WALSALL WOOD 4 - 0 SANDBACH UNITED

                            F.A. VASE  2ND ROUND PROPER

                 Titan Recruitment Stadium, Oak Park, Lichfield Rd,  

         Walsall, WS9 9NP     12th November 2022    3:00 pm kick-off

Today I have decided to watch the renowned cup fighters of Walsall Wood play against the North West Counties Div 1 visitors from Cheshire, Sandbach United. It's in the FA Vase, my favourite cup competition.

Walsall Wood managed to reach the Vase semi-final two seasons ago and no doubt, Wembley will be their target this season. They are going well in the League, topping the Midland Football Premier Division with just one defeat so far.

The weather forecast is a favourable one, with plenty of sunshine.

I have no troubles with my rail journeys to New Street and then Walsall stations and I have a meal in ,The Crossing', the retail section of St. Pauls church and then hop on to the No. 10 bus from the nearby bus station.   

It's only a 15 minute journey to Walsall Wood and the bus stop is in front of the ground. Soon I am paying my entrance fee and buying a match programme, which has a remembrance day cover.

I have plenty of time to get a cup of tea and then I wander over to the other side of the ground so as to have my back to the strong sunshine.

I start up a conversation with a fellow groundhopper who turns out to be an Arsenal fan from Welwyn Garden City and has come to watch this match before going Molyneux to watch Arsenal play in the evening Premiership game against Wolves.  

I spot a few Sandbach United supporters in the ground too.

The 2 teams come out on to the pitch with 'The Wood' in their usual all red strip while Sandbach are in their first team colours of blue & white striped shirts, blue shorts and socks.

There is an announcement about the recent passing of a great club servant called John Sylvester. He had helped the club many times over the years and was responsible for the printing of the teams match day programmes by his printing company and was a long standing club committee member. Then a minutes silence is duly observed to commemorate the fallen of the 2 World Wars and then play commences.

They home side are dictating the play and score the first goal after 9 minutes when Kevin Henagou scores from close in after receiving a pass from the right.

Some argy bargy takes place on the touch line after 18 minutes after a hefty challenge and several bookings are given out.

The home team are well on top and they go close again when Henaglou hits the post with another effort.

Right at the end of this half Walsall are awarded a penalty after their No.7 is brought down in the area by the Sandbach keeper, who then duly makes amends by saving the spot kick.

So it's 1-0 to Walsall Wood in what has been a tough, physical and sometimes feisty match so far. Although Sandbach play at a level below that of their hosts, they are certainly making them fight all the way.

Sandbach United who come from a small market town  of approximately 18,000 people in east Cheshire, were formed in 2004 after the merger of Sanbach Ramblers and Sandbach Albion. Last season saw their best effort in the FA Vase so far, when they reached the 3rd round proper and they currently hold 9th place in their division. 

When play resumes it's 'The Wood' who are pressing to double their lead and they go close when their No. 3 has a shot tipped over the bar.

They have a goal disallowed for offside on the hour before Sandbach have an effort saved by Wood keeper, Callum Smith.

Walsall Wood double their lead when that man Henaglou pounces again to head in a deep cross from the right at the far post. 

Smith makes another good save to deny the visitors getting back into this game before Hayden Purves surely puts this tie to bed with a break away goal, started with a cleared Sandbach corner that was rapidly moved down the pitch.

Sandbach have a header saved by Smith before Kaden May scores with a header just before the full time whistle is blown.

The visitors kept battling to the end but Walsall Wood have come out a worthy winners to get themselves in to the hat for the 3rd round draw for the 6th consecutive season!

This Monday evening I have found out that they have been drawn away to fellow MFL Premier side, Highgate United, who have been showing some good form recently.    

Match Attendance:                        102

Entrance Fee:                                 £6 (£4 concession)

Match Programme:                       £2                       

Match Entertainment:                  7.5/10  

CADBURY ATHLETIC 3 - 1 KNOWLE

 

    MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO

Cadbury Recreation Ground, Bournville Lane, Birmingham, B30 2HP

                 5th November, 2022                 2:00 pm Kick-Off  

So the rail strike has been called off but not in time for most services today to be disrupted. This has helped to make me make a decision to go to a venue that will be easy to reach by local bus and I have plumped for the MFL Div 2, top of the table clash in the 'village' of Bournville, between 3rd placed Cadbury Athletic v 2nd placed and unbeaten Knowle F.C.

