Wakehurst claim first victory of new campaign

After successive draws in their opening two League games, Wakehurst were hungry for three points to really get their season going, having targeted promotion from League 2 as an achievable goal, retaining last season’s squad that finished joint fourth and further strengthening it with more shrewd signings.

Time and again Wakehurst pushed forward with Lee McCaughern providing an accurate array of set pieces, passes and crossfield balls to his team-mates, as the home team completely dictated the opening 45 minutes but were thwarted by a wall of defenders and some robust tackling that earned the visitors four yellow cards before the break.

Wakehurst continued to press at the start of the second period and Conor Gregg produced an excellent effort that keeper Simpson couldn’t hold but managed to push onto the upright and gratefully gathered the rebound.

Ryan Young replaced Andy Loughlin on the hour mark and his first contribution was to win a corner kick, which was whipped in by McCaughern and powerfully headed into the net by central defender Paul Muir.

This was just the lift Wakehurst needed and though it produced a more positive reaction from the visitors, Wakehurst were finding the gaps and hitting on the break. From a Killymoon corner on 75 minutes, Wakehurst picked up the loose ball and Jason Paul quickly found George Young on the left side of midfield and his run took him into the penalty box where he rounded the keeper and his shot from an acute angle was accurate for a 2-0 lead.

Killymoon eventually did create a couple of good opportunities but young McCauley Cairns was alive to everything that come his way.

With three minutes remaining Jason Paul scored the goal his overall play richly deserved as he picked up a ball from a throw-in and stepped inside a couple of Killymoon defenders before unleashing a rocket that fizzed into the net past a startled Simpson - a tremendous goal and a fitting end to a workmanlike Wakehurst performance.

Wakehurst: M Cairns, G Gilmore, D Gage, D Stevenson, P Muir, A Laughlin, L McCaughern, G Young, C Gregg, J Paul,R Gregg. Subs: R Young, C Ross, P Alexander, S Steele, D Kirkwood.