Wakefield AFC begin rise with impressive double success against Horbury Town and Ilkley Town

First it was unbeaten local rivals Horbury Town providing the opposition in midweek then a trip to third-placed Ilkley Town – and the Falcons came out on the winning side in both to really kick start their season, writes Austin Ainsworth.

The Wakefield derby played out under the lights was the Falcons’ first home league game back at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium.

Not surprisingly, Wakefield manager Junior Roberti made just one change to the line-up from the week before, as captain Jack Durkin came back in to the side. That meant the 350 fans in attendance would all get their second opportunity to see new boys Akeel Francis and Abdul Asamoah in the starting line-up.

The home side made made the better start, Francis almost bagging his first goal for the club in the second minute when he somehow swivelled his body to shoot first time from Mason Rubie’s driven cross.

Horbury, making do with far less of the ball than Wakefield, were much more direct and did work their way back into what became a fairly even, goalless first-half, the biggest drama of which was ex-Wakefield star Billy Mole playing the pantomime villain when he escaped with just a yellow card for a hefty challenge on Kiyani Morris.

That incident led to the first of several flare-ups between the players, in what was an increasingly tempestuous game.

Wakefield moved things up a gear in the second period as they raced into a two goal lead, a scoreline that reflected their dominance.

Morris was the man to open the scoring with his first goal for the club, when he drilled a bullet-like volley in at the back post after good work from Francis to knock-on a crafty Wakefield short corner.

Jaydan Sandhu, again excelling in his attacking midfield position off the right, scored Wakey’s second. He initially received the ball following a throw-in from the right, playing it around the corner up to Francis with the outside of his boot.

Like lighting Sandhu raced forward to receive the lay-off back from Francis, before curling a beautiful shot to the far post, again with the outside of his boot in what was a true display of the playmaker’s genius.

That goal came with just 15 minutes left of a half Wakefield had dominated. But, almost straight from the kick-off, Horbury pulled a goal back from nowhere.

And it was none other than Mole who latched on to a loose ball forward to race past the sleeping Wakefield defence and toe-poke his shot past Owen Evans in goal; Horbury’s new number 10 becoming the first player that has represented Wakefield to score against them, making sure the home crowd knew it as he mimicked a “shush” gesture with a finger over his lips.

That should have set up a nervy finish for the hosts, but Francis was having none of it when he made sure of the points minutes later. He finished off a good team move that saw some intricate play free Asamoah on the left-edge of the box.

With great awareness the midfielder passed it sideways to Francis instead of shooting himself. Wakey’s number nine had been outstanding in his all-round play, just as he had the week previous. However, there was just the question left of his finishing, after a gilt-edged chance went amiss in his first game.

He answered that emphatically, taking a touch to open his body up, before firing the ball across goal to cap a man of the match performance.

Wakefield, after such a big win against one of the league’s form sides, went into the weekend’s away trip to Ilkley no doubt wary of the need to follow it up with a run of results.

That would be no easy task, given the third-placed Baht’atters have been going well this year following their sideways move from the NWC Division One North in which they finished sixth last season.

Roberti again made just one enforced change to his side, this time Ben Holmes making his first start in place of Callum Charlton following his injury early in the victory over Horbury, the former partnering Durkin in the centre of defence as Jamie Allsop moved to left-back.

Wakefield were again bright and confident but, as has happened several times this year, were frustrated by a physical and compact opposition in what was another goalless first half.

The visitors did have the best of the chances and were unfortunate not to be awarded what looked a stone-wall penalty, after Francis was hacked from behind when he powered through on goal.

Just as in midweek, Wakefield saved their best for the second half, with half-time substitute James Eyles firing his side ahead four minutes in.

He had Francis to thank, whose tireless pressing forced an error from the Ilkley defence and allowed him to square for Eyles to finish in to an open net; the goal already Francis’ fourth assist in three games.

Rubie, enjoying his last few games from a deeper, marauding full-back position, doubled Wakey’s lead 10 minutes later when he latched onto a cleared corner-kick and drove his shot through a sea of legs to open his account for the season.

Wakefield were sailing, but the familiar feeling of being pegged back at the most unlikely of times occurred just as it had done against Horbury. This time it was with the award of a penalty-kick, after Evans could not avoid bringing the striker down with his outstretched leg when left one-v-one.

The moment came from Ikley’s only real bit of quality in the half and they capitalised on the opportunity when Toby Marriott put the spot-kick beyond the reach of Evans.

Wakefield did not offer the instant response that they had done in midweek, but they did eventually thwart the Ilkley fight-back in the fourth minute of added time.

Eyles was again on hand, this time from a much more difficult opportunity as he met Asamoah’s pin-point pass, rounded the keeper and then finished from an almost impossible angle – the striker leaving no doubt as to his clinical edge with his third goal in just under 90 minutes of substitute appearances.

That was enough to ensure Wakefield’s second win of the week, a result that continues their rise up the league table with them now occupying 14th place.

There is still a lot of ground to be made up, but the mood is now one of endless optimism and a long way from the doom and gloom of just a few weeks ago.

Ominously for the rest of the league, Wakefield seem to have found their rhythm; the new boys propelling Wakefield forward just as existing key players appear to be hitting form.

There is now time to rest and refresh, with Wakefield’s next game coming back home at the Millennium Stadium against 10th-placed Louth Town on Saturday.