Hadley Wood & Wingate 4 - 0 Cuffley

By Nikhil Saglani

Hadley Wood & Wingate were comfortable 4-0 victors at home to Cuffley FC, a result that moves Frankie Webb’s side into 3rd place in the Herts Senior Premier League.

However, it was their visitors who got off to the better start after creating a host of goal-scoring opportunities in the first 25 minutes. First, Darrell Allen found Kenny McMeechan inside the area with an excellently flighted ball, but the forward struck his effort well over Ross Weinrabe’s crossbar. Next, Gavin Peck’s half-volley from the edge of the area flew wide of Hadley Wood’s left hand post and Glenn Erodis headed over from Jordan Sanoford’s cross. The visitors’ best chance came on 21 minutes, when Erodis was played in on goal by Sanoford but somehow blazed his 1-on-1 wide when it would have been easier to score.

The most controversial moment of the game came on 25 minutes, when Sanoford’s ball across the area was bundled into his own net by Hadley Wood debutant Nicholas Jacovides, but the goal was bizarrely ruled out for offside – leaving those 25 fans in attendance bemused as to who exactly was offside, but the hosts weren’t complaining!

Hadley Wood’s first chance fell to another debutant, Ayoola Abe, but his effort from just in front of the halfway line was caught by Robert Bishop. Joe Foley then saw his shot blocked by Kevin Burrons after excellent build-up play by Cameron Lyttle and Elijah Gabsi. But the visitors were given another chance to take the lead, when Khalil Zakkour tripped McMeechan inside the area. Solomon Nwabuokei stepped up and put the spot pick wide of Weinrabe’s left-hand post, with manager Lee Kisby wondering to himself just how his side were not at least a goal ahead. Just before the break, Max Beels’ curling effort from outside the area was heading for the top corner, but Weinrabe dived excellently to his left to parry it onto the crossbar and over.

The second half began excellently for the hosts, who controlled the rest of the game from the referee’s whistle. Lyttle’s lobbed attempt was saved by Bishop, Modeste then rounded the goalkeeper but could only find the side netting with the goal gaping – despite the tight angle – and Abe shot just wide after controlling well on his thigh.

However the breakthrough eventually came on 58 minutes. Lyttle’s cross wasn’t gathered by Bishop and Charlie Harris was on hand to put Hadley Wood 1-0 up. Weinrabe had to keep his side in the game five minutes later, producing a save with his legs from McMeechan’s effort, before the goalkeeper had to produce another excellent save – tipping Gavin Peck’s shot-cum-cross onto the bar and over. Weinrabe had to make a third successive save, this time making himself big to prevent Glenn Geddis from levelling the affair.

But Hadley Wood’s dominance paid off again. This time, Gabsi was tripped inside the area and stepped up to slam the penalty down the middle and double Hadley Wood’s lead. Three minutes later, Hadley Wood wrapped the game up. Chinguka was played in on goal, tapped the ball past an onrushing Bishop and slotted home to seal the three points. The goal scorer then played a ball out wide to debutant Tyler Smith, whose excellent cross found Modeste, but the striker could only head over under pressure from Bishop. Another Weinrabe save preceded Hadley Wood’s fourth goal of the game – Modeste wrapped up the game in the 89th minute, in identical fashion to the third goal and the full time whistle blew soon after.

It was an impressive performance from a Hadley Wood side who’s oldest player on the day was 22 years old; but the lack of experience was made up for by maturity and hard work by Webb’s side – who host Buntingford Town on Wednesday night at the Abrahams Stadium.

Report by Nikhil Saglani
Line-ups:
Hadley Wood & Wingate:
1) Ross Weinrabe
2) Khalil Zakkour
3) Nicholas Jacovides
4) Elijah Gabsi
5) Emmanuel Mafuta
6) Orlando Joao
7) Cameron Lyttle  Ali (58’)
8) Joe Foley ©  Chingoka (45’)
9) Asher Modeste
10) Charlie Harris  Smith (60’)
11) Ayoola Abe

Subs:
12) Nicholas Koroushi
14) Tyler Smith
15) Alex Hadjithemistou
16) Abdillahi Ali
17) Wilson Chingoka

Cuffley:
1) Robert Bishop
2) Conner Lancaster
3) Darrell Allen
4) Gavin Peck ©
5) Kevin Burrons
6) Jason Sanoford  Samuels (58’)
7) Solomon Nwabuokei
88) Max Beels
9) Glenn Geddis
10) Rio Enver
11) Kenny McMeechan

Subs:
12) Jason Mbakwe
14) Alfie Femis
15) Steve Casey
16) Marcus Samuels

Referee: Peter Killen
Attendance: 25