SELLERS GOOD ENOUGH FOR LEAGUE RETURN
GORDON BARTLETT has backed Ryan Sellers to overcome the disappointment of rejection by Wycombe last summer after snapping up the winger this week.
Sellers, who also had spells in Bolton and Barnet’s youth teams – as well as with the Nike Academy – was released by the Chairboys in June after just one season in the Football League.
The 22-year-old returned to Wingate & Finchley, where he had spent time as a youngster, and was spotted by Wealdstone boss Bartlett.
“Ryan is exactly the sort of char- acter we’re looking for – young and hungry to get back to where they were, and if we can help him get there, it will benefit both him and the club,” said the Wealdstone manager. “We’ve been monitoring him for some time. He played against us in the FA Trophy and thought he did well but we couldn’t take him until we were out of the Trophy.
“He’s got plenty of energy and gets forward well. He’s one for the future and we’re looking to the future now, as it would take a hell of a run to reach the play-offs.”
Saturday’s 1-0 National League South win at Welling, in which Sellers made his debut, was a third straight win for the Stones, and a fifth game unbeaten since their Trophy exit.
Bartlett said: “We’ve only conceded once in five games, so we’ve tightened up but perhaps lost some of our attacking fluency as a result. We know we can play better, but if we keep winning 1-0, I’ll be smiling.”
Losing Elliot Benyon, Matt Whichelow and Omar Koroma to injury hindered the Stones’ attacking options, but Bartlett hopes to have Benyon and Whichelow back within a couple of weeks.
That means loan players Arjan Tajbakhsh, Joe White and Josh Walker are unlikely to be retained beyond their month-long stays.
Former Stones star Graeme Montgomery this week marked his return to Hayes & Yeading by scoring on his second debut, at Weymouth on Saturday. United, who have waved goodbye to another former Stone with Lewis Putnam returning to parent club Slough, threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 in the Southern Premier. In Division One Central,
Uxbridge lost 4-2 at Kidlington and Northwood lost 1-0 at home to Chalfont St Peter,.
AFC Hayes came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Horley Town in the Combined Counties Premier. Harefield United drew 0-0 at league leaders Biggleswade in Spartan South Midlands Division One and Hillingdon Borough won 5-0 at Ampthill Town.