Step 4 football slipping away for Wisbech after home defeat
Wisbech Town 0,Sporting Khalsa 3
Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland Division
Ironically, it was a player named Miracle Okafor who scored the goal to seal defeat for Wisbech this afternoon and leave them needing a miracle of their own to avoid relegation.
Mathematically, they still have a chance of making April 30's relegation play-off, but realistically today's result has confined them to Step 5 football for the first time since 2018.
With Histon winning 3-2 at home to Loughborough Dynamo, the bottom-of-the-table Fenmen are now six points off the play-off place occupied by The Stutes, although they do visit their Cambridgeshire rivals on April 9, as well as playing second from bottom Soham on Bank Holiday Monday, April 18.
But Wisbech's other games are away at play-off certs Belper Town next Saturday and at home to title chasing pair Chasetown on Saturday 16th and Ilkeston Town on April 23.
To be fair, Allan Ross' men (read his post-match interview here) made a fist of it and looked the better team in the opening quarter, Sam Murphy heading over Layton Maddison's fourth minute corner and Maddison himself seeing a fierce volley saved by visiting keeper Sam Arnold after 17 minutes.
After 32 minutes Arnold came out and missed a long ball, Avi Vieira's headed flick on going just inches wide. But five minutes later, uncertainty in the home defence allowed Gurjit Singh too much time to control the ball and fire home.
The Fenmen could have drawn level within two minutes when a quick free kick from the left fell at the feet of striker Sam Bennett just 10 yards out, but he scuffed his shot and Arnold saved easily.
Wisbech dominated possession after the break but for all their effort and endeavour, there was little end product. Danny Draper headed over a 55th minute Maddison corner and Murphy saw a goal-bound drive blocked, while at the other end winger Sean Williams drove just wide.
With the home side pushing for an equaliser, Khalsa broke down the right and the ball was crossed for Okafor to sweep home in the 89th minute to seal the win. It was 3-0 deep into injury time as home keeper Luke Pearson came out and missed the ball, allowing James McGrady to roll it into the back of the net.
Wisbech Town (4-3-1-2,r-1): Pearson; Newman, Keeble, Wilson (C), Burkitt (Taylor 64 mins); Armond (Lukyamuzi 87), Murphy, Draper; Maddison; Bennett, Vieira (Opayinka 68). Subs (not used): McLeish, Adebayo.
Sporting Khalsa: Arnold, Franco, Singh, Fulloway, Robinson (C), Ferrier, Armstrong, Whittaker (Perks 85 mins), McKenzie (Okafor 69), McGrady, Williams (Tolley 73). Subs (not used): Birch, Okojie.
Booked: Singh (Sporting Khalsa) – foul.
Star man: Layton Maddison - gave his all in an unaccustomed number 10 role and never stopped running all afternoon.
Attendance: 190.
