Wellsford Athletic 2–1 Wigston FC: the interval effect

The first half was a long, shapeless argument in midfield. Wellsford are sixth, Wigston twelfth, and the seven-point gap felt smaller than the standings insist. At 0-0, the game had the tempo of a team meeting nobody wanted to call. Then, in the 42nd minute, Oscar Yarrow did something purposeful on the right and Dikeledi Ayodele-Olufemi finished it. Not a beautiful goal, but it arrived on the stroke of half-time, meaning Wigston had to spend the interval thinking about that. That is where games like this get decided.

Wigston actually responded. Joachim Sieverding, still warm from his goal against Wednesbury the previous day, equalised in the 61st minute from Quentin Astbury's pass, and for a while you thought they might be patient enough to leave with a draw. They had the better of the next twenty minutes, which tells you how flat Wellsford had gone. Then, in the 82nd minute, Wellsford remembered they were the home side and the sixth-best club in the division. Adriano Crialese released Femi Kabongo-Mukendi, Kabongo-Mukendi did the rest, and the away end's noise died like a kettle being unplugged.

Look, I reckon both teams have been wildly inconsistent this season, and on Wednesday they did it in the same ninety minutes, just at different times. Wellsford will take that. Wigston probably won't. Tomorrow brings the next matchday, and neither side has the luxury of dwelling. They will have to do it all again, which, honestly, is probably the best thing that could happen to them.