It's also a good excuse to visit this unusual ground set in beautiful surroundings.

I initially have trouble getting a No.1 bus from Acocks Green as the one I wanted doesn't show up, so I have to wait another 15 minutes for the next one. I then get off opposite the Edgbaston Cricket Ground, walk round the corner on to the Pershore Road and catch the No.5 to Stirchley, where I find my planned meal stop at the Bournville Cafe is not possible as this establishment is not open, or even closed for good?

As I'm pushed for time, I grab a coffee at another cafe, (which doesn't serve food) and then walk in to Bournville, buy some cheap chicken sandwiches at a local corner shop and eat them on the way to the ground.

I make it to the ground with 20 minutes before kick-off, pay my entrance fee and buy a programme, which is quite unusual and welcome for this level. I'm even able to buy a welcome cheese roll at the tea bar at the bottom of the magnificent Pavilion building, which is the headquarters of the football and cricket teams.

I take up a position at the opposite end to the pavilion, with the factory building and team dug-outs on my left and the rest of the playing fields to my right.

Unfortunately the kick-off is delayed to 2:15 pm due to the match officials for some reason arriving late to the ground.    

Cadbury troop out on to the turf, in their usual purple shirts, white shorts and purple socks while Knowle are also in their first team colours of red shirts, black shorts and socks.

I had made a mental pre-match prediction of a 1-1 draw, given that Knowle have the meanest defence in this division and they take an early lead, when they are awarded a free kick on the right, the shot hits the right hand post, comes out to the Knowle No.6 who hits a goal bound shot and is deflected off a Cadbury defender in to the right hand corner of the net.

After this set back, the 'Chocolate Men' begin to take control of the game. After mounting pressure, a cross comes in from the right and is headed in by their lively No.11 after 21 minutes.

It's no surprise when goal number number 2 arrives when the Knowle keeper, Craig Johnson, is beaten by a shot across the goal from the left.

Johnson then does well to make a save from an incoming header but it proves to be a short reprieve, when in the 32nd minute he comes out to block the Cadbury N0.9, Tom Craine, only to see the ball rebound off him to the oncoming Jeson Dinanga to slot the ball home.

So my pre-match prediction has been destroyed by a 'purple patch' of 12 minutes play by last seasons champions, Cadbury Athletic, who take this 2 goal lead into at the interval. 

I have a cup of Cadbury's hot chocolate and wonder if there will be any more goals in the second period?

I think this ground is a haven for ground hoppers as I have met 3 today. I get talking to one guy who has managed to travel by train from Coventry. He originally comes from Barnet in North London and we reminisce about grounds we have visited in the past and also music concerts. It turns out that he is going to watch the old 70's punk band 'The Damned' this evening.

Also there is a guy from Leicester, taking photos for a website (called 'Football Grounds In Focus') about football grounds around the country and abroad too, which is worth checking out.

The second half of this game sees Cadbury Athletic largely content to keep the visitors at bay. 

Knowle's stand out player today is undoubtedly their No.10, Reece Hewitt, who has shown great skill and energy in his efforts to rally his team (as shown below).

 Knowle do go close late on in the game to getting a second goal when a header hits the base of a post and out.

The match ends in a well deserved win for the home team, who by courtesy of a surprising slip-up at home by the league leaders, Sutton United (1-2 losers v Inkberrow), duly take over Knowle in second place and 2 points behind Sutton. 

Knowle drop to 4th place on goal difference from Alcester Town. The top 7 teams are only seperated by 7 points, so this bodes well for a possible tight title race this season.

It's been good to visit this ground (one of my favourites) again and I might make another visit, possibly for a cup match, in the next few months.

