Wealdstone 1
(Mundle-Smith 72′)
United 1
(Wynter 82′)
United were forced to settle for a point after they battled out a 1-1 draw at Wealdstone on Saturday evening.
Wealdstone substitute Jaydn Bundle-Smith opened the scoring in the 72nd minute, before Ben Wynter got on the end of an Armani Little free kick ten minutes later to force a share of the points in Middlesex, after a late winner for The Gulls was ruled out.
Gary Johnson named two changes in the starting line-up that drew 0-0 with Boreham Wood midweek, with Chiori Johnson and Armani Little replacing Dan Martin and Asa Hall respectively.
United’s first chance came in the 4th minute, as Connor Lemonheigh-Evans fed Stephen Duke-McKenna, whose shot from the edge of the box was caught by goalkeeper George Wickens.
Three minutes later, Johnson chased a cross-field ball from Tom Lapslie before his cross was claimed by the goalkeeper to prevent a goalscoring opportunity for an advancing Danny Wright. Moments later, Little chipped the ball up looking for Wright at the far-post who again was intercepted by Wickens.
In the 12th minute United had a free kick on the right hand touchline, level with the edge of the box. Dean Moxey curled the free kick in central looking for a rising Joe Lewis, but Wickens did well to command his area and punch clear.
United went close in the 17th minute – Stephen Duke-McKenna and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans exchanged a number of passes up the right flank, before the latter drove goal-ward to be denied by the overworked but not unduly troubled Wickens.
Three minutes later United threatened again, after some good play up the right wing, Johnson put a great cross into the box that found a rising Danny Wright at the far post, but his header was just wide, and too high to meet Lemonheigh-Evans at the post.
In the 26th minute, the home side found themselves with a free kick in a dangerous position, just outside of the United box. Henry stepped up to take, but the United wall were able to block and subsequently clear.
Ten minutes later it was the hosts who came close to breaking the deadlock, and it took a great save by United’s number 37 to deny Wealdstone.
After attacking well throughout the first half, Gary Johnson’s men were forced into the interval 0-0.
Wealdstone were the quicker of starters in the second half, and United were forced to defend in the first ten minutes of the half.
In the 53rd minute the hosts found themselves with a good chance to take the lead. Stephan Browne drove into the box, but pulled his low-driven effort wide of the right hand post.
United continued to put the Wealdstone defence under pressure, but were unable to produce an end product.
It was the hosts who took the lead on 72 minutes. A long ball forward was chased by substitute Mundle-Smith who fired home from a tight angle on the left to give Wealdstone the lead.
The home side only kept the lead for ten minutes, however, as Wynter levelled the scores.
Awarded a free kick on the left hand touchline midway inside the half, Little curled the free kick into the box and found the United defender who bundled home from six yards.
Moments later a long ball forward was chased by Browne who found himself one on one with MacDonald, forcing him off his line to deny the Wealdstone defence.
Then came a moment of real controversy, as substitute Keelan O’Connell cruelly had his late winner ruled out.
Two minutes from time, Lemonheigh-Evans used his trickery to jink into the box before playing the ball square for O’Connell, who fired into the roof of the net, before the referee blew his whistle to disallow the goal, deciding that the ball had been run out of play.
It was a huge escape for Wealdstone, and ultimately one that determined The Gulls had to settle for one point, rather than all three.
Frustration aplenty for now, but with a home game against Bromley not far away, an ideal opportunity to make up for any disappointment awaits.
United: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 4. Tom Lapslie, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 9. Danny Wright (19. Klaidi Lolos 57′, 16. Keelan O’Connell 68′), 10. Armani Little (c), 12. Stephen Wearne, 14. Choiri Johnson (29. Joe Felix 76′), 15. Stephen Duke-McKenna, 21. Dean Moxey, 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 5. Ali Omar.
Yellow Card: Lapslie 72′
Wealdstone: 1. George Wickens, 2. Jack Cook (c), 4. Ashley Charles, 7. Nathan Ferguson (24. Charlie Cooper), 9. Josh Umerah, 10. Stephan Browne, 11. David Sesay (23. Jaydn Mundle-Smith 57′), 14. Connor McAvoy, 17. Nikola Tavares, 19. Charles Clayden, 22. Aaron Henry (18. Alex Dyer 85′).
SUBS NOT USED: 6. Jerome Okimo, 16. Ira Jackson.
Yellow Card: Ferguson 75′, Browne 90+3′