By Andrew Finch

Ollie Robinson headed the Moles into an early lead on his 100th appearance for the club the day after his 21st birthday.

Jake Beecroft drove through a crowd of players to equalise before fifteen minutes were on the clock, but Ben Dyett’s unfortunate own goal sealed it for the Moles deep into the second half.

Few would have predicted this would be a meeting of two sides in the top five when the fixtures were released, but both have taken to their new surroundings splendidly well following promotion from their respective Step 5 divisions last season.

The hosts will consider themselves unlucky to not take anything from a closely fought encounter that they had the better of for long periods, but that’s taking nothing away from a Molesey performance full of passion and character.

Reis Stanislaus forced Gary Ross into an early save as the Moles started brighter, and took the lead when Robinson headed home Craig Lewington’s corner for his sixth goal of the season.

The lead was short-lived, as Phil Page’s corner was only partially cleared and Beecroft finished smartly through a crowd of players from twelve yards.

Both sides continued to create chances, with James McShane and Staforde Palmer forcing saves from Ross, whilst a tremendous block from Ross Chalke denied Page at the other end.

The hosts were having the better of the possession, largely thanks to the slope and the wind, and the dangerous Matthew Briggs drove just past the post from a tight angle, whilst Tom Tolfrey shot wastefully over.

The impressive Jerome Beckles did as good a job as anyone this season on Molesey’s talismanic McShane, but the Messi of the Ryman League was still influential going forward and behind many of the Moles’ best moves. He drew a fine second half save from Ross after Wanderers had given the ball away.

The Moles were twice given let offs early in the second half, as first Page cut inside and hit the top of the bar, and then went outside and hit the underside.

It was a game of fine margins, and when Palmer and McShane combined to send Stanislaus clear the woodwork again favoured the Moles, as he rounded Ross and saw his shot hit the post and rebound off the knee of the unfortunate Dyett and end up in the back of the net.

Wanderers again nearly forced a quick equaliser, but Allen saved superbly to deny Briggs who was through one on one. Substitute Kev Terry then hit a couple of enticing balls across the six yard box that were just missed by team-mates.

A mini scramble saw Ross deny Stanislaus and then it was McShane’s turn to hit the underside of the bar as the Moles went hunting a third, and as the hosts chased the equaliser gaps opened up in their defence, with Stanislaus again being denied by Ross as he looked to capitalise on a wayward backpass.

It wasn’t Molesey’s most fluent performance of the season, and it certainly wasn’t the most emphatic, but it was perhaps the most significant given the quality of the opposition and the character they showed to earn the three points.

Their next fixture sees them leave the mainland for a midweek trip to Guernsey.