Match Attendance:                     75

Entrance Fee:                              £5 (£3 concession)

Match Programme:                    £ 1.50

Entertainment Value:                7.5/10  

  

 

   

WOLVERHAMPTON SPORTING 2 - 3 HINCKLEY AFC

 

     MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE

                 Pride Park, Hazel Lane, Great Wyrley, WS6 6AA

                     29th October 2022         3:00 pm Kick-Off

Today is the last day of British Summer Time and to make the most of this I am going to a 3pm kick-off. I had toyed with the idea of going to see the FA Trophy match at Hednesford who are playing Stourbridge but instead I am saving a bit of money by going to watch Wolves Sporting who are at home against Hinckley AFC.

This will be my 2nd visit to Pride Park, after having watched a West Midlands League match last season when Norton Canes FC were ground sharing there. I'm not sure what's happened to that club now? Folded maybe?

After some early rain, the forecast is a good one. Cloudy with sunny intervals with the temperature possibly hitting 18 degrees C.

I make my way by train to Walsall, have a good value meal of fish & chips at the Tesco cafe and then take the train to Landywood, which is the station before Cannock.   

It takes me a leisurely 20 minutes walk to get to the ground and this gives me time to buy a cup of tea at 'Wolfies Bar' which lies at the top of a flight of steps in the building which houses the changing rooms below. 

Unfortunately there are no programmes for sale, just like when I saw Paget Rangers a few weeks ago. The trouble is for clubs with usually low attendances, it's probably not worth their while and expensive to print too. I later find the team line-ups on a print out and pinned up near the entrance.

When the teams venture out on to the pitch they are both in their first team colours, Wolves Sporting in orange shirts, black shorts and socks while Hinckley AFC are decked out in red shirts, blue shorts and red socks.

It's the home team that start the brighter, with their No.11, Luke Francis put through on the left and he has his close range shot blocked by keeper, Brandon Bache.

The warning signs are not heeded though by the AFC defence as the same player is put through again a few minutes later and this time he makes no mistake with a placed shot going just inside the right hand post.

Hinckley are trying to get in to the game but their attacking efforts are generally being snuffed out by the Sporting defence before they can get close to their goal. 

Disaster strikes for the visitors when a calamitous defensive error leaves the Wolves Sporting No.9, Arman Khoshkoo with the simple task of placing the ball into an empty net after Brandon Bache had raced out of his goal after 30 minutes.

Unfortunately the visitors suffered some more bad luck just before the end of this half when their No.3, Jeremie Agholor is clattered by Sporting's Callum Wood at the other end of the pitch to me and so I don't have a good view of the incident. I only know that the Hinckley fans are displeased by this.

He is escorted limping gingerly off the pitch at half-time, a sad sight indeed! 

So Wolves Sporting are very much in the driving seat and what will Hinckley do to shake things up?

I see that there is still work being done to this ground. When I came here last season I was told that drainage work had been done and I can see that the labour is being carried out by a few volunteers on an ongoing basis.

I had seen 2 photos on the club website yesterday of the ground in 2014, presumably when it was bought. It was a sorry sight and has been well renovated since then.

The second half gets under way and Hinckley are putting more effort in to their game. The pep talk by the manager seems to have lifted them and just 7 minutes in their No.9, Chandler Pegg, has scored. I think that he previously played for the MFL Premier outfit, Lichfield City. A good acquisition!

8 minutes later and the visitors have equalised, courtesy of a penalty scored by their No.8, Lewis Collins, after Pegg is brought down in the area by Sporting defender, Ellis Jones.

  We have a real game on our hands now and both teams are going for the 3 points although the momentum seems to be in Hinckley's favour, courtesy of their vocal loyal band of supporters.

Both teams fashion chances and it's the visitors who score the next goal, when following good work by that man Pegg on the left of the Sporting goal, the ball is played in to Jack Edwards who shoots past home keeper Ben Wood. You could almost feel the ball being sucked into the net by the Hinckley supporters standing behind that goal!

    This sparks a big celebration with the some of the players and jubilant supporters.

This proves to be the winning goal despite some late pressure by Wolverhampton Sporting. A fitting finale for a memorable fight back by the visitors and the match has been a great showcase for Non-League football, a testament to both the competing teams today.

I had a feeling that this match would be a good one to watch with both sides having similar league positions. Hinckley are now in the play-off places and later I find out that the top 3 teams all lost today.

