Kingstonian 1 – 3 Wealdstone
Kingstonian
1 - 3
WealdstoneWealdstone sealed a great league and cup treble over Kingstonian on Saturday, as they ran out 3-1 winners at the Kingsmeadow stadium in an entertaining game. A double from Peter Dean and a another strike from Kurtney Brooks handed Stones victory, although they were made to work hard for the three points in the second half as they found themselves under pressure from promotion chasing K’s.
The main talking point in recent days however has been the future of loanee striker Richard Jolly whose sensational goal scoring form has helped to reignite Wealdstone’s stuttering season, however it looks like his 10 goals in 7 games have been enough to convince Sutton that he has a future at the club and he will duly return.
After a fairly even start in this one, it was Stones who took the lead on 11 minutes. Alex Dyer found Kurtney Brooks with a neat ball, and Brooks proceeded to take the ball forward before unleashing a great shot from 30 yards which beat K’s goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey and nestled in the bottom corner.
The home side looked for an immediate response, and Simon Huckle went close, heading just over from a Tom Bird cross.
Brooks was certainly seeing a lot of the ball in the middle of the park for Stones, and he nearly created another opening on 26 minutes when his superb cross field pass found Richard Jolly who brought the ball down superbly and laid it off to Danny Spendlove who fired wide when perhaps he should have done better.
Stones did increase their lead 10 minutes later though with an excellent attacking move. Alex Dyer won the ball before threading it through to Jolly who flicked the ball on for Peter Dean to finish smartly past Tolfrey to put his side two goals to the good.
Wealdstone now had their tails up, and Danny Spendlove embarked on a surging run before being cut off at the last minute by Adam Thompson, and then the lively Alex Dyer fired over from just outside the box.
Kingstonian desperately tried to find a way back into the match before half time, but Stones defended well and took a two goal lead into the break, much to the delight of their vocal, as ever, away following.
The home side came out the blocks the quicker of the two sides in the second half, and Alan Massey had to be alert to make a vital challenge on Bobby Traynor as he bore down on goal.
Traynor again went close immediately afterwards, robbing James Hammond before seeing his defected effort saved by North.
K’s did pull a goal back on 52 minutes, when Traynor got down the left hand side and pulled the ball back to Paul Vines whose effort took a wicked deflection past North. There was further bad news for Stones as North had picked up an injury in the first half, and he had to be replaced by Sean Thomas immediately after the goal.
K’s then nearly got an equaliser just a couple of minutes later, when Tom Bird fired in a cross which was headed just over by Huckle.
Stones were finding themselves really pressed back now, and Huckle came within inches of pulling K’s level on 67 minutes when his header back across goal fell just the wrong side of the post.
The visitors then made their second change of the afternoon on 73 minutes, with Kieron Knight replacing Spendlove, in a move which saw Dean pull out to the right hand side of midfield.
Substitute Sam Clayton had been lively for K’s since coming on, and his superb cross was headed just over by captain Bashiru Alimi on 76 minutes as the home side laid siege to the Stones goal.
Mo Harkin was next to go close, heading inches wide from Clayton’s free kick.
Due to North’s injury, there was 5 minutes injury time, and it was in the second of these that Stones were finally able to make the points safe. After a quick counter attack, Dyer burst into the box and was hauled down by Thompson. After a moment’s hesitation the referee pointed at the spot, with the resultant spot kick being finished emphatically by Peter Dean to seal a big win for Stones.
Next up for Stones is a home game with Cray Wanderers on Saturday (26th) , as they look to close the gap on the play-off places.
Wealdstone: North (Thomas 52), Hammond, Massey, Parker, Cronin, Dyer, Spendlove (Knight 73), Brooks, Dean, Jolly (Martin 90), Chappell (c). Subs not used: Benjamin, Federico.
Star Man: Alex Dyer
By Stuart Warren
Steve Foster Match Pics HERE