Chesterfield 3 – 2 Wealdstone
Chesterfield3 - 2
WealdstoneA devastating burst of three goals in 13 second half minutes from the National League leaders sunk Stuart Maynard’s battling Stones at the SMH Stadium.
Facing a hostile 7,301 crowd, it was astonishingly the part-timers who led at the break through Millwall loanee Kyle Smith’s close-range finish to delight the large Wealdstone contingent… but relentless Chesterfield pressure finally paid off.
The first half was marked by two terrific freekicks from the Spireites‘ dead-ball specialist Jeff King. But Stones loanee keeper Jed Ward leaped to tip the first over the bar, and moved smartly to hold his second ferocious effort. All Wealdstone could offer was the odd breakaway – led by the tireless Charlie Clayden and lone wolf Corrie Andrews – while Chesterfield buzzed around the box only to be foiled by the tenacious Charlie Barker, Jack Cook and Jaydn Mundle-Smith.
Yet it was the yellow-shirted visitors who stunned the home crowd in the 34th minute. Mundle Smith swapped passes with Clayden and arrowed a low ball across the six yard box for a jubilant Smith to turn into the net.
Chesterfield still had time to force Ward into a crucial sliding stop as the prolific Will Grigg homed in on goal – before Ollie Banks fired inches over just before the break. But Stones’ luck ran out in the teeth of the second-half onslaught. Some calamitous defending from Micah Obiero and Ashley Charles in the 53rd minute – the first mistakes of the game – allowed James Berry the freedom of the six yard box to fire past Ward for 1-1.
And when Ward and his defence were unable to smother a Berry cross 12 minutes later Liam Mandeville pounced for 2-1.
The third goal some 75 seconds later seemed to have cooked Stones’ goose, Grigg showing his pedigree as he fastened onto a loose Charles pass and bent the ball beautifully past Ward.
Yet it was Stuart Maynard’s men who finished the game the stronger: Sub Alex Dyer brought a sprawling save from home keeper Harry Tyer as the clock ticked into added time, Mundle-Smith smacked the near post with a fizzing effort and then third sub Sean Adarkwa netted his second goal for the club in style.
Mundle-Smith again provided the assist to send the ex-QPR striker through and Adarkwa silenced the home crowd again. But that was the final action. Chesterfield racked up their sixth successive win while Stones go into their next two home games needing to put some more points on the board.
Wealdstone: Ward, Cook, Barker, Charles (sub Abdulmadik 70 mins) Ferguson, Andrews (Adarkwa 82), Obiero, Smith, Clayden, Bowen (Dyer 65) Mundle-Smith.
Attendance: 7,301 (140 Wealdstone)
Match Report by Tim Parks.
Matt Saunders Post Match Interview HERE
Jon Taffel Match Pics HERE
Bill Wheatcroft Pics HERE
Match Highlights HERE
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