Wanklyn - There's no need to panic

Published 26 Feb 2010 12:00 0 Comments

WOKINGHAM & Emmbrook boss Wayne Wanklyn insists he won't overreact to his side's stuttering form in recent weeks.

The Satsumas were in imperious form before Christmas as a 10-game winning run gave them a comfortable cushion at the top of Hellenic Division One (East).

But the league leaders have not had it all their own way since the unofficial mid-season break inflicted by the Arctic conditions.

That continued on Saturday as a Henley Town equaliser three minutes from time made it two draws and a defeat in their last five games and reduced their advantage at the top to a solitary point over Thame United.

Wanklyn admitted his side had not been at their best since getting back to action, but he believes they are still in good shape as they prepare for a Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup quarter-final clash with Faringdon Town on Saturday.

He said: "We have been stuttering a bit in recent weeks but it's important not to overreact to it.

"Since the break we have not got back to the football we were playing beforehand.

"But we are still in good shape - we're top of the league and in the last eight of two cup competitions - and sometimes you will have the odd sticky spell.

"Hopefully we will come through that soon and be on our way again."

Last weekend's derby clash with Henley featured arguably one of Wokingham's worst displays of the season.

Yet they were still only three minutes away from taking all three points from a top six outfit.

The Satsumas made the ideal start to the game as young front man Shane Cooper-Clark opened the scoring after five minutes with his 11th goal of the season.

However, Henley responded well and Brett Rann levelled things up in the 28th minute.

The hosts were still enjoying the best of the contest though and duly took a goal lead into the interval thanks to Neil Hanson's strike seven minutes before half-time.

Wokingham continued where they had left off and looked odds on to grab the crucial fourth goal of the contest.

But normally reliable top scorer Richard Bland fired a pair of glorious chances wide of the target, and it looked incresingly as though Wanklyn's men would pay for their profligacy as Henley hunted the equaliser in the final half hour.

It looked like the hosts might survive the pressure, but Rann then popped up with three minutes on the clock to drive home the equaliser.

And a disappointed Wanklyn said: "The management team had a meeting afterwards and everyone thought it felt like a defeat.

"At 2-1 we had a couple of absolutely glorious chances to get the third which would have put the game out of reach.

"It was a strange game because we were not in any trouble for the first hour and yet we were really hanging on at the end.

"We almost saw it through and got the win without playing well, but a point is not such a bad result - I've always said the most important thing is not to lose against the teams around you and that's what we did."

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This article appeared in Villager 25 Feb 10

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