RYMAN PREMIER LEAGUE
Wealdstone 3
Bury Town 0
SHOULD Wealdstone go on to wear the title of Ryman League champions they may look back on Saturday’s win over Bury as pivotal to the title race.
Starved of action by the recent wet weather and having suffered back-to-back defeats they faced Suffolk visitors unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions.
Yet Scott McGleish’s double on his return from suspension and one for home debutant Michael Malcolm meant the only real threat to Wealdstone’s grip on the three points was the storm of almost Biblical proportions which caused play to be suspended for around 10 minutes midway through the second half with Stones leading 2-0.
Credit must go to Bury’s management team, who during the break in play told match officials they wanted to play to the finish despite having little hope of mounting a comeback.
McGleish returned in the place of Jonny Wright – unlucky to be relegated to the bench after scoring in defeat at Canvey – while Jerome Okimo and James Hammond were back in their respective full-back slots at the expense of Jey Siva and Scott McCubbin respectively, both of whom were on the bench.
It took the recalled McGleish just six minutes to open the scoring.
Tom Pett’s delicious ball through sent Michael Malcolm racing clear and although Marcus Garnham made a fine diving stop the rebound ran to the unmarked McGleish who slotted it into the unguarded net.
Five minutes later it was almost 2-0 as Elliott Godfrey’s pass was flicked into the path of Pett who struck a venomous shot on the half volley, but this time Garnham flung himself full length to his left to make a brilliant one-handed save.
It was one-way traffic and Garnham excelled again a minute later racing out to block a McGleish shot to safety.
Wave after wave of wave of attacks continued to founder on the rock of Garnham, the next on the quarter hour seeing a stunning double save first from Luke Pigden’s low skidder before the custodian recovered his poise to turn aside Pett’s follow-up effort.
The visitors’ one threat in this dominant opening by Stones came when Dan Cunningham broke up-field with only Okimo between him and keeper Jonathan North, but the Stones defender was composure personified as he waited for the striker to attempt to go by before nonchalantly stealing the ball.
It was Cunningham’s one real contribution as he soon limped off to be replaced by Anthony Roulston.
Malcolm wasted a promising free-kick position with a shot always rising and slowly Bury inched back into contention without posing a serious threat to Jonathan North until Russell Short’s deflected shot on 39 minutes which for reasons best known to referee Chris Green did not result in a corner.
Stones suffered an anxious moment two minutes from the break when the excellent Okimo went down in some pain though he continued after treatment and the hosts preserved their slender lead to the interval.
The promised heavy rain arrived earlier than expected during the break, causing concern we may not get through the whole 90 minutes.
Stones again began brightly with Garnham having to dash out at the feet of Malcolm before McGleish headed over from Hammond’s driven cross.
Another cross from Malcolm was put out of harm’s way, but Stones briefly found it difficult to get out of their half in the heavy conditions up the slope.
However, the second goal they needed came on 57 minutes. A free-kick from Godfrey got caught on the wind and Malcolm got ahead of his marker to apply the faintest of touches beyond Garnham.
Pett was close to a third after good work from Little down the left and the diminutive winger missed the top corner with another effort from distance.
However, with the rain incessant and thunder and lightning in attendance referee Green called a temporary halt on 67 minutes.
On the resumption, puddles on the surface meant conditions were bordering on farcical, but McGleish and Malcolm still almost conjured up a third with some neat interplay ending with the former shooting jut wide.
More good work by the former Tottenham youth striker then teed up Pigden for a shot inches wide and Malcolm warmed Garnham’s palms again with a low skidder parried behind.
Little’s afternoon ended 11 minutes early with Mcubbin filling the void while Malcolm bowed out three minute later with tightness in his calf giving Carl McCluskey a late run up front.
The deserved third arrived on 84 minutes when Pett escaped to the left-by-line and his centre found the unmarked McGleish who planted his header past the helpless Garnham.
McCluskey might have added a fourth with his first touch, but it mattered little as stones closed out an impressive win to move back into the top three.
It remains to be seen if having brought their recent blip to a halt Gordon Bartlett’s men can kick on away at one of their less happy hunting grounds of Lewes tomorrow night (Tuesday).
