Report - Wealdstone FC Legends 1 - 3 QPR Legends
Wealdstone shared a day of celebration to club legends Gordon Bartlett and Leo Morris at Grosvenor Vale on Sunday afternoon against a formidable QPR Legends XI.
The R’s took an early lead courtesy of Tommy Smith but were pecked back in the second half by Scott McCubbin’s stunning strike.
It took two late goals from Dennis Oli and Scott McGleish in the last 10 minutes to award the Hoops the Bartlett & Morris Charity Shield.
The game was full of stars from the Bartlett and Morris era, including notable members of the 2014 Ryman League Champions squad, including 2014 Captain Wes Parker and current club Captain Jerome Okimo among others.
QPR Legends was assembled by Marc Bircham who fielded a strong side including current Wycombe Wanderers Manager Gareth Ainsworth, Martin Rowlands and winger Marcus Bean.
The game began with a frantic start by QPR who broke the deadlock after three minutes, a delightful corner from Ainsworth found its way to Steff Bailey at the back-post.
Bailey headed the ball down to Smith who made no mistake as he spontaneously fired the ball into the roof of the net to award the R’s an early lead.
Wealdstone looked to respond quickly and the Stones almost found an equaliser six minutes later when Lee Chappell’s left-footed free-kick was well handled by QPR ‘keeper Nick Culkin.
The R’s almost shot themselves in the foot in the 28th minute when QPR’s Terrel Forbes almost forced a Chappell cross into his own net, Forbes was fortunate to see the ball go behind for a corner.
McGleish, playing for Wealdstone in the first half, almost found a breakthrough for the home side four minutes later but his scissor-kick from Chappell’s cross flew off-target.
The Stones were easing their way back into the game and came flying forward again in the 35th minute, Elliott Godfrey laid the ball left for Peter Dean whose first-time curling effort flew high over the bar.
After 40 minutes the referee blew for the half-time interval, QPR started the much brighter side and took a deserved early lead.
As the half went on, Bartlett’s Wealdstone gained momentum and went looking for an equaliser which they were missing in the first 40-minute period.
Exciting former Wealdstone full-back Jey Siva was found at the back-post from a great McCubbin cross and done well to divert his shot on-target and force a good save out of Culkin 10 minutes into the second half.
The home side were really getting into the game at this point, in the 57th minute Chappell found Chris Moore who swivelled to shoot left-footed which deflected wide.
Wealdstone finally brought the game level 10 minutes later when Siva played a pass to the edge-of-the-box to McCubbin who drilled a beautiful low strike into the far corner.
The Stones were not level for long, Dennis Oli broke through on-goal and Stones goalkeeper Luke Woods could not do enough to stop the effort hitting the back of the net.
Oli got through again three minutes later after a one-two with McGleish, now playing for QPR, and tried an audacious first-time chip which went horribly wide.
Just two minutes remained of the 80-minute game and McGleish latched onto a Danny Shittu header to fire a strike against his old club to give the R’s a two-goal cushion.
All the money raised from the event, including admission, will go to the Wealdstone FC Foundation Trust and the QPR Trust.
The game was played with great spirit and Wealdstone FC would like to thank everyone that was involved with making the day a success for Gordon and Leo.
Wealdstone will return to Grosvenor Vale on Tuesday when the Colchester United first team visit for our fourth pre-season friendly ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Wealdstone: Bonfield (Woods, 65), Hammond (McCubbin, 40), Okimo (Siva, 40), Parker (Hamblin, 40), Cronin, Godfrey, Wright (Hammond, 71), Pigden (Bentley, 40), McGleish (Moore, 40), Dean, Chappell.
Report by Dec O'Reilly
All images by Steve Foster are available HERE