Report

The annual presentation evening on Saturday night was a great success. The award winners on the night were:

·     Manager's player of the season - Chris Fawcus

Players' player of the season - Chris Fawcus

Supporters' player of the season - Chris Fawcus

Most man of the match awards - Steve Kenworthy

Reserve team manager's player of the season - Ian Brock

Reserve team players' player of the season - Chris Collinson

Special awards were also given to Vince and James Small for their excellent service to the club over both the season just gone and previous years.

Report by Phil Rann

Buxton may well have comfortably won the league by being the best side but they helped themselves to a large slice of luck against Wakefield in the Unibond Presidents Cup Final on Monday night.

Wakefield were missing influential player Ben Hardy for the game as he failed a late fitness test, while Andy Shields was still out with a cracked rib.

In an entertaining first half, both sides had good chances to take the lead, Brighton Mugadza shooting well over from the edge of the area, and then at the other end, a volley by Reed at the far post went inches wide of Andy Woods' goal.

In the twelfth minute, Wakefield took the lead, Niall O'Brien's defence splitting pass found Neil Smith, and he beat the Buxton keeper comfortably from 25 yards with a shot into the bottom corner.

Wakefield continued to play nice football, and good build up between Gareth Stoker and Mugadza set up O'Brien, but his first time shot was well over the bar.

Buxton were close to an equaliser on 26 minutes when a deep cross from a free kick was won at the back post, but the Buxton forward could only head the ball wide from a tight angle.

Mugadza shot wide again before Wakefield survived a large appeal for handball in their own penalty area when the ball bounced up and caught Damien Henderson on the arm. The referee waved away the home side's appeals.

Wakefield almost went 2-0 ahead from a O'Brien free kick which caused problems at the back post. Demi Kyriacou nodded it on, and Smith's shot at the back post was deflected behind for a corner.

Buxton equalised three minutes before half time when another free kick was won at the back post across the face of goal, and Reed had an easy finish from two yards with Woods stranded.

Two minutes into the second half, Buxton took the lead from another set piece. A corner was delivered into the six yard box, and Doxey beat both Henderson and Declan Normaschild to the ball and headed in to send all but 25 of the crowd of 712 into raptures.

The controversial moment came on the hour mark. Good play by O'Brien on the left found Marc Townsend free at the back post, and he finished well, but the ball hit the black post that keeps the net up at the back of the goal and bounced back out across the face of goal. The referee gave a goal, the Buxton fans behind the goal could be seen putting their hands on the head and the goalkeeper hoofed the ball back to the middle for the kick off before the linesman called the referee and overrode the decision, much to the disgust of Wakefield players and supporters, and much to the unbelievable surprise of the Buxton players and supporters. Three Wakefield players were booked in the aftermath in what has to be the worst decision made by an official this season.

Wakefield still had a chance to make it 2-2 ten minutes later, when a deep free kick found Smith unmarked, but he headed just wide when he really should have done better.

15 minutes from time, the game was as good as over when Doxey scored his second to make it 3-1 when he turned outside Chris Fawcus, and sent a powerful shot into the far corner, giving Woods no chance.

Understandably, Wakefield had had the confidence sucked out of them, and failed to create in the last quarter of an hour, while Buxton could have made it 4-1 but Woods got down well to save a Doxey shot.

Team: Woods, Stevenson, Fawcus, Stoker (Kendall 83), Normaschild, Henderson, Townsend, O'Brien, Smith, Mugadza, Kyriacou.
Subs not used: Collinson and Rothera.

Attendance: 712

MOM: Stoker

Wakefield continued their recent good form as they came from behind to beat Skelmersdale at College Grove and close the gap between themselves and fourth bottom Warrington Town to only one point.

During the first half, both sides failed to create many goalscoring chances. Skelmersdale went ahead on 33 minutes with a goal out of nothing as McNally's 25 yard volley dipped viciously, goalkeeper Woods getting a good hand to the ball but only managing to push it into the corner of the net. Osman burst through for Skelmersdale on 39 minutes, with the Wakefield defenders appealing for offside, but could only tamely toe poke the ball straight into the grateful arms of Woods.