Wolves Sporting are in 9th spot and no doubt will be looking to build up a good run of results to get further up the table.

Entrance Fee:                   £6 (£4 concession)

Match Attendance:          38 (0fficial figure)  Approx 50 (head count)

Match Programme:         none available

Entertainment Value:     8.5/10 

LYE TOWN 8 - 0 NORTHAMPTON SILEBY RANGERS

 

                F.A. VASE, FIRST ROUND PROPER

                Sports Ground, Stourbridge Road, Lye,  DY9 7DH

                     22nd October 2022           3:00 pm Kick-Off 

I have decided to go to a FA Vase cup tie today and the one that I am going to is taking place at a club that I last visited in October 2014. Again it was a match in the FA Vase and it was between the Black Country team of Lye Town v Pegasus Juniors (now Hereford Pegasus), which ended in a 2-1 victory for the visitors.  

The weather forecast is a good one with mainly sunny spells and little chance of rain.

I take the train from my local station at Acocks Green in Birmingham whose destination is Kidderminster but I get off at the penultimate stop at Stourbridge. I have time for a meal and a quick look round some of the shops before catching the No.9 bus from the nearby bus station and then a few minutes later I get off the bus near Lye town centre.

I walk up the road to Lye Cross and turning left at the traffic lights I come across a memorial (in the shape of a film-strip) commemorating Lye's most famous son, the star of stage, movies and later television, Sir Cedric Hardwicke.

Some of his most famous Hollywood films were ' The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1939) and 'The Ghost of Frankenstein' (1942).

Lye is a small Black Country town of approximately 12,000 people and it grew in size from a village during the Industrial Revolution with the manufacturing of goods such as nails, anvils, chains etc.

I passed the entrance of Lye Town's ground on my way up here and I just have to re-trace my steps and cross the road to get there.

As you can see, the same sports ground is shared by the local cricket club, a similar situation to that of nearby Stourbridge. I walk through the car park the club house is to my right and the turnstile entrance is in front. I had emailed the Club Secretary, Paul Roberts, yesterday about my impending visit and taking photos for my blog and he got back to me a bit later, informing me that yes it's OK for me to take photos and that I would be allowed to get in free!

What an unexpected and nice gesture. 

Unfortunately there are no programmes for sale.

I get myself a cuppa, buy some raffle tickets and take my place at the side of the seated stand, which takes up a third of the side of the ground opposite the side which borders the cricket ground. At the one end of the ground nearest the entrance, there is another stand for standing spectators and the opposite end has a grass bank behind. A few younger spectators are going to be watching the game from there.

The teams come out and Lye Town are in their usual all-blue strip while the visitors of Northampton Sileby Rangers are in their first team strip of red and black striped shirts, black shorts and socks. They play in the 1st division of the Spartan South Midlands League (Step 6) while Lye Town are a Step 5 side from the MFL Premier Division.

It's the home side who come rushing out of the blocks and virtually have this tie sealed in the first 10 minutes! Firstly, Northampton don't clear their lines properly and the ball falls nicely for Lye's No.9, Josh Hessom to hit the ball straight in to the left hand corner of the net.

Next, Lye Town are awarded a free kick for a needless push in the back of one of their forwards and Ben Billingham, the captain and former Stourbridge player, steps up to score with a great free kick which arcs over the wall and nestles in to the bottom right hand corner, despite the scrambling efforts of the keeper.

 

Just a minute later and it's goal number 3 after Lye's No.5 Matt Aston scores with a flicked header.

This is most unexpected and before 'The Rangers' can get back in to this game, Hessom scores a beauty from a shot with the outside of his boot after 24 minutes.

Ben Billingham next turns provider with a flighted ball for No.8, Joe Palmer to run on to and shoot past the Rangers keeper, Dan Smith and the same player scores the sixth and final goal of this half after 34 minutes.  

So the first half comes to an end and 'The Flyers' of Lye Town are certainly living up to their nickname, with this flying start. Northampton must be wondering what's hit them and it's certainly a damage limitation job for them now.

