Wealdstone 3 – 1 Cheshunt

Wealdstone

3 - 1

Cheshunt

KO: 0:00 | Tue 23rd Nov ’04

Another bright start in an important game for Wealdstone, this time as after 1 1/2 minutes, a stray pass in the middle of the park from Harris found Jolly. he hit a long ball down the left hand channel, where Beckford, who gave his defender fully a five yard start, won the ball inside ten yards, cut in from the byline, dummied the keeper and coolly slotted home from six yards to give Wealdstone an early lead.

It was always going to be difficult against a physical and quick Cheshunt side and so it proved in the early stages, as the visitors tried to get back on level terms. They did equalise on 7 minutes when a fast break left Stones defence a little flat footed and a cross field ball found Archer in the box, he made no mistake from ten yards for the equaliser.

For fully the next twenty minutes, Stones, although creating half chances were on the back foot, Cheshunt pushing forward powerfully and Stones midfield dropping to aid the defence in limiting their chances and this did at least stifle the visitors while Stones regrouped. As the half wore on Wealdstone came a little more into their own game, although never with the flowing football of some earlier performances as they too harried their opponents and limited the space in midfield.

On 41 minutes, Stones were awarded a free kick on the left hand side and Williams found Jolly who headed Stones back into the lead from 12 yards, and they held this lead until half time.

The second half started very evenly and chances were limited, but moments of magic or intuition from Beckford almost allowed him to score twice – both shots going agonizingly close but high with the visiting keeper going the wrong way, and Burrell too could have added to Stones tally, before Beckford did score his second and Stones third on 86 minutes. Cheshunt had a corner well defended by Wealdstone and the clearance found Jolly. His ball behind the defence fell into Jermaine’s stride and he coolly drew the keeper out and clipped the ball beyond his reach into the far corner to give Stones a 3 – 1 lead.

Cheshunt continued to battle and were awarded a free kick when Cater brought down Archer late on – he was perhaps fortunate only to receive a booking – and luckily he was still on the field to tip the free kick over the bar with almost the last effort of the game.

Harrow Times Steve Paull

Wealdstone 3 Cheshunt 1

ANOTHER home win in the league, the second in three days, and Wealdstone’s recovery continues. But this victory was so very different from the one two days earlier, as Stones had to scrap for every ball against their committed opponents.

The game was just 90 seconds old when Jermaine Beckford won the ball on the dead ball line then proceded to sell a dummy to keeper Ling and open the scoring.

Cheshunt were quick and combative and didn’t take long to equalise.

Following a series of poor attempts at tackling Watters crossed and Archer drilled a low shot past Andy Carter.

Now the game settled into it’s pattern- Cheshunt probed mercilessly and Wealdstone, for long periods, could not escape from their own half.

Having said that, on the rare occasions they did so they almost scored.

Again Richard Jolly and Beckford showed an excellent understanding and it was from Beckford’s headed flick on that Jolly’s shot was saved by the legs of the advancing Ling.

A headed backpass from Keepence was short and Jolly’s lob over Ling just cleared the bar.

As the half entered its final minute Wealdstone regained the lead when a curling free kick from Tommy Williams was headed in by Jolly.

These were isolated moments though, as the run of play was at the other end of the field. However Cheshunt, for all their territorial superiority, created few chances. Archer, having fired over from close range earlier, shot just wide of goal as the half ended.

The second period continued in the same vein but Wealdstone were better organised in defence now.

Referee Phipps carried on from the first half in failing to properly punish the persistent offending of the Cheshunt side whenever they lost possession.

Wealdstone, unable to play a passing game, resorted to long hopeful clearances which came straight back thus failing to relieve the pressure.

This resulted in a tense half of football as Wealdstone hung on somewhat. only little pieces of skill from Beckford produced the occasional shot at Ling’s goal as the clock ticked agonisingly slowly away.

Relief came in the 88th minute. Jolly found the space to play an excellent pass into Beckford’s path and the striker waited until Ling had committed himself before dinking the ball past him for an exquisite goal and salvation.