By CHRISTINA GAGNE
WAKEFIELD — Last week, the Wakefield Warriors boys’ soccer team took on two Middlesex League rivals in a stretch that tested both their grit and technical skill. The result: a split decision—one hard-fought loss and one commanding win.
On Oct. 8, the Warriors hosted the Reading Rockets in what proved to be a tightly contested game from the opening whistle to the final minute. Despite creating several promising chances, Wakefield came up just short, falling 2-1 in regulation.
The match opened with a midfield battle as both sides struggled to establish control. Much of the early play remained between the boxes, with neither team generating clear chances. Senior captain Aidan Bligh set the tone defensively, tirelessly tracking back and breaking up Reading’s early build-up play. Alongside him, Aden Stevenson anchored the back line, repeatedly intercepting passes and clearing danger from the defensive third.
Reading earned a dangerous free kick midway through the first half, but Guy Revah was quick to close down and nullify the threat. Senior captain Nik Dhingra was another defensive standout, marking his man tightly and denying space in the final third. Behind them all, goalkeeper Kai Mercer was a wall — calmly collecting through balls and confidently handling the shots that did get through.
Wakefield nearly struck first when a ball played into the Reading box led to a collision between the keeper and Isaac Mello, earning the Warriors a penalty. Mhamed Boukataya stepped up and rifled a well-placed shot that was expertly saved by the Reading goalie. The rebound sparked chaos in the box, with Wakefield getting off multiple follow-up attempts, but the Rockets’ defense held firm.
The Warriors pressed on, earning a flurry of corners taken by Alex De Morais and Aodhan Hagan. Ryan Millward rose for a clean header off one of them, just missing the target by inches.
The breakthrough finally came when Danny Kidder surged past midfield and delivered a pinpoint cross into the danger area.
Melo timed his run perfectly, slipping between defenders and finishing the play with a composed strike to give Wakefield a 1-0 lead.
Reading responded with relentless pressure. Mercer continued to make crucial stops, but late in the first half, a loose ball bounced kindly for the Rockets, and a Reading forward capitalized with a tap-in to level the score.
Wakefield’s attack remained lively with De Morais, Mello, Revah, and Boukataya creating opportunities. Despite their attacking efforts, however, they couldn’t find a second goal.
Senior captain Matt Keefe was also a force throughout the game, orchestrating plays with smart distribution, firing his own shots, and blocking a key shot by Reading which likely would have resulted in an additional goal.
Early in the second half, Reading got that additional goal when a player slipped a shot past Mercer and into the far corner to give the opponents a 2-1 lead.
Wakefield nearly equalized late in the game. A sharp shot made by Keefe was deflected by the keeper, and Millward followed with a textbook header — only to be denied again by a solid save.
Several more corners gave the Warriors hope, including a close-range chance where Hagan nearly capitalized, but the final whistle came before Wakefield could level the score.
Two days later, the Warriors took on Wilmington and put on a clinical display, earning a 2-0 shutout while dominating both ends of the pitch.
From kickoff, Wakefield played with intensity and cohesion. Their passes were crisp, and their press relentless. Defensively, the back line was sharp, allowing Mercer to enjoy a quieter day between the sticks.
The opening goal came courtesy of a well-worked attack. Eddie Meneguello held up play just outside the six-yard box before feeding Boukataya, who slotted the ball home for a 1-0 lead.
Later in the match, the roles reversed. Boukataya fired a blistering shot that forced a save, and Meneguello was in the right place at the right time to bury the rebound and double Wakefield’s advantage.
Senior Aidan Bligh reflected on the team’s bounce-back performance.
“We see a lot of our success when we are positive and bringing each other up instead of blaming and complaining,” said the captain.
“We are also at our best when we are flying around pressing the ball intensely and moving it around with limited touches.”
With momentum back on their side, the Warriors hosted longtime rival Melrose last night and came away with a 3-1 win. A full story will appear at a later date. Wakefield was ranked No. 41 in the latest Div. 2 power rankings while Melrose was ranked No. 43.
With their eyes on climbing the standings, Wakefield will look to build on their recent wins and carry their sharp form into the second half of the season.
The Warriors travel to Lexington (10-2-2, No. 28 in D1) to play a strong Minutemen team tomorrow night, 6:30 p.m. at Lincoln Park.