Get the lowdown on our next opponents: Wealdstone.
The Opposition
Looks may be deceiving, and Wealdstone will certainly fancy their chances despite their current league position. After all, it was only two games ago that they sat 11th in the division, which should they finish there, would be their highest ever league position in the National League.
Indeed, the Stones could consider themselves to be flying high under ‘new’ manager Sam Cox, who returned to Grosvenor Vale last summer to replace Neil Gibson, who in turn had led the club to survival last term despite the mid-season departure of Matt Taylor, who opted to join Solihull Moors in January 2025.
Nonetheless though, the North London-based side cemented their National League status for a fifth successive season – their longest stint in the fifth tier in their entire 126-year history – after first half goals from Jack Cook, Kallum Cesay and Mustapha Carayol sealed a 3-1 win over FC Halifax Town on the final day of the season, prompting wild celebrations and a pitch invasion at Grosvenor Vale.
The Royals have since gone on to enjoy a much-improved streak, perhaps their best since they finished 13th in 2022/23, being defeated just five times come December, with an unbeaten run of eight games (six in the league) propelling them closer towards the play-off places in November.
The form of Micah Obiero, Nathan Tshikuna, Dominic Hutchinson and former U Enzio Boldewijn have proved key to their midfield and attack continuously ticking over, with the foursome topping Wealdstone’s appearance charts this season, while goalkeeper Dante Baptiste comes in as a close fifth, with his consistency in between the sticks helping to ease the pressure within his backline.
Wealdstone have since suffered the wrath of the monster that is the National League in recent weeks though, with a recent string of one win in their last 12 league outings seeing them slip down to 16th, and they will be aiming to keep tabs on those above them as they look to beat their highest ever finish in the division, a feat that certainly seemed within their grasp not too long ago.
The Manager
Sam Cox
Former Tottenham Hotspur defensive midfielder Sam Cox has embarked on his second stint in the Grosvenor Vale dugout after returning to the club in the summer.
The 35-year old is still relatively new to management having retired from his playing career just two years ago, which brought an end to a 14-year playing career which began in North London.
After having trials at Watford and Arsenal, Cox joined Spurs’ Academy at the age of 15 and signed his first professional deal in 2009, before enjoying spells away on loan at Cheltenham Town, Histon and Torquay United during the 2009/10 season.
He made the permanent drop into the lower leagues just a year after signing professional terms with the Premier League side though, making the short move across North London to Barnet, before moving on loan to neighbours Boreham Wood in 2011. He was subsequently awarded the club’s Player of the Season award after contributing to the Wood’s highest ever league finish, and returned to Hertfordshire permanently after spending the 2012/13 season at Hayes & Yeading United.
He had been named Supporters’ Player of the Year award at the end of his only season at the Skyex Community Stadium, in which he was also Club Captain, before spending a further three years at Boreham Wood, captaining the club to promotion out of the Conference South for the first time, and was also named Chairman’s Player of the Season.
After making almost 100 appearances for the Wood, Cox departed Meadow Park to join Wealdstone, where he won the double of Supporters’ Club Player of the Year and Junior Stones Player of the Year, before beginning to transition into coaching with dual roles in charge of the Spurs’ youth team alongside his playing career.
Further stints at Hampton & Richmond Borough, Braintree Town and Welling United then saw the Guyana international close out his playing days in 2023, before returning to Grosvenor Vale the following year as First Team Coach, and was later named interim manager following the dismissal of David Noble.
After guiding the Stones to survival, he took on a brief role in charge of Oxford City, before returning to Wealdstone again in the summer, now in permanent charge.
One to Watch
Nathan Tshikuna
Nathan Tshikuna has continued his fine rise into a fully fledged National League player, and is currently Wealdstone’s top joint scorer after joining the club last summer.
The midfielder began working his way up the English football pyramid, including spells at the likes of Aylesbury United, Bedford Town and AFC Rushden & Diamonds before joining Tamworth in 2023.
Scoring nine goals in 42 appearances, Tshikuna was a key component of Tamworth’s 2023/24 National League North win, and he continued to impress for the Lambs, featuring and playing their well covered Emirates FA Cup Third Round fixture against Tottenham Hotspur before making the move to Eastleigh in February of 2024.
While brief, his time at the Silverlake Stadium brought a handful of appearances and a step into a full-time football, something which he has continued with a move to Wealdstone last summer, where he has scored five goals in 29 National League appearances.
Photo Credit: Sean Troup // IG: @stroup.pht
Recent Form
Wealdstone 0-3 York City
Altrincham 1-0 Wealdstone
Eastleigh 2-2 Wealdstone
Forest Green Rovers 0-3 Wealdstone
Wealdstone 1-0 Woking
Wealdstone 1-0 Dagenham & Redbridge
Last Time Out
Ten-man Wealdstone were defeated 0-3 by table toppers York City at Grosvenor Vale.
Second-half goals from Morgan Williams, Zak Johnson and Daniel Batty enabled the Minstermen to notch their sixth successive league victory.
The visitors started strongly, testing Wealdstone early through Ollie Pearce, but Dante Baptiste made several key saves to keep the scores level as the hosts matched ex-manager Stuart Maynard’s men in the early stages. Both sides created chances in a highly competitive first half, with Wealdstone going close from a corner and on the counter-attack, while York City threatened through Banks and Kitching, but despite multiple opportunities at both ends, neither team could break the deadlock before half time.
The Stones were reduced to ten-men when skipper Enzio Boldewijn was dubiously shown a second yellow card for a foul on Jeff King, shortly after Baptiste had thwarted Ollie Banks, and this changed the whole trajectory of the game. Banks had another sight of goal shortly before Nathan Tshikuna nearly produced a moment of magic against the odds, but, bolstered by their numerical advantage, the visitors duly took the lead in the 70th minute as Williams poked the ball home from close range.
York then doubled their lead with nine minutes remaining when Brookes’ long throw found Johnson, who guided the ball past Baptiste, and deep into stoppage time, the Minstermen trebled their advantage as Batty struck a peach of a goal from range that flew into the top corner in sixth minute of stoppage time.
