REPORT | WEALDSTONE 4-1 GOSPORT BOROUGH

Report by Max Allison

A wet Saturday afternoon saw Wealdstone host Southern Premier Division South side Gosport Borough in the FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying.

Matt Taylor made two changes to the starting 11 that narrowly lost 1-0 to Gateshead last Saturday. Alex Reid, who signed on loan from Oldham in midweek, was handed his first start in a Stones kit with Dominic Hutchinson also coming into the team in place of Callum McFarlane and Elliot Thorpe.

Gosport arrived at the Vale in good form, with only one loss in their last six games, keeping three clean sheets in those games.

A bright start for the home side resulted in Wealdstone receiving a penalty in the first minute of the game. The Gosport keeper brought down Reid in the box after the debutant took the ball past him. Samuel Ashford stepped up for the Stones but was denied by a fantastic save by Ryan Gosney.

Despite the difference in leagues, it was Gosport who would have the next big chances of the game, as Daniel Wooden had a well struck shot from the edge of the box parried away by Sam Howes, who also denied the rebound.

Ten minutes later, Gosport’s attacking mindset was rewarded as they took the lead in the 21st minute through Wooden. The number nine was put slipped through on one and slotted it past Howes.

Halfway through the first half and Wealdstone were in search of their second penalty of the game, as Dominic Hutchinson was seemingly taken out in the box after chopping his defender, but the referee waved it away.

Despite this, it was Gosport once again with a massive chance to double their lead. A clever one-two left Asher Yearwood in acres of space in the box, but his powerful effort was denied by Howes.

After giving Gosport the lead, Wooden was substituted in the 32nd minute, in place of Samuel Faniyan.

After a slow 15 minutes following the change, Wealdstone eventually levelled the game just before half time. Brandon Mason’s shot from inside the box was initially saved, but the ball fell kindly to new boy Alex Reid who fired home from close range on his debut.

Although they had the better chances of the half, Gosport found themselves lucky to be level at half time, after two greatchances from the Stones weren’t converted just before half time.

Two changes during the interval for Wealdstone, as Max Kretzschnar and Anthony Georgiou replaced Dominic Hutchinson and Brandon Mason.

Into the second half and it was Wealdstone who got the first big chance. An audacious bicycle kick attempt from Henry Sandat bounced through a crowd of players, rooted the keeper, but only hit the post.

After ten minutes into the second half, the two substitutes for Wealdstone combined to break the deadlock at The Vale. Georgiou fizzed in a ball across the box from the left-hand side and Kretzschnar was first to meet it, slotting it past Ryan Gosney. Matt Taylor’s men had turned it around.

Things went from bad to worse for Gosport as their centre back Joseph Morrison was shown a red card after he pulled down Reid who was the last man and through on goal.

Samuel Ashford was the next Stones player to be substituted to make way for Craig Eastmond, for his first appearance of the season for Wealdstone.

Following a quiet spell of play, Reid doubled his goal tally on his debut in the 88th minute. A mix-up from Gosport’s defence left Reid one on one with the keeper, and he calmly rounded Gosney and finished to make it 3-1 to Wealdstone.

In the 93rd minute, Reid rounded off a superb debut with a hattrick and wrapped up the game from the penalty spot, after Micah Obiero was tripped up in the box.

At full-time, it was Wealdstone 4, Gosport Borough 1, as an Alex Reid hat-trick helped send the Stones into the hat for the First Round of the FA Cup.

WEALDSTONE: Howes, Boldewijn, Cook, Barrett, Mason (Georgiou 45’), Wells-Morrison (Cesay 90’), Obiero, Ashford (Eastmond 74’), Sandat (Scott 90’), Hutchinson (Kretzschmar 45’), Reid.

Attendance: 1005