Coming off a difficult defeat away to Oxenhope the lads needed a big result against Featherstone to get the season back on track.
The sellout crowd at The Ings watched with bated breath as an out of form Featherstone side started the game as the aggressors seeing some joy getting in behind the Wetherby back line. The visitors had a couple of early chances and if it wasn’t for some strong hands from goalkeeper Darren Hooper, The Tangerines could have seen themselves start the way they left off last week.

Wetherby gradually grew into the game and started testing a well organised Featherstone back line and after three or four progressive attacks they finally got the breakthrough that they needed. Ryan “The Barrell” Heptinstall gave the supporters what they wanted, with a delightful little ‘dink’ over the Featherstone right backs head, he then delivered a delicious ball into the box, which after some scrappy play found the back of the net through a Jamie Etheridge strike. Putting Wetherby up 1-0 after 31 minutes.

The lads kept up the hard work and saw themselves into the break with a 1-0 lead.

The second half started slowly with Featherstone trying to find a way back into the game with little success. After 55 minutes Barnfather and O’Toole AKA “The Chuckle Brothers” made a slight tactical change to try and increase Wetherbys slight margin Enter young up and comer Brian “Blewey” Blewitt, desperately trying to break his way into the starting 11. Blewitt made an instant impact after the keeper made a less then convincing effort to collect the ball following a Paul “Matey” Farthings cross, young Blewitt took advantage, by the slightest of margins he kept the ball in play and despite the Featherstone players protests he continued play, rounded his man and slotted the ball home. Giving the tangerines a 2-0 lead after 60 minutes.

The Tangerines grew in confidence and started to take over play with some lovely passages of play and some tiki taka carpet football resulted in a Wetherby freekick 45 yards out. As soon as Heptinstall stepped up the crowd expected something special. A well-timed run from Joe Whiteley met an inch perfect ball from Heptinstall. Whiteley steered the header across goal and into the far corner. The Tangerines now lead the match 3-0 with 20 minutes of play left.

The supporters thought that it was lights out for the travelling side but Featherstone had other ideas, whether it was complacency from the boys in orange or a renewed vigor and sense of urgency from the Featherstone lads. They started to up the pressure and after some valiant defending from the Wetherby back line Featherstone finally had their breakthrough with a scrappy passage of play ending up in the box, where a thunderbolt volley into the stanchion made the score 3-1 after 75 minutes, squeaky bum time for the boys in orange…
The Featherstone players kept up the pressure as they knew one goal would see them right back into the game but they couldn’t break a disciplined Wetherby team, who not only kept them at bay but battled back and created some chances off their own. On the 85 minute mark they had the bit of luck they needed when the Featherstone centre back swiped at the legs of Blewitt on the outskirts of the box causing some raucous scenes from either side. The Tangerines appealing for the foul and the Featherstone lads screaming dive, in the end the wind blew Wetherbys way and a penalty was awarded, up step Chris “Trev” Travena.

Where other may have crumble Trevena kept his cool, with the Featherstone keeper playing mind games by moving the ball after it was placed, Trevena keeps an eerie level of calm with the look of a white walker in his eyes as he marched forward and comfortably slotted the ball home in the bottom corner which gave the supporters the sigh of relief they needed and puts Wetherby out of reach.
A well contested battle but at the end of the day The Tangerines took control and walked away with a comfortable 4-1 victory against a physical and organised Featherstone side. This victory gives The Tangerines a much needed 3 points in the league after some difficult away fixtures and a big confidence boost heading into next week’s match against fellow strugglers Howden Clough.

Notable performances
After a top effort from all the lads and a notable performances from Andy Graham who kept the back four well organised throughout, Darren Hooper who made some crucial saves at 0-0 to keep Wetherby in the game and Brian Blewitt who came off the bench and made a big statement to get himself a starting spot next week, as long as he isn’t gardening.

Man of the match
Although we could’ve had eleven man of the matches today I don’t think we can look much further than Ryan “The Barrell” Heptinstall who made the Featherstone right midfielder and right backs life a misery with some surging runs, cheeky tricks and coming away with two assists to top it off.

Match report by Dan “Chicken” Harrison

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