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AFC Wallingford slumped to an abject 5-0 home defeat against Fairford at Hithercroft on Saturday and are now without a home win in the league since October. Two mistakes from the normally reliable John Shea in the Wallingford goal handed Fairford the initiative in a scrappy first half. Wallingford’s heads dropped and their misery deepened after the break once Tom Ingram’s dismissal for a second bookable offence and Aaron Baker’s injury saw them end the match with 9 men against rampant opponents.
The first half was a cagey, stop-start affair, neither side moving the ball easily on a pitch soaked by days of endless rain. Isaac Sedu broke clear for AFC early on, however instead of bearing down on goal he attempted a square ball to Aaron Baker and the chance was lost. John Shea started well enough with a good save with his outstretched left leg to deny Phil Corcoran, however his day went rapidly downhill when, after 22 minutes, he saw a 45-yard free kick from Kevin Coles over his head and into the net.Fairford doubled their lead a minute from the break in almost identical circumstances. Another Coles free-kick caused panic in the home defence and, whilst Shea got a hand to the ball, he could not prevent it finding the net. Wallingford suggested briefly that they might get back into the game early in the second half, but in truth Kyle Murdoch in the visitors’ goal was rarely tested. Tom Ingram received a caution for dissent followed quickly by a second booking after a foul on Kenny Hawkins. Ian Fenn came on as substitute to bolster the AFC defence, but it was the end of AFC as an attacking force when Aaron Baker hobbled off with 15 minutes to go. Fairford capitalised on a tired and increasingly dispirited home side by adding 3 goals in the last 8 minutes and having another effort disallowed for offside. Phil Corcoran got the third with a fine finish from 10 yards out, Darren McCluskey headed in a cross at the far post for the 4th and Ryan Pratley tapped in number 5 from close range with the AFC defence nowhere to be seen. Wallingford couldn’t wait for the final whistle and will now have to lift themselves for the tough away trip to high-flying Slimbridge a week on Tuesday. Team: John Shea, Adjei Boateng, Ian Lovegrove, Tom Ingram, Simon Barlow, Dauda Fofanah (sub Michael Fellows 46), Abdouli Taha, Andrew Styles, Aaron Baker, Isaac Sedu (sub Ian Fenn 67), Paul Massaquoi. |
