Wakefield AFC survive scare to beat local rivals Nostell MW to maintain promotion push

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After another extended break from NCE Division One action Wakefield AFC were pleased to be back in action with a short trip to neighbours Nostell MW.

But such has been the stop/start nature of 2025 for Wakefield, the obvious sense of momentum that would arise from a 12 game unbeaten run has been dampened, so much so that the game had an air of unpredictability about it despite the gulf in fortunes between the Falcons and 18th placed Nostell, who had won just once in their last five games, writes Austin AInsworth.

With Wakefield manager Steve Bodle unavailable, assistants Lee Needham and Iain Trearty took the team, making just one change from last time out as Morgan James made his first start since early November in place of Scott Smith.

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Billy Mole – with 49 goals across 72 games in his first stint at the club – took his place on the bench after making a shock return to the club last week; Jaydan Sandhu preferred in the number 10 position he has made his own since all-time-top-scorer Mole left for a brief stint at Horbury Town.

Billy Mole was back in a Wakefield AFC shirt at Nostell MW after a surprise move back to the club following a spell with rivals Horbury Town.Billy Mole was back in a Wakefield AFC shirt at Nostell MW after a surprise move back to the club following a spell with rivals Horbury Town.
Billy Mole was back in a Wakefield AFC shirt at Nostell MW after a surprise move back to the club following a spell with rivals Horbury Town.

The aforementioned air of unpredictability quickly manifested itself in to a poor start for Wakefield, who were unrecognisable from the side that had won 11 of their past 12 matches. As slow as Wakefield were to start, Nostell were fast in equal measure, with the home side snappy in the tackle and looking to break in behind Wakefield at every opportunity.

The reward for Nostell came almost immediately as Wakefield were punished for their slackness in the fourth minute. Wakey keeper Owen Evans initially did well to control a pass-back with great skill around the pressuring attacker, but his subsequent ball out was easily intercepted 40 yards from goal. That left him stranded in no-man’s land and the rest of his defence out of position.

Still with much work to do, Nostell midfielder Lance Friedrich took the direct approach with an ambitious, curling shot from distance that looped around Evans and all the way into goal.

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The chances kept coming for a rampaging Nostell side, who should have doubled or even tripled their lead in the ensuing minutes; first when a long throw-in was nodded on for a good chance at the back post, and then when Nostell were again in behind Wakefield for a one-v-one that was somehow directed wide.

Wakefield were struggling to get to grips with the pace and physicality of the game and also appeared to struggle on the ball, with passes going awry and their control of the ball letting them down. Nostell continued to create great chances on the counter, only for their wayward finishing to let them down.

The home side were punished for their profligacy when Wakefield found an equaliser in the 38th minute through captain Brad McGowan’s towering header in the box. The goal – the defender’s fourth in eight games – owed much to the excellence of Curtis Morrison’s inswinging corner as he added a first assist for the club to his three goals in six games.

The equaliser, somewhat against the run of play, seemed to change Wakefield’s fortunes and they had further chances before half-time, not least when Chris Salt rose to meet another Morrison corner at the back post which was eventually scrambled away, having appeared to cross the line to all apart from the officiating team.

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Although Wakefield, to their credit, somehow went in at half-time even despite their level of performance falling way short of what has come to be expected in recent weeks, it did not save them from what Needham later admitted were some harsh words in the dressing room.

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Whatever was said had the desired effect, with Wakefield exhibiting better control of the game in the second half and looking the more threatening of the two sides. Half chances came and went for the visitors before Mole made his second debut for the club in the 56th minute, the midfielder instantly battling to win back the affection of the Wakefield support with a crunching tackle with what was almost his first touch of the game.

With the impetus firmly on their side, Wakefield took the lead in the 61st minute when Mo Gashi’s piercing thru-ball met Kiyani Morris’ run into the right edge of the box. The winger, Wakefield’s brightest spark in the game, saved his best for this moment when he expertly took the pass in his stride and then finished past the onrushing goalkeeper for his seventh goal this season.

Aside from a defensive lapse minutes later that saw Nostell race free on goal, only for Evans to make a goal-saving intervention outside his box with a perfectly timed tackle, Wakefield were comfortable and looked every bit the side that had not conceded a goal in five league games prior to this one.

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That meant, despite the slender lead, they appeared confident in seeing out the game.

And, with danger-man Morris removed due to injury not long after his goal, aside from a brilliant chance for Gashi whose header in the box was off target with him just behind the ball after an excellent run from deep, the slender lead ended up being sufficient for Wakefield to record their third league win in succession and maintain their play-off spot; the result also seeing Nostell remain in 18th.

The flow of games will hopefully now increase for Wakefield, whose only aim is to continue to take every point available to them between now and the end of the season. The next opportunity to do so, in a quirk of the fixture list, will see a quick reverse of this fixture as Nostell visit the Millennium Stadium tonight (Tuesday), kick-off 7.45pm.

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