Wealdstone 2 – 4 Braintree

Wealdstone

2 - 4

Braintree Town

KO: 0:00 | Sat 15th Jan ’05

Win one, lose won, win one, lose won. Its been the way with Stones league results over the last few weeks, and to keep the sequence going, this was no exception, Stones contriving to lose this game in the last ten minutes after leading twice (in fact they’ve done that before, twice, at home this season also against Billericay and Northwood. Where would we be now with those nine points and perhaps the three from Kingstonian!!)

This game saw both sides start brightly and create early openings but both defences coped well, the only attempt on goal an early effort from Richard Jolly, then just after the half hour, Jermaine turned in the box and was brought down – up stepped Jolly to score from the spot to give the Stones the lead.

It was an error by James Fisher, conceding a penalty at the other end that brought Braintree back into the game as Revell scored on 36 to tie things at 1-1 at half time.

The second half saw a bright start again as the two sides who looked evenly matched worked hard to create openings while the two back lines worked hard to prevent them – it seemed for a while there would be no more goals, but the game was far from dull as both sides played some entertaining football, then Beckford and McKeown combined, threading the ball to the bye line for Richard Jolly to chip in to the near post where Lee O’Leary scored his fourth goal in four starts with a glancing header on 57 minutes.

Stones at this stage seemed comfortable and in control of the game and despite their best efforts Braintree still could not find a way through, that was until poor marking at a corner gave them an equaliser as Remy was allowed to head home unchallenged. On 85 minutes with most fans still expecting a draw Stones failed to pick up their man again and ruined what had been a good performance allowing Lorraine to put Braintree ahead for the first time.

Stones pressed forward for an equaliser they at least deserved only to be caught again on 89 minutes when Porter broke away and hit a low shot past the static Carter.

Harrow Times – Steve Spaull

WEALDSTONE have blown 2-1 leads ahead against three of the top four teams in their division, each time slipping to defeat.

On this occasion Stones were ahead with only ten minutes of normal time remaining, but still ended up the losers.

It was a very depressing end as, although Braintree were more compact and efficient, it was Wealdstone’s attack that looked more threatening.

The first half was a tale of two penalties. First, Quinton brought down Jermaine Beckford and Richard Jolly put the kick away, then James Fisher got the wrong side of Riddle and bundled him over in an attempt to stop the cross. Revell duly dispatched the resulting spot kick.

Apart from a Jolly shot that flashed wide, that was it.

Fisher almost redeemed himself with a powerful header that Day saved acrobatically five minutes into the second half, but Wealdstone reto the lead with another goal from Lee O’Leary, who has now scored four in as many starts for the Stones. His flicked header from Jolly’s cross was superb.

When two Braintree giants were introduced as substitutes soon after it was obvious that the Stones rearguard were to be bombarded by an aerial assault – and so it proved.

With ten minutes to go the visitors finally created a scoring chance and one of the replacements took it, Remy heading in a corner at the back post that Andy Carter should have got to. That was ten minutes from the end of normal time; five minutes later Braintree took the lead when centre half Lorraine headed a goal at the far post in similar circumstances.

Sandwiched between this, Alexander had a good chance but electing to shoot with his favoured right foot made it easy for visiting keeper Gay.

Tempers frayed, the referee lost control, and Wealdstone lost all shape and discipline in the final moments allowing the other giant, Porter to boot the fourth past a static Carter.