After the heroics of the ground staff in getting the game on in the first place, it was a desperately disappointing afternoon for Thamesmead Town as promotion chasing Wealdstone secured the double over the Mead and sent Keith McMahon’s side tumbling to their fourth successive defeat.

Indeed the Mead haven’t won a League game since the 4-1 triumph over Maidstone at the end of January – a performance that saw the League award Thamesmead the performance of the month; an award that was presented here prior to kick off.

Sadly Thamesmead were caught cold and were behind after Michael Malcolm’s cool finish in the third minute and the game was settled by Sean Cronin’s thumping penalty ten minutes after half time. For the Mead this was a desperately disappointing afternoon – one that left McMahon shaking his head at the final whistle.

It was a disastrous start for the home side as Wealdstone were ahead inside 90 seconds. Full back James Hammond did brilliantly down the right and his centre found its was to Malcolm who’s sweet strike gave Sam Mott no chance in the home goal. It was a body blow that the Mead were not to recover from.

Mott produced a terrific save to deny Tom Pett before Luke Pigden was denied by a great Lewis Tozer block, whilst at the other end, the Meads best first half chance fell to Junior Baker from a Derek Duncan corner, but the masked Baker (still recovering from a broken nose) couldn’t keep his header down. Indeed the first half was really summed up by Wealdstone left back Jerome Okimo could have tested Mott in first half stoppage time, by sliced his shot so much that is almost hit the corner flag.

The second half began encouragingly for the home side and Shamir Mullings just couldn’t reach escape a defenders challenge to get a shot away. Then Sean Roberts drifted a free kick into the box that caught on the wind and Wealdstone keeper Jonathan North was very much relieved to see the ball bounce into his hands. Then sadly came what was to be the killer second goal, as Pigden was brought down by an extremely clumsy and ill timed challenge, and skipper Cronin gave Mott no chance for 12 yards powering the ball into the net.

Wealdstone were the only side going to add to the score as Pett, Wright and Malcolm were all denied by fabulous blocks from Baker and twice from Josh Hill, with the second (being against Malcolm) a real class piece of defending.

The Mead thought they’d earned their own penalty late on when Tozer was upended, but the referee wasn’t interested and to prove it wasn’t the Mead’s skippers (or his sides) day came in the closing minutes when Rashid Kamara looked as though he’d played Tozer in but for the first time in the game, the ball actually sped up rather than slowing in the mud!

It really wasn’t Thamesmead’s day, but there isn’t time to stop and lick their wounds as on Tuesday they head to Hartsdown Park for their twice postponed Kent derby with Margate.

THAMESMEAD TOWN – Sam Mott, Jack Hopkins, Jay Porter, Junior Baker, Lewis Tozer, Josh Hill, Sean Roberts, Derek Duncan (Danny Phillips 78), Shamir Mullings, Tommy Whitnell (Chris Saunders 78), Simon Glover (Rashid Kamara 46)

Subs not used – Richard Butler and Rob Budd

WEALDSTONE – Jonathan North, James Hammond, Jerome Okimo, Thomas Hamblin, Sean Cronin, Elliott Godfrey Stefan Bailey 90), Michael Malcolm, Luke Pigden, Scott McGleish. Jonathan Wright (Mark Bentley 78), Tom Pett

Subs not used – Wes Parker, Jey Siva, Seb Schoburgh

Referee – Mr A Walters
Assistants – Mr I Gelov & Mr R Joss