Wealdstone 2 – 2 Heybridge Swifts

January 21, 2020 ⋅ 2004-05
WealdstoneWealdstone
Ryman League Premier Division

2 - 2

HeybridgeHeybridge Swifts
KO: 0:00 | Sat 12th Feb ’05

A game of two halves if ever there was one!

A Stones side that was already depleted was made further so when Robin Tucker broke down with a recurrence of a hamstring injury in training, Brian Jones fell ill late in the week and Paul Coyne and Nobby Michnowicz were also unavailable, but at least Martin Carter was able to return after a virus.

In the first half hour though it looked as though both sides were struggling a little with the wet and blustery conditions – Stones certainly struggled to create anything going forward as Jolly and Beckford were fed only scraps and at the other end, better finishing may have seen the visitors take the lead from a number of attempts.

As it was Heybridge scored two goals in five minutes, both the result of poor defending. the first on 29 minutes saw Carter save well and the follow up blocked only for the ball to run to Sigere – no-one closed him down and he shot home from 7 yards. Five minutes later and a cross was met well by Griffiths who had peeled off of his man to make the score 2-0.

At this point Stones became ragged and for ten minutes did little to show they could get back into the game, but late on the half they rallied although to no effect as Rutherford saved well on two occasions.

The second half saw the introduction of Carvell and positional changes for Cahill, Carter and O’Leary which steadied Stones at the back, and they duly pressed on. Martin Carter and Richard Jolly thwarted twice early on then Jolly again bringing a reaction save from the visiting keeper.

A double substitution on 66 minutes bought jeers from a section of the crowd as Beckford was replaced by Alexander, but some cheer was brought back on 72 minutes when Ryan slid home a Burrell free kick to make the score 2-1. Five minutes on and the scores were level as McKeown cut in front of his marker to touch home another Burrell cross, and it was stones that were in the ascendancy as the game came to a close, finishing 2-2.