Nine-man Wakefield AFC's valiant effort proves in vain with defeat at Harrogate Railway

After a slow start to the season, the Falcons built on last week’s narrow 1-0 win in Derbyshire with a much more familiar display of attacking prowess, beating Dronfield 4-2 in midweek in their first game back at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium to progress to the second round of the NCE League Cup, writes Austin Ainsworth.

Jaydan Sandhu gave Wakefield an early lead with a solo goal that saw him meander the length of the pitch, before curling a perfect strike into the corner; the goal perhaps one of the best of his 27 strikes for Wakefield.

Sebastian Losa bagged the first of two goals minutes later with a driven header from close range, before capitalising on an excellent pass and run from Sandhu and Steve Smith respectively, to tap in a rebound early in the second half.

That goal restored a lead Wakefield had squandered prior to half-time, before Smith made sure of victory in the 71st minute when another excellent run allowed him to latch onto an outrageous, out-to-in pass from substitute Kiyani Morris that gifted him a tap-in at the near post after undoing Dronfield’s entire backline.

With the goals finally flowing for Wakefield, optimism was restored ahead of their trip to face Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday, but there was to be more disappointment as they had two men sent-off and lost 3-1.

Manager Junior Roberti, having reverted to the 3-4-3 formation used to great effect last year in the win in midweek, went with the same formation again.

New signing Jamie Allsop formed a back three alongside Jack Durkin and Keegan Townrow, while Hagie Damba kept his place in goal. Jaydan Sandhu and Morgan James maintained their status as Wakefield’s first-choice midfield pairing, behind a fluid front three of Mason Rubie, Sebastian Losa and Scott Smith.

Wing-backs Steve Smith and Callum Charlton were the other two players to make the starting line-up.

Wakefield did not exactly start from where they left off on Tuesday night, the game taking much the same shape as all of Wakefield’s first halves have done so far in the league.

For all their dominance in possession, and despite completely nullifying any semblance of threat from the home side, Wakefield themselves struggled to pose any danger towards Harrogate.

Neither side registered a shot on target and the closest Wakefield came was when Sandhu’s run on goal was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle.

A rather lifeless first half had been drifting towards half-time when the wrong kind of drama enveloped the match minutes before half-time, drama that changed the course of the game.

Winger Scott Smith went flying into a tackle on the edge of the Harrogate box with both feet off the ground and he got none of the ball. The protestations from the home side started in a split-second as the other Smith brother, Steve, came rushing in to block a Harrogate player’s mad dash to confront the Wakefield winger.

His intention appeared sincere in defending his brother, as he placed his arms round the upper torso of the Harrogate player, who fell dramatically to the floor.

Pillow fights have seen more malice, yet the referee brandished a straight red to Steve before compounding matters with another red card for Scott’s initial foul.

Nine-man Wakefield battled to half-time at 0-0 before returning for the second half, with Roberti making the unorthodox substitution of a defender for striker Ben Gelder; the logic being 45 minutes was too long to play for the 0-0 draw with such a disadvantage.

The decision was inspired, as a valiant Wakefield should have at least taken a point from the game and could have taken all three.

Harrogate understandably had more of the ball in the second period and soon began to fire shots at goal, but Wakefield quickly realised there were chances of their own and had joy themselves.

The away side – in a near 3-4-1 formation – admirably continued to push-up field and attempted to press high. They were punished for that in the 55th minute when the goalkeeper punted a ball out to the Harrogate right.

It was knocked down into midfield to allow for a diagonal pass out to Brandon Hughes-Miller on the left. He took the ball well and finished neatly to beat Damba at his near post.

Wakefield, at that point, would have been forgiven for giving up the fight, but they somehow found a way back in to the match through the excellent Durkin.

In somewhat gung ho fashion, both he and his defensive partner Townrow went up for a long throw-in delivered by James. Townrow nodded the ball on, which was cleared as far as Losa. He laid it off for Sandhu to clip a first-time, swinging cross back into the six yard box. Durkin found himself free of his marker, controlled the ball well and smashed it home to level the score.

A fantastic and spirited Wakefield were living by the sword, but would ultimately die by it, as they were punished on the counter 15 minutes from time when they again went pushing for a winner despite being outnumbered.

A good period of possession on the edge of the Harrogate box broke down and the ball was played upfield to leave Wakefield facing a 4-v-2. Charlton could not quite stretch his boot to intercept a pass out to the right, which found Eliel Anko.

He raced into the box and executed a smart finish over Damba to restore his side’s lead.

In the face of yet another setback, Wakefield still were not finished and the large contingent of away fans were sent into ecstasy two minutes from time when it appeared as though the Falcons had levelled again.

Durkin delivered a monstrous long-throw from the left straight down Harrogate’s throat, which substitute Ben Holmes stretched to knock on to Rubie two yards from goal. He headed the ball into the back of the net before sprinting to the touchline to celebrate only to have his – and the Wakefield supporters’ – hearts broken with the raising of a questionable flag for offside.

Moments later the game was put out of reach for an exhausted Wakefield, Anko grabbing his second goal of the game with an audacious bicycle-kick in the box to make it a flattering 3-1 for Harrogate.

Wakefield rightly left the pitch with their heads held high, having somehow pushed Harrogate all the way despite being two men down. Ultimately however, as they did in the opening day defeat, they paid the price for both ill-discipline and a lack of goal threat in the first half.

The result leaves Wakefield on three points from four games, just one place above the relegation zone. However, the week’s endeavours have shown there is still room for optimism given the fluid, four-goal showing in midweek and the dogged display of resilience and togetherness on show in the second half against Railway.

Wakefield must combine the two, while ironing out some of the creases that continue to show themselves so far this season. Their next chance to do so will come in the FA Vase, when they wave goodbye to Belle Vue in their last fixture there before a permanent move back to the Millennium Stadium – 1874 Northwich are the visitors on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.