Chester & District League (25th September 2011)
Waverton Scorers (season's total in brackets)
Charlie Jones - 2 (3)
Alex Wilkinson - 1 (4)
Raynor Gray - 1 (4)
Report
An injury affected Wasps side could only call on 12 of their squad for this game, but despite an under par performance they still ran out 4-2 victors and recorded their sixth straight win of the campaign.
It was clear from the start that Newton, newly promoted from the second division, had strengthened their squad and would provide a strong physical challenge. It was also clear that they intended to defend in numbers, and for the first 15 minutes these tactics frustrated Waverton, until a breakthrough eventually came from a Newton defender's error, heading a cross straight to Alex Wilkinson who volleyed it in from 15 yards. The next period had a similar feel to it (season to date) with the Wasps dominating possession but not making the most of the openings created. Their pressure eventually told though after 30 minutes when Charlie Jones hit a post, but kept his composure to regain the rebound and fire it back home. Just when it looked like Waverton would finally take a cushion into the break however a rare defensive lapse, with 2/3 missed tackles down the left, let Newton back into the game before HT at 2-1.
The coaches asked for more passing football, and more calmness in the final third, but in reality the second half was almost a rerun of the first. As before the Wasps held most of the possession but didn't show the cutting edge (particularly from midfield) to turn it into the number of goals their dominance should have delivered. A good passing move put Raynor Gray in for his fourth goal of the season to give Waverton a 3-1 lead, but poor marking at a Newton corner soon afterwards allowed them to reduce the deficit to just one again at 3-2.
In previous years the Wasps may have panicked at this point, but despite not playing to their best the team is more resilient these days, and they held on to the one goal lead quite calmly for the next 15 minutes without looking in too much danger. That's not to say though that everybody didn't breath a big sigh of relief when Charlie Jones dropped off at the back post to volley in a Robbie Foster corner to make the score 4-2 with 6/7 minutes to go. This belatedly seemed to bring Waverton to life and they probably had their best spell in the final 5 minutes, and were unlucky not to add to the margin of victory.
The reports so far this year have all said that Waverton are not yet playing to their capacity, yet the result is six straight victories. There's no doubt however that a better, more clinical, performance will be needed to make that seven against Stockport Junior Blues in next week's Cheshire Cup second round game.
Coaches MoM: Charlie Jones & Jorge Pecival
Supporters MoM: Raynor Gray & Jordan Coxall
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