Wakefield began to come into the game more at the end of the first half, as  Normaschild diverted Mugadza's near post corner wide of the goal on 44 minutes.The equaliser came in the last minute of the first half. Henderson won a free kick 25 yards out and picked himself up to drive the ball into the bottom corner direct from the set piece. There was still time for Wakefield to almost get a second goal before half time. Stoker's deep free kick was diverted goalwards and McCormick in the visitors goal managed to claw the ball out from underneath the crossbar.

Three minutes into the second half Wakefield did find the second goal. A Skelmersdale free kick was headed against his own man by a Skelmersdale player and Wakefield broke swiftly, a superb passing move releasing Ben Hardy who made no mistake as he slotted the ball past McCormick.

Skelmersdale were back level on 57 minutes. The ball bounced up horribly in the Wakefield penalty area and struck the arm of the unlucky Stoker, the referee pointing straight to the penalty spot. Osman found the corner with a well taken penalty, despite Woods guessing the right way.

Wakefield were back in front ten minutes later. A Mugadza corner was poorly punched by McCormick in a strong wind and turned into the net by Darren Kendall on the goalline in what was his first touch after coming on as a substitute. Three minutes later Smith was put clean through on goal by Hardy and finished well but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Six minutes from time Skelmersdale nearly equalised again but Woods was in good form to block Byrne's close range effort from a tight angle.

Wakefield always looked more likely to get a fourth goal than Skelmersdale did to get an equaliser and got their just reward two minutes from time. A superb through ball by Kendall put Ben Hardy in on goal and he again kept his composure well to find the net.Hardy had a superb chance for his hat trick on 89 minutes as he ran clear once more. He did the hard work in rounding goalkeeper McCormick but somehow only found the post from inside the six yard area.

Result: Wakefield 1 - 2 Warrington Town

Wakefield FC man of the match: Andy Shields.

Attendance: 85.

Referee: G E Wilson.

Assistant Referees: C D Hitchcock, W Pharoah.

Wakefield: Woods, McQuarrie, Fawcus, Stoker, Normaschild, Henderson, Hardy, Shields, Smith, Mugadza, Kyriacou
Subs: Stevenson (for Mugadza), Battye (not used), Anderson (for Hardy)

Warrington Town: Wiils, Salt, Fitzsimmons, Crogan, Farrell, Jackson, Mitchell P, King, Mitchell G, Thompson, Howard
Subs: Harris (for Mitchell G), Carden (for Mitchell P), Jewson (for Thompson)

Report by Phil Rann

Two defensive errors were enough to send Wakefield to another home defeat against Warrington Town. The home side had had the better of the play before a mistake by Damien Henderson allowed Mitchell to fire home from 20 yards giving Andy Woods no chance.

Wakefield were almost back on level terms in first half stoppage time but the Warrington keeper made a fine double save from Ben Hardy as Warrington took their lead into the break.

Three minutes after half time, it was 2-0 when Howard stayed onside at the back post, rounded Hardy and poked the ball past Woods at his near post.

Wakefield continued to create chances, and first Henderson headed well over before a goalmouth scramble from a corner was just wide of getting the home side back in the match.

Eventually, debut striker Neil Smith, formerly of Leigh RMI, scored his first Wakefield goal from a Gareth Stoker corner with a shot from the outside of his boot.

Wakefield huffed and puffed but couldn't find the all important second goal. The closest they came was a one-on-one chance for Stoker but the defender reacted well and cleared the ball away.

This defeat gives Warrington an eleven point advantage over Wakefield but they have played three games more. Chorley also won, and they are now just two points behind but have also played three games more but Wakefield and Chorley still have each other to play twice.

Team: Woods, Macquarrie, Fawcus, Stoker, Normaschild, Henderson, Hardy (Anderson 75), Shields, Smith, Mugadza (Stevenson 56), Kyriacou.
Sub not used: Battye.

Attendance: 85

MOM: Shields

 This result continues Wakefield's miserable run of losing every home match in 2007. However, on the plus side, they have not yet lost an away match this calender year.

Wakefield: Woods, McQuarrie, Fawcus, O'Brien, Normaschild, Henderson, Kenworthy, Shields, Townsend, Hardy, Kyriacou
Subs: Battye (for Kenworthy), Mugadza (for Townsend), Rothera (not used)