Yeading 2 – 1 Wealdstone

Yeading

2 - 1

Wealdstone

KO: 0:00 | Tue 15th Feb ’05

Two different views, from Sudhir Rawal and Neale Harvey:

Stones pay dearly for missed chances after Ding have a player sent off.

Fairly even first half both teams miss chances – Morton being the worst culprit for us and Campbell for them. Ding start the 2nd half better but then have a player sent off for a crude challenge. Stones then miss three or four golden chances, twice before they score and twice after. Jolly hits the bar when faced with an open goal, Morton blazes over when one on one with the keeper.

Morgan scores for Ding when a cross was easily Carter’s ball but Morgan beat him to it. Bad error. Then Coyne ducks under a cross at the far post – bottled it really – and then Morgan has another good chance. Ding then score a sloppy goal straight through Carter’s legs.

Stones grabbed one goal at the death.

Funny how people’s opinions vary.

I would say that was almost the perfect away performance last night: sucked them in, allowed them to play in their own half but barely threaten us while having some good chances ourselves, then frustrate them into having the man sent off. And if Jolly’s shot goes in, we’re favourites to win by 2 or 3.

But it didn’t. Instead, they go up the other end and score the softest goal imaginable.

Overall, we missed five sitters: two in the first five minutes, Jolly, Morton’s shot and the non-header – which I believe was Lee Holland not Coyne, but I stand to be corrected – and that is the telling statistic.

But the fact is, we’ve competed strong in five games against the top three and come away with single goal defeats each time, so the margins are small. As long as they can put the disappointment behind them we should be okay for 12th-15th, which everybody would have settled for at the start of the campaign.

I was disappointed the players came off to silence last night as I thought they deserved a clap for a performance that ought to have brought us a positive result. Gordon’s entitled to be disappointed by that.

Harrow Times – Steve Paull

LOSING to the league leaders is no disgrace, but the manner of this defeat will have frustrated and annoyed all of those connected with Wealdstone.

For almost an hour this game was like a chess match and opportunities to score were very rare. Richard Morton failed when faced only with Yeading keeper Preddie in the first minute, and the home side were limited to just two attempts at Andy Carter’s goal. Campbell fired wide after a 40-yard run while Brown was also off target when well placed.

Although chances were few, a draw looked within Wealdstone’s reach as the defence was performing well for the first time in ages.

However, the order of things began to alter early in the second half.

Richard Jolly fired wide, then Yeading’s Newby was sent off following a horrid attempt at a tackle on Gary Burrell. Jermaine Beckford came on for Ben Alexander and within a minute had provided the cross from which Jolly’s shot smacked against the crossbar.

Suddenly there was a game on, and Carter saved full length to keep out an effort from Protain.

Unfortunately hero turned villain moments later as the keeper came for a cross and failed to make it. Former Stone Marvin Morgan headed into an unguarded net.

Enraged by this, and with the benefit of the extra man, Wealdstone pushed forward with purpose for the first time. Beckford headed wide, Burrell provided the perfect ball across goal that Paul Coyne was inches from getting a touch to, and Gary McKeown fired over.But the composure in defence had gone too and following a lengthy run straight at the heart of it, Brown’s slight mishit was enough to give Yeading a second goal ten minutes from time.

After a similar run Telemaque should have made it three but eventually shot wide.

The Wealdstone goal came in the last minute. Following a corner, Dave Ryan forced the ball through a crowd of bodies, prompting hopes of another two-goal comeback.

However, it was not to be…