Match Report | Wellingborough Town (H)
The Yeltz make it three in three across cup competitions this season as they advance through to the FA Trophy First Round Proper
Brief Overview
The opening goal came very fortuitously, as a mix-up at the back between defender Sam Warburton and goalkeeper Dean Snedker resulted in Milan Butterfield profiting it taking the ball past the Wellingborough keeper, and scoring with the easiest finish he’ll ever have to make.
The second game came just before half-time, and against a side who were banking on a strong second half, it was needed. Most the work was completed by Jason Cowley, who received a ball over the top of the high line Doughboys defense, and took control. He was faced up against Jack O’Connor, but took his time and waiting for the opening past the visitors captain, which he did, bending an effort into the top left corner.
Match Report
The FA Trophy will always hold fond memories in Yeltz fans hearts after our Semi-Final run back in 2019/20. This is now six/seven years ago, and since our record in the Trophy hasn’t been so kind. Three Qualifying exits followed the run, before a defeat to Macclesfield in the First Round back in 23/24. Russ Penn’s record with us has been better, but still not reached the heady heights witnessed prior. A last minute Second Round defeat to Kidderminster Harriers in 24/25, and a Qualifying defeat to Leek Town last season.
The opening five minutes saw both sides exchange a chance a piece. The visitors won a corner after Kai Fifield’s pass through to Zayn Hakeem saw Ryan Wollacott tackle the ball behind. The delivery was headed into the air by Ryan Wynter, and cleared by Dan Meredith. 90 seconds later, Jason Cowley was sent 1v1 with Dean Snedker, but failed to lift the ball over the Doughboys keeper who narrowed down the angles.
The Yeltz number 9 was a nuisance, and nearly went all the way himself with 20 minutes on the clock. A shot bending towards the top corner from the left of the penalty area, just missed the top corner after some superb hold up play. The opening goal was close, but just before it did come, a Fifield cross was cleared acrobatically by Wynter, and another from George Ball was cleared in the six yard box by Wollacott.
The rather fortuitous goal was the base for a superb end to the first 45, after a fairly even opening 25. Advantage was played two minutes after Milan Butterfield found the net, and led by Cowley, a 2v2 saw attempt to round Snedker, but just fail. Just after the half hour mark, a sublime pass from Butterfield found Silva bursting down the left. The latter cut the ball across the area to Cowley, who took a touch, and had his shot blocked on the line by Charlie Green.
A scare was survived when Lloyd Buckley found himself in on goal inside the box. To the rescue, Wollacott flicked a leg out to stop any effort at Dan Platt’s goal, and instead a minute later, we added our second. A game changer. We almost added a third twice in the remaining stages of the half. A cross from Ben Cassidy to Butterfield saw a header fly just over, before a corner from debutant Josh Bailey saw Wollacott force Snedker into a fine save. The visitors were left to rue a huge chance for captain O’Connor, whose point blank effort was straight at Platt.
Many would have said the damage was done in the first half, but a much different Wellingborough side came out in the second period. The side with a 100% record in their Northern Premier League Division One campaign, did struggle to begin with in the opening stages. A swept pass forward from Cowley to Silva should have resulted in a goal, but the latter’s cross to Lewis Ison saw the latter hit the post, before the ball bounced gratefully into the keeper’s grasp.
The scorer of our second continued to find his second brace is as many weeks, and pulled a stop from Snedker from a tight angle just inside the box. The five minutes after the hour mark was the best spell of pressure from the visitors. A Warburton cross from the wing was headed just wide by Danny Draper to get the ball rolling. In the following minutes, Bailey atoned for his own error to block a goal bound strike from Ball, before another effort from the visitors number 7 drifted wide of Platt’s right post.
A rare goal nearly came the way of Cassidy on 77 minutes, as a switch of play from substitute Todd Parker found the Yeltz number 2 in his new forward position, who cut inside onto his left boot and forced Snedker to get a strong wrist down low to stop the ball from running past him. The last few minutes before stoppage time were the away side’s last chance saloon, as a Draper shot went over the bar, before Glenn Walker’s long effort went wide. Progression it is for the Yeltz, who continue to compete on all three fronts. One issue with that, is that October is looking a particularly busy month!
Attendance: 914
MOTM: Jason Cowley (chosen by Glynn Jones)
Teams
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy, Ryan Wynter (C) (Rob Evans 83’), Ryan Wollacott, Lewis Ison, Jason Cowley, Vanylson Silva (Samson Hewett 65’), Milan Butterfield, Josh Bailey (Ty Barnett 79’), Jim Kellermann (Todd Parker 65’), Dan Meredith
Unused Subs: Gael Mfuamba (GK)
Wellingborough: Dean Snedker (GK), Charlie Green (George Barnell 69’), Sam Warburton (Neo Richard-Noel 85’), Glenn Walker, Jack O’Connor, Matty Slinn, George Ball, Lloyd Buckby (Isaac Redding 69’), Kai Fifield (Nathan Hicks 77’), Danny Draper, Zayn Hakeem
Unused Subs: None