Magpies wear down Stones (24.01.04)

THIS entertaining contest was effectively settled in the Magpies’ favour after some flowing football and clinical finishing 15 minutes either side of the break, during which time the the hosts took a three goal lead and calmed what had been a Wealdstone onslaught.
The Ryman League Division 1 visitors to York Road made the most of the blustery and slippery conditions to initially put the Magpies on the back foot, and they were by far the better team for the first 30 minutes.
The home side rarely had a chance to get their passing game going as the Stones denied them time and space on the ball. It really was one-way traffic.
This culminated in James Beckford having an open goal to shoot for from just six yards out, after keeper Nick Hart missed the ball, but the tall striker – who was soon to go off injured – hit the upright.
This was to prove costly as on 34 minutes the Magpies took the lead against the run of play, and never looked back.
The goal came when Lawrence Yaku did well to get behind the visitors’ defence and played in Mark Boyce, whose cross was placed first-time beyond a wrong-footed Andy Carter by striker Steve Hale.
The goal had come out of nowhere, but it lit the blue touch-paper for the hosts, igniting a previously dormant Magpies performance.
They now started to pass the ball around on the ground and, backed-up by some excellent finishing, went into the break the stronger side.
Within 10 minutes of the restart the score was 3-0, as firstly a cross from the consistent Steve Sanders fortuitously drifted inside the back post, and then confusion in the Stones defence saw the ball drop for Yaku, who chipped the keeper with the deftest of touches.
With the Stones now having to come forward, and the Magpies getting the taste for goals, the game became an open and relatively attractive one for the crowd of 425 to watch.
A drive from distance by substitute David Ryan reduced the deficit for the visitors and gave the match even more momentum, but ultimately the visitors lacked presence up-front for all their endeavours.
A confident United now looked full of goals and after Ryan Ashe had brought a brilliant one-handed save from keeper Carter, and Yaku had struck the post from a narrowing angle, a fourth goal eventually came on 85 minutes.
Adam Durrant, with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, set up Yaku who, with a little bit of assistance from the confused Stones defence, was able to fire home.
The contest then enjoyed a dramatic climax.
In the first minute of time added on, Ashe and the Stones’ Tommy Williams were red-carded for what appeared to be a bout of handbags, but this was eclisped four minutes later when Magpies’ Brendan Gallen hit a majestic left-foot drive from 30 yards into the top corner of the goal.
It was a stunning strike which sealed a morale-boosting victory for the Magpies.