Wealdstone bounced back in style from last week’s disappointing defeat at Lowestoft with a comfortable win in this eagerly awaiting Middlesex derby clash with newly promoted Enfield Town at The Vale on Saturday.
In a highly entertaining game for the 562 crowd that lived up to it’s expectations from the Stones perspective at least, chances came thick and fast and at both ends in an evenly matched first half, but the hosts went on to completely dominate the second period.
The match also saw the home debut of Stones new striker Chris Moore who capped a fine display with a brace of goals, also claiming the Man of the Match Award.
Stones looked pumped up for the challenge from the off and in the opening five minutes Richard Jolly was thwarted by fine saves from ex Stones keeper Noel Imber and missed narrowly with a glancing header.
The visitors Lee Allen, Michael Bardle and Adam Wallace were then denied by home custodian Rikki Banks and timely clearances by Sean Cronin and on the on fire Chris O’Leary.
On 27 minutes Stones’ Tom Pett slipped the ball through to Jolly who opened the scoring with typical efficiency. And just two minutes later, Alex Dyer’s cross was headed home by the unmarked Wes Parker at the far post. But the Towners rallied and nearly pulled one back when the ever alert Banks pushed Jonathan Hunt’s snapshot wide of the goal.
Almost immediately after the re-start the match was effectively killed off when Chris Moore swept in a great low cross from Lee Chappell as Stones grabbed the vital third goal.
Enfield visibly wilted from that point and only fine goal keeping from Imber and some wayward finishing prevented Stones from running up a much higher tally. But Moore capped a great afternoon’s work with the fourth two minutes from time with a cracking header after good work from sub Peter Dean.
Speaking on Club Call after the match Wealdstone Manager Gordon Bartlett said: ‘This was a fabulous response to last week. We needed the passion and the hunger back after the Lowestoft disappointment and we got it. We had a great start and were quickly firing on all cylinders but we didn’t score and the early period was very open but we went in two nil up and that third goal was massively important. We looked professional and very solid in the second half and thoroughly deserved the win’
Wealdstone: Banks, McCubbin, Chappell, Cronin, Parker, Dyer, Brooks, O’Leary, Moore, Jolly, Pett. Subs used: Tumwa, Dean, James. N/u: Hammond , Haxia (GK)
Attendance: 562
MoM: Chris Moore
