Wealdstone 3 – 2 Thurrock
Wealdstone
3R3 - 2
ThurrockSchoolteacher Gordon Bartlett and his management team scored 10/10 with their homework on Thurrock for this Trophy 3rd round tie, and another 10/10 for their team selection, changing personnel and formation to counter their opponents playmakers and undoubted style, but top mark of all must go to the Stones players, many playing unfamiliar roles for the way that each and ever one stuck to their jobs.
Stones had watched Thurrock four times, and in each game had seen Collis and Bowes as the main playmakers, while the pace of Akurang and Kandor was sure to cause problems.
With Morgan and Duncan sent out to quell the playmakers, Shaw playing the holding role in midfield, ably supported by Williams and Carter and a three mean back line with Alon Hemmerdinger making his first start for Stones, there was plenty of opportunity for a disjointed performance, but Stones came through well, with a front three also causing the visitors a number of problems.
Stones started brightly but skill and enterprise brought Thurrock the opening goal on six minutes. Kandor’s skill took him between and beyond two defenders before and excellently flighted cross found Akurang to head in from close range to give the visitors the lead, but this galvanised Stones both on and off the field as the home support found their voice, spurring on their players.
Stones closed down their visitors in every department, and a sweet ball played through the visiting defence by James Duncan allowed Richard Jolly to run beyond his marker and his hard low cross was met at the near post by Ben Alexander who slotted home the equaliser on 28 minutes.
It was Wealdstone that could have scored the next goal as well as a Williams free kick was saved at the second attempt and Tucker went close with a header, while Stones defence prevented the visitors from a meaningful chance blocking hustling and tackling at every opportunity, Hemmerdinger looked controlled at sweeper and Tucker and Butler immense in front of him.
The midfield worked well as a unit with Shaw and Carter marshalling the middle and Williams and Duncan closing down the wide men while Morgan’s tireless running limited Collis’ involvement.
The second half started in similar vein, although Wealdstone had the better of the play, but on 58 minutes, it was the visitorss that took the lead. As the ball broke away, Kandor struck a shot from the edge of the box and Hemmerdinger could only slide the ball into the corner of the net as he tried to clear, but again the Stones fans got behind their team.
Early bookings for Butler and Hemmerdinger were followed by two in four minutes for Kandor. the first for dissent and the second as he seemed to lead with an arm – the same offence that saw Butler booked minutes earlier – resulting in an early bath for the frustrated forward.
Stones won a corner and then another as a period of pressure forced the visitors back. A half clearance fell to Williams and his shot from 20 yards was spilled by Gothard, Alexander reacting slightly faster than Jolly to nip in and knock the ball home for Stones second equaliser on 67 minutes.
With Thurrock reduced to ten men, Stones got on top of the game and the visitors, obviously rattled by the pace of the game and the vociferous home support lost their composure. Carter’s ball forward was knocked round his defender by Morgan and as he ran in on goal, he hit a sweet shot into the far corner of the net without breaking stride from twenty yards to give Stones the lead on 79 minutes.
Two minutes later, Jolly almost extended the lead and Alexander also almost scored his third, the ball spinning just wide as Thurrock were limited to breakaways and half chances, Akurang on another day may have equalised from either of two efforts, but on the night neither were on target as stones maintained the momentum to the end to score a victory over their Premier Division opponents.
As the final moments drew in Thurrock threw everything forward, but to no avail as Stones held on to record a great and deserved victory, and to enter the fourth round of the Trophy for the first time since ‘The Double’ in 1985.
As was said afterwards in the pub, they don’t make drugs that can make a feeling this good!
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