WILKINSON ‘LIVID’ WITH GOALS CONCEDED IN LOSS
BOBBY WILKINSON was “livid” with the goals his Wealdstone team conceded as they slipped to their first defeat in six games – a 3-2 defeat at Oxford City.
Two goals in the first eight minutes – from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Zac McEachran – gave the hosts the perfect start and Reece Fleet scored the decisive goal either side of an Abobaker Eisa brace.
“If you’re going to give away two sloppy goals in the first eight minutes, you’re asking for a tall order to come back,” said Stones boss Wilkinson. “The mannner of the three goals is disappointing, I can’t accept that and I won’t accept that, I’m livid about the goals.
“I can handle defeat, but three or four individuals have to look at themselves, they were way below par. They didn’t earn the right to win. We told them what to do and what not to do and first eight minutes it was like they didn’t listen.
“They’ve been a fantastic bunch and I’m proud we didn’t sink, but you can’t give a team a 2-0 advantage.”
Miscommunication from Ryan Sellers and Jonathan North allowed Oxlade-Chamberlain, brother of Liverpool midfielder Alex, the chance to round the keeper outside the area and slot into an empty net after five minutes.
Disastrously for Stones, that lead was doubled on eight minutes when McEachran, another Oxford player with a sibling in the professional ranks – Brentford’s Josh – played a one-two with Dave Pearce on the edge of the area and slotted a well-placed finish past North.
A shellshocked Stones responded by hitting the woodwork four minutes later as a deep cross saw Mustafa Tiryaki, loop a header over City keeper Jack Stevens onto the outside of the post.
Eddie Oshodi was spared his blushes after Oxlade-Chamberlain’s deep cross was shouldered toward goal by the Stones player and keeper North tipped it wide.
For the remainder of the half Wealdstone put the Hoops under pressure. Sellers whipped in a cross which saw Eisa’s header parried by Stevens.
The Stones repeated the move on 38 minutes, Eisa this time converting Sellers’s centre. Despite a bright start to the second period, Wealdstone could not build on their goal and Wilkinson made a triple-substitution.
But City substitute Fleet wrapped the game up in the 87th minute. A free-kick on the halfway line was helped into the Stones area with Fleet getting on the end of a neat ball for an easy finish past North.