Match Report- 27/03/2010 v Wakefield Utd (Away)

Wakefield proved a tough match when they visited Wyke
Wanderers earlier in the season, and after a poor display from the home side,
Wakefield walked away with a massive 9-3 win. On the team’s second encounter of
the season, it was obvious that the game would be much tighter, with Wyke
Wanderers playing with huge confidence after three straight league wins, and
Wakefield with three straight defeats.


Wyke Wanderers pulled out a brilliant performance on the day
and managed to pick up a huge victory against their mid table rivals Wakefield,
winning the game 5-4.


On a very small pitch, it was difficult for both teams to
find space, Wakefield started off well and created a couple of early chances,
but nothing to threaten Keeper Joe Couble.


Jake Gilderdale had an early shot, but it was just wide.


It was a reasonably quiet opening ten minutes, but moments
after, Wyke took an unexpected lead, when Mikey Brooksbank thread a superb ball
through to his Stike Partner Connor Rhodes, who banged the ball into the back
of the net.


For the next five minutes Wyke dominated, Mikey Brooksbank
led the attacks again and had a couple of chances, but his finishing wasn’t
going to test the Keeper. He then had a shot well saved by the Keeper, and when
the ball returned to him he whipped in a cross from the right. Jake Gilderdale
rose and met the ball but it just whistled over the crossbar.


Although Wyke had dominated much of the middle of this half
they couldn’t put the ball into the back of the net, and suddenly the
inevitable happened. 22 minutes in, a
deflected shot flicked up and over Joe Couble and into the back of the net, giving
the home team an equaliser.


The defence had put up a good effort at the back throughout
the first half. Danny McGregor was solid at left back today, and the Wakefield
Right Winger didn’t get a sniff.


Half Time: Wyke 1-1 Wakefield


Wyke couldn’t have wished for a more perfect start to the
second half. Tai Pedder at right back, whipped in a long cross into the box,
and Skipper Nathan Khan rose like a salmon to flick the ball with his head into
the top corner. What a brilliant goal!! Wyke now had the lead!


Wyke continued to attack, and they looked so strong when
they did. Mikey Brooksbank had another opportunity but he just didn’t seem to
be able to get them on target today. Kevin Fajfer was very good in the centre of
midfield again, and he was proving what a strong addition to the team he is,
winning the ball in the air and making some very good passes forward to Connor.


Wakefield were struggling to gain momentum, with Joe Mac and
Dom Pickersgill putting in a much improved 2^nd half performance, and
winning every ball in air. Although Wyke were holding much of the possession
due to excellent football from Kevin and Nathan in the middle. Quinn Riley
proved to be very difficult to play against, closing down every ball on the
right side, meaning the Wakefield defence were making mistakes.


Unfortunately Wyke did let another goal slip in after 8
minutes of the second half. A well struck shot trickled into the bottom corner
just past Joe Couble’s outstretched hands, meaning the score was level 2-2.


Wyke needed a source of inspiration to pick themselves up
after being pegged back twice!! Who Else...but the Captain? Jack Lamch’s well
taken corner was met in the air by the man of the moment again...Nathan Khan.
Nathan found the net with a brilliant header giving his team the lead once
again. Pure quality from the Wyke Skipper...thats 7 goals in 5 games for him
now!


Minutes later, hard working Quinn Riley almost gave Wyke a
two goal lead, but his shot from close distance was well saved.


Jack Lamch was again involved in the next goal, yet another
brilliant corner, this time it was not cleared and fell to Tai Pedder who
curled the ball into the far top corner, all the Keeper could do was watch!
Wyke were now leading 4-2 and cruising.


Wakefield created a few more chances, but Wyke were
defending very well, the partnership of Joe Mac and Dom Pickersgill was paying
off, and Wyke looked very strong at the back even against a heavy Wakefield
attack, with Tai and Louis working hard to stop the Wakefield wingers producing
crosses.


With 10 minutes to go Wakefield got back a well earned goal,
a fantastic shot from the edge of the area went in giving Wakefield an
opportunity to get back into the match. 4-3 to Wyke.


Wakefield continued to have much of the ball now, and Wyke
were definitely on the back foot. A superb fingertip save from Joe Couble kept
Wyke in the game.


Then disaster struck, Wakefield were awarded a penalty when
the referee deemed Joe McLoughlin to have handled the ball in the area. It was
a very dubious decision from the referee but it was a penalty and Wakefield had
a superb chance to get back into the game.


Joe Couble made an excellent save,( almost exactly like Pepe
Reina’s save against Rooney last week) and just like Rooney, the Wakefield
player was there to follow up on the deflection and equalise the game with four
minutes to go.


Wyke were now feeling very hard done to, with a dodgy
penalty stripping them of the lead, and possibly the three points. However the
Wyke boys were not dismayed and kept battling to the end, Connor Rhodes was the
hero, slotting the ball past the Keeper with only minutes to go, giving Wyke a
5-4 lead, which would eventually be the full time score.


Wyke 5-4 Wakefield


Goals


Nathan Khan x2, Connor Rhodes x2, Tai Pedder.


Man of the Match


Nathan Khan: It was Nathan’s best performance of the season.
He has been outstanding over the last six matches, but today was sheer
brilliance from the Captain, he worked tirelessly in the middle of the pitch,
and made some awesome attacking balls to his team mates, along with winning the
ball so many times in the middle of the park. And he was the team’s source of
inspiration bagging two brilliant goals on his head.





Manager Comments


Four straight wins?? We must be doing something right
fellas! Today was even better than last week, because today we beat a very good
team. We played well together and kept ourselves confident throughout the
match!! I’m over the moon with the result...I knew we could give them a good
game, but to win and play the better football is fantastic! Lets keep it up
because we are looking like a strong team in this division now lads!! Well done
again! Dave J