Wakefield AFC home in on success with thrilling victories

In the first of three home games against sides below them in the league Wakefield fielded an attacking 4-3-3 line-up and opened up a three-goal lead with a Lewis Stephens double in the first half and a Billy Mole penalty early in the second, writes Austin Ainsworth.

Wakefield rescinded their grip on the game in the second half, however, with Parkgate allowed more time and space to push on.

They pulled one back through Ross Duggan in the 67th minute then, after a series of controversial moments in which defender Aaron Pilkington was left bloodied from flailing elbows that went upunished, he somehow saw red himself when his nemesis dramatically fell to the ground as the two squared-up to each other.

The resulting free-kick was smashed into the bottom corner by Duggan to set up a tense final 10 minutes in which the 10 men of Wakefield just held on.

Acknowledging Wakefield’s superb, free-flowing first half against Parkgate, Mozzini stuck with the same line-up and formation when Shirebrook visited for what was no doubt the most exciting game of football to feature on Saturday.

Looking to clinch three successive victories for the first time this season, Wakey were also hoping for a little more inner-game consistency after Tuesday’s game of two halves. That did not happen as they again kept fans on the edge of their seats in a see-saw second half, winning 4-3 after having led 2-0 at half-time.

Billy Mole is match winner as Wakefield AFC battle to beat Glasshoughton Welfare in derby

Wakefield initially looked likely to run away with proceedings, with the continued return to a 4-3-3 seeing captain Danny Youel dictating proceedings from a quarterback position, Mole allowed greater freedom to drift between midfield and attack and recent signing Kieron Ceesay appearing more at home high and wide on the right of attack.

The latter was certainly more productive from that area, following up his assist in midweek by creating three of Wakefield’s four goals in this fixture.

The first benefactor was Mole in just the fifth minute. He profited from great play from defender Robbie Miller, whose visionary diagonal pass out from the back found the run of Ceesay in from the right wing.

Ceesay then unselfishly passed for Mole to tap-in after ghosting into space in the box.

Despite many of Wakefield’s number 10’s appearances coming from midfield, that is now 15 goals in 17 games this season for Mole, who has also scored at least once in each of his last six matches.

The lead was doubled in the 26th minute as man of the match Youel spotted Ceesay in space out on the right and played him in with a perfectly weighted, incisive pass.

Ceesay then showed great strength to beat his marker before rounding the Shirebrook keeper and, with the angle narrowing, he cut the ball back for a routine Stephens finish.

With three goals in a week, Stephens can be satisfied with four goals from his first five games for the club.

Wakefield took that 2-0 lead in at half-time and no doubt would have been reminded of the need to maintain the intensity in the second half after Tuesday night’s issues.

The 186 fans in attendance were stunned, though, when Shirebrook turned the game on its head with two goals in the first three minutes of the second half.

Wakefield had been caught sleeping on both occasions, Kenan McKenzie-Grey first capitalising on a lack of Wakefield pressure to finish at the near post after his colleague had run straight through a disorganised looking Wakefield defence.

Things went from bad to worse straight from the restart when the Shirebrook winger was given the freedom of the park to attack down the right before delivering a teasing cross towards the near post.

Joshua Parfitt had got ahead of his man and was able to control the ball down on the six-yard line before smashing the ball past Lloyd Horridge in goal.

Wakefield responded well as a moment of magic from midfielder Jaydan Sandhu put them back ahead just after the hour mark.

Youel spread the play nicely out to the right, having evaded his marker in midfield, for Aaron Pilkington to then slip Ceesay in to the right of the Shirebrook box.

With his third assist of the day, Ceesay lofted a cross back to Sandhu on the edge of the box and he cushioned the ball with his chest before volleying with his right foot straight into the top corner of the net.

It was a goal of pure class from Sandhu – his sixth of the season – and Wakefield could, and should, have repeated Shirebrook’s trick by scoring straight from the kick-off when Mole thought he had bagged his second of the day moments later. In a great bit of build up play that saw Pilkington thread a pass through the Shirebrook defence for Mole to control and finish, Wakefield’s top scorer was somehow flagged for offside when two of the three Shirebrook defenders were clearly playing him on.

That decision was brought into sharp focus when Shirebrook then won a penalty moments later, after Horridge was a split-second too late in collecting a long ball and tripped the Town attacker in the process.

The spot kick was finished with aplomb by Kiyani Clayton to see the away side level for the second time.

Shirebrook had chances to even take the lead as the last 10 minutes approached, but it was Wakefield who somehow found a way to win it.

It was an own goal, but that should take nothing away from the quality of Wakefield’s build-up. They had kept the ball nicely to play out from the back to right-back Pilkington further up the wing. He spotted Youel in an advanced position on the edge of Shirebrook’s box and drilled a wonderfully accurate pass to find the midfielder, who turned into the box.

Youel hit a cross low across the box towards Mole’s back post run, only for the intervening defender to deflect the ball high into the Shirebrook net.

That goal, save for some nail biting moments deep in to stoppage time, was just enough to gift Wakefield the win.

Having finally put a run of victories together, Wakefield now sit fifth in the league in a play-off spot.

Having featured in all three of the last week’s victories, Mason Rubie also deserves a mention, becoming Wakefield’s second player to reach 50 games. Almost ever-present either at full-back or higher up on the wing, he boasts an impressive record of 25 goal involvements from his games, leading the way with 18 assists.

He, and Wakefield, will hope there’s more to come in their next home game to Swallownest on Saturday, kick-off at the earlier time of 2pm.