improve however, although again they lacked a little in the last third, both Beckford and Swaysland finding it difficult to master a strong back line for the visitors, but they didn’t concede the second goal until almost half time, Ofori scoring from close range on 44 minutes.
The second half saw Stones get well into their stride and as the half progressed they played some excellent football, both Fisher and Hunt using the width well and causing problems for the visiting defence. At the back, Perry, Adan and Ryan coped well with the Hendon forwards and Stones got back into the match on 80 minutes when good work from Hunt allowed Tilbury to play a square ball a cross the box to Myhill who shot home from 18 yards.
This put Stones on top of their game and three minutes later they were level when an excellent cross from Hunt found alexander who headed home the equaliser.
It was not to be Stones night though as with two minutes remaining Howarth collected the ball from a harshly awarded free kick and another excellent finish was enough to see the visitors progress, Stones though must be pleased with the performance from a young side against their senior opposition.
Wealdstone: Andy Carter(b73), James Fisher, Carl Hunt, Matt Perry, Dave Ryan (s80 Darren Morely), Martin Carter, Gulad Adan, Jason Shaw (s44 Andy Myhill 80), Mick Swaysland (b86), Jermaine Beckford (s66 Ben Alexander 83), Danny Tilbury, Subs not used: Tyronne Hercules, Marvin Morgan
Harrow Times Steve Paull
Wealdstone 2 Hendon 3
Now that this Middlesex Senior Cup tie has finally been played to a finish it can be said that, in class and ability, Wealdstone’s youngsters fall only just behind their Ryman Premier division opponents.
How different this game might have been for Wealdstone had the entire first choice defence not been either unavailable or injured. The speed of thought and reaction of the Hendon forwards was the only difference between the sides.
The visitors scored two first half goals and seemed to be capably easing their way to victory until a flurry in the last ten minutes saw Stones draw back level, only to cruelly lose to a very late goal.
After 20 minutes Binns cut in from the right to fire a spectacular 25-yard shot that Andy Carter’s acrobatic dive and tip onto post and bar was unable to keep out. Some onlookers were dubious about the ball crossing the line as the keeper then was able to catch the ball, but the goal was awarded on the assistant’s word.
Twice Wealdstone almost levelled, Mick Swaysland mis-headed in front of a gaping goal and James Fisher fired just wide from the edge of the box but five minutes before the break Hendon increased their lead when Ofori volleyed in a left wing cross at the far post.
Until the late comeback Wealdstone gamely plugged on but also seemed to be accepting the defeat as inevitable. What chances that occurred came Hendon’s way and to Howarth in particular. Twice he was off target with decent opportunities and his teammate Forbes fired a free kick against the bar.
But Wealdstone always pressed forward and, out of the blue, Andy Myhill’s 20 yard snapshot, after the ball deflected to him, reduced the arrears.
Suddenly Stones were transformed, Carl Hunt’s cross then eluded everybody in the area to hit the far post and another cross from the same player minutes later saw Ben Alexander powerfully head the equaliser at the far post.
Could Wealdstone pull off a shock win? No, the villain Howarth turned hero for his side when, despite looking offside, he ran on to a lofted clearance to beat Carter with a low shot to win the game and leave Stones thinking what might have been.
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