I get talking to a groundhopper from Newcastle-Under-Lyme and it's the first time he's been to this ground. He tells me that he even goes abroad to watch games, especially in Spain.

Before this game started I had talked to a guy who turns out to be Ben Billingham's dad and he said he's been watching him play since he was 8 years old. He must be feeling a proud father today.

In the second half, to their credit the shell shocked visitors try their best to get in to the game but without really testing Ben Newey in the Lye Town goal.

After 15 minutes, the home side add to their tally when their No.6, Sam Hall, heads in from a corner.

 Josh Heesom gets his hat-trick goal when his shot is parried by the keeper but not enough to keep it going in to the net.

In the last minute they 'The Flyers' have a good chance to make it 9 following a good move down the left but when the ball is played inside to the advancing No. 3, Jason Chilton, he slices his shot wide.

The final whistle blows and the visitors escape any further punishment. They were unlucky to find Lye Town in such fine form and have kept trying to play good football.

It will be interesting to see who Lye Town draw in the 2nd Round and they will also want to improve their current league position of 14th place. Their opponents today though currently lie in 3rd position in their league competition and will be mainly concentrating on promotion.

Match Attendance:            94

Entrance Fee:                     Free 

Match Programme:           none available

Match Entertainment:      7.5/10   

 

 

DROITWICH SPA U-21 4 - 5 STOURBRIDGE U-21

 

    MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, U-21 DIV (WEST)

       King George V Playing Fields, Briar Mill, Droitwich, WR9 0RZ

                  15th October 2022                   10:30am Kick-Off

As I will be out this evening in Birmingham, I have decided to go for an early kick-off and what better match than the top of the table Under 21 clash between Droitwich Spa (2nd) v Stourbridge (first)?

Also it's an opportunity for my first visit to Droitwich's new/re-developed ground. I have heard good reports about it and the first team have been pulling in very good sized crowds there too.

Weather wise it's a gorgeous sunny Autumn day as I make my way to my local railway station at Spring Road and I'm taking the 8:53 am train for Droitwich. It's on time and there's plenty of room too as you'd expect at this time on a Saturday.

Later on when we have passed through Stourbridge I look at and appreciate the beautiful countryside of my home county of Worcestershire, with a view of the Clee Hills (I guess) in the distance.

I like Droitwich Spa with it's old buildings in the town centre, the canals and nice parks too. It's a place that I always enjoyed visiting when I lived in nearby Worcester.

I have time to grab a coffee at a cafe close to the railway station and then make my way to the ground through a housing estate and soon I am walking on a path by the rustling reed beds of the canal. I find the footbridge which takes me to the other side and there are some football pitches close by and then there is the new 3G pitch of Droitwich Spa FC and just beyond it lies the newly built ground of the first team.

  The entrance is close at hand and I go through the open gate in the perimeter fence and pay my entrance fee to Mark Roberts who is the Secretary of the Under 21 side.

He tells me that the Droitwich Youth set-up is not actually part of Droitwich Spa FC but is affiliated to it and use their facilities, while the Under-21 team is the entrance point to the first team.

I make my way to the left of the entrance and decide to start the game at this end of the ground, especially as the sun is shining over my shoulder.

On the right hand side of the pitch looking down is a seated stand, which I think can hold 100 spectators and on the opposite side are located the team dug-outs.

Before the game starts I have time to have a quick chat to Matt Mason who is the main photographer of the football club. He tells me that he's going to be busy today, as he's been asked to umpire a ladies hockey match at the nearby club before this game finishes and he's also been asked to play in a football game too this afternoon.

The 2 teams come out with Droitwich in their usual colours of red & black striped shirts, white shorts and red, black & white socks. The visitors are in their change strip of all blue.

It's the home team who are pressing strongly for the first 10 minutes of this game, especially down the left, with their No.9, Louis Mitchell proving to be a handful and he has a shot saved by the keeper.

  After this early scare, Stourbridge are starting to get more into this match and in the 17th minute take the lead, with a shot by their No.10 I think, from the edge of the penalty area.   

The visitors are starting to dominate the game now and in the 31st minute they double their lead, when from an attack down the right, the ball is passed inside for one of their players to neatly flick the ball into the net.

