I am not sure we should get too carried away by this result. It was a good performance but there were games earlier in the season in which we played well but got no points. End of season blues for Wealdstone. The goals came from direct runs at goal. We now have a couple of players that will do that. The passing sideways and backwards doesn't get us round the back of the better organised defenses in this division.
I think the win felt more comprehensive just because there was suddenly no pressure to get a result after months of worrying that we might still get sucked into the bottom three. I wasn't surprised after ending the 6 months without an away win at Chippenham, the players looked liberated and as usual the performance level seems to improve when we pick a similar side each time instead of rolling the dice with four changes to the previous match.
No Hamlet game has been lost by the side scoring first since we were beaten at Dartford exactly 6 months ago. We could very easily have conceded in the first few minutes yesterday as Wealdstone created a flurry of early chances including two in the first 60 seconds. If that had happened I doubt we'd have won.
There seems to be very little to choose between most teams in the division except Torquay, who are clearly the best. The teams at the bottom have generally been just as tough to play against. The type of football seems more cautious and tactical than at the lower level. Anyone who gets in front looks to slow everything down and minimise risk. I find it very dull at times as you rarely get a game where both sides are committed to attack in the final 20 or 30 minutes. Yesterday we took off our three starting forwards and replaced them with two midfielders and a winger, and yet again we conceded a late goal after building a comfortable lead. In fairness there was little to gain from going flat out to the end on a warm day with another match 48 hours later, and we've got quite a few extra points with late winners and equalisers in our home games.
Couple of cracking goals in a first half where there were plenty of chances at either end. Hamlet led on 20 minutes when Hunte was released into space on the right flank, then cut inside into the box and beat the keeper with a low shot inside the far post with his favoured left foot. Six minutes before half-time Cook scored a peach of a free kick for the second Saturday running after his own quick footwork had induced a careless challenge just outside the box.
Hamlet continued to look capable of scoring more goals until around the hour mark, when Thompson was withdrawn. After that the game fizzled out somewhat as a spectacle, although an explosive run by Cook, spinning off his marker and surging into the box, led to a trip and a penalty with Akinyemi maintaining his 100% record from the spot.
Team (3-4-3): Edwards - Baghuelou, Okuonghae(c), Taylor - Cook, Tajbakhsh, Ferguson, Mascoll - Hunte, Thompson, Akinyemi. Subs: Allen (for Thompson), Vose (for Hunte), Wanadio (for Akinyemi), Essuman, Guimaraes (not used).
Attendance 1,245
No Preston, no party! Made this young man’s day.
