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Wallingford kept up their 100% record in the Hellenic Premier Division with an exciting 3-2 win over a Chipping Norton. The visitors appeared to have blown their chances when they let their hosts come back from 2-0, but Ian Fenn’s goal gave them a deserved victory.
Both sides had created a handful of half-chances before a terrible mistake from Chippy keeper Mark Harris gifted the visitors the lead. Zinzee Taha won a free-kick on the left and free-kick specialist Lee Fuller swung the ball into the box where Harris fumbled the ball straight to Abdouli Taha, giving him an easy tap in to score his first goal of the season. Chipping Norton always looked dangerous from set-pieces, and when the ball was played high towards their front two. Cameron Busby and Nathan Haisley went close with Volleys, but otherwise John Shea was untroubled, despite the hosts having much of the possession. Wallingford always looked to cause problems on the break and Ross Tyler had a couple of efforts from distance which flew just over. Foday Touray created a chance when he dispossessed a defender on the byline, but from a tight angle he chipped the ball wide. Early in the second half Abdouli Taha had a great chance to double the lead when he stole the ball off a defender and ran clear, but he opted for an early shot which drifted wide. At the other end John Shea saved brilliantly from Busby after the Wallingford defence made a terrible hash of clearing a long ball over the top. A free-kick from the left then caused problems in the visitors area, but defender Steve Olzak headed straight into the arms of Shea. Meanwhile, Michael Fellows should have done much better when he found space at the near post from Fuller's free-kick, but he headed well over the bar in a good position. The visitors then hit the post. Touray played Abdouli Taha through on the left, who cut inside a defender and got in a shot, but Harris palmed the ball onto the outside of the post. It wasn't long before he was beaten again though, five minutes later Taha was held back 30 yards out and Lee Fuller stepped up to curl the ball beautifully into the top corner to make it 2-0. Chipping Norton threw caution to the wind and end-to end action ensued. An incredible goalmouth scramble saw the ball somehow cleared off the Wallingford line and the ball found its way to Taha, who ran at the Chipping Norton defence, cutting inside, then outside, but finishing in a shot that curled wide. The home side then pulled a goal back when the ball broke to Tim Jenkins on the edge of the Wallingford area, who struck a brilliant half-volley against the underside of the bar. Wallingford couldn't clear the ball and Busby side-footed home from close range. Minutes later it was all-square. Another dangerous free-kick from the left saw substitute Wayne Vincent get in front of the visitors defence and glance a header past the Shea. The ball bounced back off the post, but Remmi Prierra was first to the rebound and tapped into the empty net, sparking jubilant celebrations from the hosts. Wallingford looked visibly shocked at surrendering a two-goal lead and it looked like there could only be one winner, but Andy Gordon's side weathered the storm a sensationally re-took the lead. Taha swung in a corner and after some head-tennis, the ball fell to Michael Fellows on the corner of the box, who volleyed the ball low into the danger zone where Ian Fenn forced the ball over the line, before being mobbed by his teamates. Fellows then went agonisingly close to scoring himself after Taha found set him up on the edge of the area, his low shot being deflected just wide. Vincent nearly connected with a far-post diving header from a high ball in injury time, but the ball drifted just out of his reach and Wallingford held on well to make it 2 wins out of 2. The only bad news for Wallingford were the injuries to Lee Fuller, who had to come off shortly after he scored, and Jean-Paul Dechamps, who picked up a worrying knee ligament injury. AFC Wallingford: Shea, Fuller (Hoey 72), Massaquoi, Barlow, Fenn, Touray, Fellows, Tyler, Z Taha (Dechamps 60) (Lindsey-Scott 80), A Taha, Styles. |