Just 4 minutes later, the Stourbridge No.8 is left unmarked at a corner from the left to plant a header into the goal.

Droitwich Spa unexpectedly reply a minute later, when their is a mix-up between the visitors keeper and a defender, allowing Louis Mitchell with an open goal and he duly scores.

  Unfortunately for Droitwich, this is just a small respite as in the 42nd minute, following a cleared Droitwich free kick, the ball is quickly moved downfield for their No.10 to slot the ball home.

The scoreline is made more unreal when in injury time the live-wire Stourbridge No.7 shoots past the home keeper in to the right hand corner.

'The Spa' are trailing 1-5 at half-time and now they need to re-group and somehow restore some pride in the next 45 minutes. Stourbridge on the other hand must be wondering, by how much can they improve their goal difference today?

During the latter part of the first-half I have been talking to a guy, who is watching his sons play in the Stourbridge side and he is originally from Cyprus. They are Kyri and Michael Kourouyianni and Kyri is the captain too. He also tells me that his eldest son plays for Tividale and he scored a goal last week in their win at Worcester City. Quite a family football dynasty in the making there!

When play resumes, a defensive mistake on the right lets in the Stourbridge No.7 who shoots in to the side netting.

Droitwich respond in the 57th minute when their No.5's header clips the top of the bar from a free kick.

They go close again when one of their players pushes the ball past the keeper but his shot is blocked by a defender and I wonder if a penalty should have been awarded as it looks as if it struck him on the arm.

They are eventually rewarded when they get a penalty in the 70th minute and their No.6 places it into the left hand corner of the goal.

Although Droitwich are much more in the game now, Stourbridge still look dangerous on the break, especially down the right.

        (Spa captain, Aston Amies, snuffs out this Stourbridge attack)

2 more chances are created for the home side but not converted before they are awarded another penalty for a hand ball in the area.

 This is converted and then in injury time they score again when the ball is taken round the keeper and slotted home for the 4th goal.

       (Droitwich keeper, Dominic Rogertson safely gathers the ball)

Droitwich Spa have run out of time though and Stourbridge come away with the 3 points that they nearly messed up.

A spirited come back by The Spa and they must surely rue their first half defensive lapses. Stourbridge keep their 100% record and must be the hot favourites to win this division.  

It's good to have finally made it to this new ground and next Tuesday it will be hosting the much awaited local derby between Droitwich Spa and Worcester City in the First Round of the Worcestershire Senior Cup. That could see yet another record attendance.

This redeveloped ground is certainly an improvement to what was here before and the sloping pitch is a thing of the past. The grass pitch apparently had been a bit threadbare at the start of the season when there had not been much rain but it's certainly looking good now.

Entrance Fee:                       £3

Programme:                          none available

Match Attendance:              40 (approximately)

Match Entertainment:        7.5/10

PAGET RANGERS 1-1 DUDLEY TOWN

 

     MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE

           Central Ground, Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1NL

                         8th October 2022,    3pm Kick-Off

There is another rail strike on today and following my last weeks bus journey back home, I have decided to make sure that I will not be going through the city centre this time.

Travelling back from Darlaston had been fine until I got to the centre of Birmingham and then realised that the traffic was so bad that nothing was moving by Moor Street rail station for the five minutes I was waiting for the No.4 bus back to Acocks Green. I decided to start walking, which I did for most of the way (with a 20 minute meal stop), until I finally managed to get a bus for the last mile and ended up getting back at 9pm!

So today I am going to Sutton Coldfield via Erdington to watch the leaders of the Midland League Div One, Dudley Town in their away match at Paget Rangers who ground share with their landlords, Sutton Coldfield Town at Coles Lane.

It promises to be an intriguing clash as Paget have a good home record while Dudley are proving to be a handful both home and away.

It's a glorious day of sunshine with temperatures around the 15-16 C mark.

I take the 11A bus to Erdington without any problems, have time for a light meal at a local cafe and then catch one of the several buses that go to nearby Sutton Coldfield.

I have got to the Central Ground 20 minutes before kick-off, pay my entrance fee and have time for a leisurely cup of tea. 

