ANSTEY NOMADS 4 WELLINGBOROUGH TOWN 2 COSMOS IS OUT OF THIS WORLD WITH SLICK BRACE
Long 62, Buckby 90+4
TWO FINE finishes from Cosmos Matwasa, who returned to Anstey Nomads during the latest lockdown, laid the foundations for an impressive victory by the hosts who were leading the United Counties League’s Premier Division when their season was voided back in December.
Matwasa celebrated the start of his second spell with the unbeaten Nomads by hitting their first two goals to earn his side a fifth round trip to Walsall Wood next Saturday.
The flamboyant winger, who curiously had played against Nomads for his former club Stamford in a friendly last week, was far more than a mere marksman, however.
He was a livewire on the flanks, occupying the attention of Wellingborough’s harassed defenders throughout a contest that improved dramatically after a scrappy and goalless first half. Besides the six goals after the interval, there were also two red cards, one for either side, just as there had been when the clubs last met in a league game seven months ago.
“The referees always try to even things up, don’t they?” said the victorious manager Tommy Blanchard, reflecting on the dismissal of his side’s Joel Wolfe – for a foul on Lloyd Buckby – just two minutes after the even more harsh expulsion of Doughboys’ keeper Noel Murray-Hawkins following a collision with Matwasa.
“The lad was just too quick for him,” added Blanchard, who also saw Michael Reeve score for the fourth round running with an audacious lob over the advancing goalkeeper from near the touchline to put the Nomads 3-1 up.
Two shots from Reeve that forced good saves from Murray-Hawkins plus a spectacular goalline clearance by Anstey’s Cole Wildin had been the highlights of a first half that gave no hint of what was to come.
Matwasa’s first shot after the interval brought a fine save from Murray-Hawkins before he volleyed in Reeve’s pass. Wellingborough half cleared a subsequent corner from Corey Armeni to then give Matwasa the chance of his getting his second goal four minutes later with a low left-footed drive. Matt Long accepted a short pass from Gary Chipchase to reduce Wellingborough’s arrears with a delightful shot that he curled over host keeper Conrad Logan.
Reeve restored Anstey’s two-goal lead before the two red cards came in a four-minute spell that was followed by Tendai Chitiza’s goal after yet more work by Matwasa.
And there was just time for Long’s free-kick to be met at the far post by Buckby for Town’s second goal.
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