Four-midable Stones display clinical touch

WEALDSTONE made it six points from their first nine on Saturday when they cruised to an impressive 4-0 victory against Braintree Town at Cressing Road.

The Stones were gifted an own goal by Ollie Saunders in the first half and followed that with second half strikes from Danny Green, Jacob Mendy and Billy Clifford.

Wealdstone dominated the opening phases of the game and took the lead in the 20th minute when Dennon Lewis powered down the left and delivered a fierce low-cross which cannoned off Iron full-back Saunders and into the net.

They could have doubled their lead less than a minute later when Lewis won the ball from Rob Harvey high up the pitch. He elected to shoot at the near-post but Michael Johnson was equal to the strike and produced a good save.

There was no letting up from the Stones – three minutes later talisman Ross Lafayette twisted-andturned on the edge of the box before hammering a left-foot strike into the palms of Johnson.

Five minutes before half-time, Lewis became the provider on the right-hand side and attempted to square the ball to Lafayette in the area before former Stone Josh Urquhart cut-out the dangerous pass.

An even start to the second half gifted the home side with an opportunity to draw level five minutes after the break. Saunders tried to redeem his earlier wrongs when he out-paced Nick Arnold but sliced his shot wide.

Just as the Iron began to create a couple of opportunities, Green doubled Wealdstone’s lead in the 73rd minute. He collected the ball from Lafayette’s back-heel on the edge of the box, skimmed past Jake Hutchings and Johnson before slotting into an empty net.

Any sign of a dramatic Braintree comeback became less likely in the 83rd minute when Connor Stevens slid a pass into substitute Mendy, who cleverly flicked the ball over his marker before his half-volley rustled the back of the net.

The Stones concluded the contest in emphatic fashion two minutes later.

Full-back Michee Efete’s header found Clifford on the edge of the box and he guided the ball past Johnson into the bottom corner.

■ Wealdstone were due to play Chippenham Town last night, after the Gazette went to press.

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