For a match like this, it's looking to be a disappointing turn out, although I do know that Paget these days don't have a large following.

Both teams in the past have enjoyed brief stints in the Southern League and now ground share with other clubs who have artificial pitches (Dudley Town at Sporting Khalsa).

When the teams come out, 'The Bears' of Paget Rangers are attired in their usual colours of yellow & black striped shirts, black shorts & yellow socks while 'The Robins' of Dudley Town are wearing their first team strip of red shirts, white shorts and black socks. 

The visitors are using their pressing game to good effect in this half, being awarded several free kicks and winning plenty of corners too.

Dudley's No.11, Harry Crook cuts the ball back from the right for No.8,Todd Sherwood to volley wide of the left hand post and then Crook goes close with a free kick which skims the top of the cross bar.

In the 18th minute the home side spring to life when they break away and their lanky No.9, Szhem Whyte-Hall has his shot easily saved by the Dudley keeper.

The visitors next go close when their No.6, Owen Massey, heads just over the bar from a corner.

Dudley's failure to make their dominance count comes back to haunt them in the 38th minute, when Whyte-Hall makes a good run down the right. His attempted lob deflects off the Dudley Town No.5 who'd turned his back and the ball loops up, hits the cross bar and comes down for The Bears No.7, Tim Oyanda, lurking near the far post, to volley in the ball with his outstretched right foot (a la Erling Haaland).  

So the home side, who have battled well despite not seeing much of the ball, unexpectedly go in to the break with a goal lead and it promises to be an interesting second half in this tightly fought contest. 

The Dudley Town fans move down to the far end where their team will be attacking and they have been very quiet in the first half. There must be about 20-30 of them.

When play resumes they become more vocal and their efforts lift their team to push harder for a goal.

The Robins go very close in the 56th minute, when they have an in-swinging  corner delivered from the right and the ball ends up just going wide of the far post. 

However a few minutes later, the dangerous Harry Crook is put through again on the right and an over eager Paget defender takes his legs away from him for them to be awarded a penalty, which is scored by Owen Massey, much to the delight of the nearby Dudley Town fans. 

Paget Rangers are definitely not out of this contest yet and their No.11, Harry Jackson, fires in a fierce shot which stings the hands of Ethan Hawkes in the visitors goal.

Then in the closing minutes, both sides have great opportunities to get the winning goal. Firstly, Dudley Town's Harry Crook cuts the ball back in to the penalty area for their No.9 to fire wide when it might have been easier to score and then a Paget forward bursts through on goal only to blaze the ball way over the bar.

That's how the score stays when the ref blows his whistle for the end of a match, which was a credit to both teams.

Dudley Town stay on top despite this draw, with Bilston Town cutting down the gap to just one point after their hard fought 1-0 win over Smethwick Rangers and Leicestershire's Ashby Ivanhoe are just one point behind them in 3rd spot.

Paget Rangers are lying in 10th place and maybe fancy finishing in the top 5 or 6 if they improve their away form? 

 

Entrance Fee:                 £6 (£4 concession)  

Match Programme:       none available

Match Attendance:        70

Entertainment Value:    8.5/10           

   

DARLASTON TOWN 0 - 1 BEWDLEY TOWN

 

     MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE

       The Paycare Stadium, Bentley Road North, Walsall, WS2 0EA

                           1st October 2022,   3:00 pm Kick-Off

With yet another rail strike on this Saturday, I decide to be adventurous and visit a new ground for me, The Paycare Stadium home of the newly promoted club, Darlaston Town. They have been on my radar for some time now.

I work out on Friday evening that I can take the faster bus up to Walsall, the X51 from Birmingham city centre and then the short ride west on the Number 529. 

I get to Walsall a bit later than planned as there was confusion where the X51 bus actually started from. After missing 2 buses I managed to figure which was the correct bus stop, no thanks to the Traveline West Midlands website though.

I have enough time to have a good meal and a bit of window shopping before hopping on to the 529 bus that drops me of on the Wolverhampton Road ten minutes later. 

