Wakefield 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday XI

Wakefield 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday XI

Pre-Season Friendly

Thursday 14th July 2022

Another night and another game; this time a trip to the best ground in the Northern Counties East League for a pre season game between Wakefield and a Sheffield Wednesday XI.

Whilst Post Office Road (or the Millennium Stadium as it's known under its sponsored name) is the Rugby League home to Featherstone Rovers, it also doubles up as a football ground for NCEL newboys Wakefield AFC who have ambitions to climb the non-league ladder over the next few years.

On a pitch which was bone dry in parts (especially the corners) and quite bobbly, the Owls started the game with the more experienced players in their matchday squad on the pitch including Bailey Cadamateri and Jay Glover who looked the best of the bunch.

It took just three minutes for Wednesday to conjure up a chance and it came from a corner as Bobby Dunn's delivery into the six yard box dropped for Josh Ashman who poked a shot narrowly wide of the post.

Cadamarteri (with his dad watching in the stands) then went close when he beat a defender through some direct footwork on the edge of the box but having caught sight of goal, his eventual effort was always rising and didn't trouble the Wakey 'keeper.

The hosts then responded with a couple of chances up at the other end before Glover let fly with a speculative low shot for the Owls on 19 minutes which was saved comfortably.

It was somewhat against the run of play that Wakefield took the lead just a minute or two later. An Owls player was booked after a clumsy tackle after a team-mate was dispossessed and from the resulting set-piece Josh Craig's delivery into the box found Cory Woodward who sent a powerful header into the net.

Even at a goal behind, something which Wednesday did well, in parts was retain the ball. By no means were they Barcelona or anything but it was easy to see the philosophies and intentions behind their play, most of their players looked comfortable in possession and they had some spells where Wakefield were pushed back and had to concentrate on their defensive aspects.

The equaliser which they got on 28 minutes owed more to a shade of good fortune than quality as Bobby Dunn unleashed a low drive from 25 yards straight down the throat of the Wakefield 'keeper who somehow fumbled it and the ball squirmed into the net. It was a goal out of nothing and the lack of celebration afterwards told a story on its own but these mistakes happen and it's how you respond to them which matters.

Now at 1-1, the Owls looked more confident over the next few minutes as they sought to build on their leveller - knocking the ball around with confidence and determination, pressing their opponents back and seeming keen to put a piercing move together rather than hammer another speculative shot at the 'keeper from distance (which might have been a better option).

Although Wakey did go close themselves, Wednesday's intensity in this period should have paid dividends when Cadamarteri showed good awareness to mug a defender on the edge of the box and break clean through before he was thwarted by the 'keeper despite having plenty of time and space to do better.

It was a gilt-edged opportunity which the striker ought to have put away and it proved costly because within a minute Wakefield took the lead when they sprung a quick attack, got in behind the high Owls defence (which was close to the halfway line) and broke into a two on one which culminated with Jake Morrison hammering a low drive past the 'keeper. 2-1 to Wakefield.

Both teams made a series of changes at half-time with Cadamateri and Glover amongst those withdrawn for the Owls who opted to put more players from their U18s on the pitch to ensure everyone got a fair amount of game-time.

Opportunities ultimately proved to be few and far between in the second half and it was only after more changes around the hour mark; this time including the withdrawal of Mackenzie Maltby who was just about Wednesday's best defender on the night, Wakey slowly began to get on top.

A heavy and horrible intended back-pass by an Owls defender so nearly ended in disaster on 65 minutes although much to everyone's relief on the visitors' bench, the ball ended up going just a yard or so wide of the 'keeper's left-hand post.

The resulting corner from that incident came to nothing but three minutes later from a separate flag kick, Woodward connected well to the delivery and headed just wide.

Wakefield continued to press hard for a third goal which would have made things a lot more comfortable and two minutes after a different Owls defender almost sliced the ball into his own net when making a vital interception, the hosts also struck the base of the post.

Having come through a bombardment of set pieces unscathed, Wednesday knew they still harboured half a chance of getting something out of the game whilst ever they were just one goal behind.

With the clock against them, nevertheless, they weren't able to muster up too many chances of their own as Wakefield defended well and always looked the more likely to bag again - something which nearly happened deep into four minutes of injury-time when some static defending off the second wave of play at a set-piece, coupled with a false belief the ball had gone out of play, resulted in the Owls' substitute 'keeper having to pull off a half-decent save.

Ultimately, there was to be no equaliser but both teams will have benefitted from this game.

Wakefield looked a decent team; organised, efficient and good at what they do and perhaps on another night, they could have racked up a bigger scoreline. Owen Kirman (who'll be hoping to do well against Doncaster Rovers next week; ironically the club that released him two years ago) has undoubtedly benefited from playing in a men's environment over the past couple of years and tracked back to win the ball in one particular instance in the second half, whilst Billy Mole stood out as one of the hosts' best players with everything he did. Mole showed that bit of quality and there's a good chance he'll play a key role in Wakefield challenging for promotion again in the coming months.

The best way for any youngsters to learn is by testing themselves against older pro's and there's plenty which Wednesday's young players will have learnt from this game. The result almost doesn't matter in many respects; everyone wants to win, nobody wants to get hammered and yes, it might be a feather in the cap for some Wakefield fans who'll see it as significant, but the result isn't really going to be remembered by anyone once the season is well underway.

I was watching Wednesday's players more than Wakefield's and the two who stood out were Bailey Cadamarteri (bar the finishing) and Jay Glover.

I know a bit about Cadamarteri anyway and his quick movement, intelligence to make runs and alertness to win the ball back in high areas makes him stand out. He poses a good threat and it's probably for those reasons why he's already signed a professional contract at Hillsborough. His finishing could have been better in this game but as long as he keeps doing what he's doing and getting into the positions from where he can get chances in the first place, it's inevitable that it will lead to a decent goals return. You only need to take one look at the 6-5 game against Crewe Alexandra last season to know that!

Elsewhere, Jay Glover impressed me. Not everything he did was 'spot on' and there was a switch which went straight out of play on roughly 20 minutes when he ought to have played a simpler pass back to a team-mate but his energy to get up and down the pitch, be vocal and encourage others, get on the ball and drive with it, pick passes and try and influence the play was decent. It stood out, I can appreciate a good player who tries to do things the right way, is tidy in how he does it, and he might be the first 'new' player (new in the respect that I've not seen him play before this game) that I keep an eye on this season.

Next Up: Alfreton Town vs Grimsby Town.