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Wallingford came back from being 3-1 down in the first 20 minutes to clinch a remarkable last gasp win with two goals in injury time in an amazing rollercoaster of a match.
The visitors provided probably the sternest challenge yet for AFC, and couldn't have wished for a better start when after 6 minutes Dean Smith found space on the right hand corner of the penalty area and hit a fantastic first time shot with the outside of his right foot which curled into the bottom corner just under the reach of John Shea. Two minutes later Wallingford equalised. Fletcher Hoey spotted goalkeeper Geoff Simmonds off his line and had a pop from 40 yards on the left wing. Simmonds backtracked but slipped and could only get a touch as the ball looped over him into the net. Within 10 minutes, however, Bicester had put this behind them. First Smith struck a free-kick into the wall and the ball deflected straight to the veteran Paul Spittle in the area, who controlled the ball and drove it into the top corner for a lovely finish. Then, Adam Hamp hit a hopeful up-and-under forward towards Kyle McCoy. Shea came out and jumped with the pacy striker, one of the shortest players on the pitch, and somehow McCoy won possession of the ball before turning and firing low into the centre of the net, with Shea protesting furiously that McCoy had jumped into the player, and not even touched the ball. Bicester sat comfortably on their lead and looked the better side until on 40 minutes, Wallingford pulled another goal back. Foday Touray battled and won the ball in midfield, finding Aaron Baker in the area, who struck a low right-footed shot towards the far post. Simmonds could only parry the ball and Abdouli Taha arrived at the far post to slot home from a tight angle. Just before the break, Hamp won a near post flick on which looked to be going in before Fletcher Hoey cleared off the line with an aerobatic overhead kick. At half-time, it looked like Wallingford were in for a difficult struggle to get back into the game, however, after the restart the home side created a number of chances. Ross Tyler put Simmonds to the test with a dipping left-foot shot which he did well to tip over the bar, and Lee Fuller curled a free-kick also just over. Then came a moment of brilliance from Taha for the equaliser. Andrew Styles chipped the ball to the right-hand side of the area, Fuller volleyed into the middle and Taha arrived at the far post, flicked the ball past a defender and smashed the ball inside the keepers near post in the blink of an eye to make the score 3-3. However, with Wallingford going forward to win the game, there was always a chance for Bicester on the counter-attack, and with twenty minutes left McCoy broke and used his pace to run clear. Ian Fenn managed to get a great tackle in, but Ross Tyler followed up with another tackle and the referee pointed to the spot. Hamp stepped up and hit the ball low to Shea's left, just beyond his dive, and Bicester were in front once more. Hemp then blasted over from close range after a goalmouth scramble, while Smith hit the underside of the bar with a well-hit shot as Bicester tried to make the game safe. Wallingford threw men forward to save the game. Taha put Baker into the box with a brilliant chipped pass, but Baker completely mis-hit the shot with his right foot. Substitute Paul Massaquoi went on a pacy run and whipped in a pinpoint cross to the far post where Fletcher Hoey arrived unmarked, but headed the ball over the bar. Baker then created a golden opportunity in the ninetieth minute, getting to the byline and cutting the ball back for Styles, who arrived 5 yards out but Simmonds cleared the ball off the line with a point-blank save. It seemed like Wallingford had blown their chance, but well into injury time a free-kick into the box created chaos. Hoey and Styles could not gain control of the ball, but it ran to Aaron Baker who smashed the ball into the top corner to spark massive celebrations from the Wallingford players. Incredibly that wasnt the end, and Wallingford continued to push players forward deep into injury time in a bid to grab a winner, and amazingly they got it. Taha twisted and turned and won a free-kick on the left. Tyler swung the ball to the far post where Hoey beat a group of players to head back into the centre, and Simon Barlow controlled the ball and smashed it into the roof of the net, to be swamped by his teammates. Wallingford have now won 3 out of 4 games in their return to the Hellenic Premier and are at home again on Saturday 26th when they host Highworth Town. AFC Wallingford: Shea, Fuller(Massaquoi 75), Fletcher, Barlow, Fenn, Touray, Styles, Tyler, Baker (Parker 93), Z Taha(Ingram 84), A Taha. |