Then just as I turn into Bentley Road North, a car stops on the other side of the road and the driver shouts across to me 'Are you John?' Even though my name is Jonathan, a lot of people call me 'Jon', so I answer 'yes' and call back 'Are you Simon?' The reason for my question is that I emailed the Darlaston Town secretary, called Simon Cox, the previous day, asking about the availability of club programmes and badges.

He answers 'yes' and tells me to hop in to his car and he will take me to the ground. I'm thinking this is a really good and unexpected service but when we get to the ground entrance he carries on driving. I just think that there must be another entrance nearby but confusingly he soon turns off to the right for the AFC Bentley ground. I tell him that I am going to see Darlaston and he realises he's made a mistake as he'd thought that I was one of the match officials for the game taking place at this ground. We have a laugh about the situation and he kindly takes me back to the Darlaston Town entrance and drops me off there.

I find out when I relate this story to a fellow spectator later on, he tells me that before the kick-off that he thought he heard that there was found to be an extra linesman at the ground. If so I hope he made it in time for the start of the AFC Bentley game!

I walk through the car park, pay my entrance fee and get a programme too, while being told that there are metal badges for sale at the bar. I go in to the club house and there are plenty of people in here, with the Arsenal v Spurs derby highlights being shown on TV.

I buy a cup of tea,  a club badge (£4) and sit down at a nearby table and a bit later on, a guy comes along handing out neatly printed team-sheets for anyone needing one. A very nice touch!

Later I go out and take up a position by the side of the goal that's nearest the entrance. To my left are the changing rooms and the club house, with the team dug-outs in front. A bit further up is a small stand with seating for 50 spectators.

There is another small stand on the opposite side of the ground but just for standing spectators.

The teams come out with 'Darlo' in their home strip of blue & white striped shirts, blue shorts & socks. The visitors are in their change strip of lime green shirts, black shorts & socks.

It's Darlaston who go close to scoring first when from a free kick on the left the ball is crossed over to the far post where a Darlo hits a shot on the valley that goes across the goal and just past the wrong side of the post. 

Although Darlaston are mainly on top for the first 10-15 minutes, Bewdley start to get in to the game more and more in the first half. Darlaston go close again after 25 minutes when the lively Ryan Winwood passes to a fellow forward who sees his shot hit the stanchion and out.

When I move up to the far end of the ground, I get talking to another photographer who turns out to be the Club Secretary, Simon Cox. He is well kitted out with 2 of the latest Canon camera bodies with top notch looking lenses attached and a sturdy tripod too. Nice set-up!

He makes a comment about it not being the best of games and I have to agree. There is plenty of effort but it's just too frenetic with not many chances being created.

So it's no surprise when half-time arrives and it's still 0-0.

Darlaston Town, might be a new club but their forbears, the old Darlaston team had been founded in 1874! So they have a proud history. It's good to see them settled at this neat looking ground after having to ground share before after they had reformed the club for the 2014-15 season.

When play resumes, a Bewdley player finds himself in a one on one encounter with the Darlo keeper, Joe Sidaway who is able to block his shot.

Just 6 minutes later and Sidaway makes a clearance just from underneath the cross-bar from a Bewdley corner.

Defences are remaining on top and I think that the longer this game goes on, then the first team to score will probably win it.

Just a few minutes later and Bewdley Town's, No. 10, breaks through to push the ball past Sidaway.

 That goal had been coming from the visitors mounting pressure in this half but Darlaston are not going to lie down that easily.

They pile bodies forward in a bid to score an equaliser but the Bewdley defence manages to hold firm and take away the 3 points.

It's been good to finally visit Darlaston Town's ground. They are a friendly well run club who are certainly looking to put their team on the map. It's just a shame I have caught them on an off-day today.

They have come a long way since the first and last time I saw them in December 2014 at a muddy Bartley Green, where they won 3-2.

Bewdley Town look to have improved from last season, when they made a last minute escape from relegation. Hell, they won 0-3 at Worcester City recently, hastening the resignation of the then manager Tim Harris, who had guided them to a very respectable 4th spot in the last campaign.

 

Match Attendance:                 128

Entrance Fee:                          £6 (£4 concession)

Match Programme:                £2

Entertainment Value:            6/10