Wealdstone 3–2 Southend United
Tuesday, 2 September 2025 – National League at Grosvenor Vale
Attendance: 2,309
Wealdstone’s young side continued to show it’s mettle on Tuesday night in wet conditions at Grosvenor Vale as they saw off a strong Southend side tipped for National League promotion.
First half
Last season’s play-off final losers started the contest the brighter and Stones had Jack Cook to thank for hacking an early effort off the line. Wealdstone, however, grew into the game and deservedly took the lead in the 22nd minute when Enzio Boldewijn profited from a cross that Southend keeper Andeng-Ndi failed to claim. The goal sparked Southend into life and a loose Jack Cook pass was seized in midfield for Oliver Coker to supply summer signing Slavi Spasov. Spasov’s weak effort seemed to dribble towards goal for an easy claim for Baptiste but the Stones custodian could only watch as the ball agonisingly trickled through his grasp and despite his attempt to claw it off the line it crept in.
Second half
The second half saw Stones up the tempo once more and they came out firing. A foul in the area on Enzio Boldewijn in the 64th minute appeared to go unpunished until the linesman alerted the referee to the possibility of a foul. The ref finally pointed to the spot and a melee ensued on the touchline between the two coaches, Cox and Maher, with both getting sent off as a result. This upped the pressure on Adarkwa who had to wait the best part of four minutes from the penalty award to actually taking, and converting, the resultant spot kick.
Stones would be celebrating again a few minutes later when the industrious Dylan Kadji retrieved the ball near the touchline to feed Georgiou. Georgiou in turn crossed smartly for Nkrumah who pivoted to steer the ball across the six yard box for the waiting Adarkwa to slot his second and Stones third of the night.
Consolation was to come for Southend when Gus Scott-Morriss’s 84th minute free kick shot straight down the throat of Baptiste but squirmed beyond his grasp once more to give Southend hope. Baptiste put any lingering doubts about his confidence to one side and produced a couple of fine saves late on to ensure Stones held out for the 14-minutes added time (12 was originally allotted) and complete a famous victory.
Wealdstone: Baptiste, Cook, Woodman, Chinedu, Boldewijn(Diarra 88), Kadji (Tiensia 98), Massey, Georgiou(Hutchinson 88), Nkrumah (Obiero 79), Adarkwa (Mussa 98), Tshikuna.
