Casuals rue missed chances as Wulfrunians take theirs.

       ⚽Midland Football League Premier Div⚽

AFC Wulfrunians 3  Wolverhampton Casuals 0

                                                                                               Played at Prestige Arena

A bugler played The Last Post and a two minutes silence was impeccably observed, in memory of the Fallen. A nice touch from Wulfrunians was the Poppy imprinting around the touch-line.

 

The emphatic scoreline doesn't tell the true story of this game ; Casuals were always in this 100 mph game. The visitors often dominated but were unable to capitalise on there territorial advantage. Time and again they would smoothly negotiate their way through midfield with some smart passing only to run out of ideas where it mattered ; indeed two early one-on-ones where a goal appeared certain, were the perfect examples of chances being scorned. Wulfrunians, on the other hand, were able to absorb all that was thrown at them and break at speed and there was always someone in the right place ready to pounce. The hosts went ahead on 23 minutes when their number 9 fired home⚽. 

After the break, it was all Casuals but as already stated, dominating possession is all well and good but there has to be an end product. Wulfrunians increased their advantage on 72 minutes after a breakaway, emphasising the difference in front of goal⚽. This did not deter Casuals and they continued to press, but nothing came from any of their efforts. The game was put out of their reach on 85 minutes. A free kick on the left was floated into the 6 yard box and Wulfrunians number 14 was quickest to react, heading  beyond the keepers reach⚽.

Fair play to the hosts for taking their chances but Casuals must be kicking themselves after having lots of possession and nothing to show for it. 

Entrance ; £4 concession

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Att ; 100 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

Bilbrook keep in touch with the leaders.

               ⚽West Midlands Regional League Div1⚽

Bilbrook FC  3  Punjab United 1

This was a decent game with hosts,#Bilbrook needing the three points to keep on the coat-tails of the leaders and visitors #PunjabUnited hoping to advance their table position.

The visitors were straight out of the blocks, taking the game to Bilbrook whose defence were standing firm,that is until the half-hour mark, their keeper,receiving a back pass, shanked it and in doing so, put it on a plate for the Utd number 7 to tap into an empty net⚽ ; red faces all around. 

Ten minutes after the break the hosts were level. A long corner to the far post was lofted back in ,leaving the forward with an easy header into an empty net⚽. Less than 10 minutes later Bilbrook increased their lead with a right thunderbastard,giving the keeper no chance⚽.

Punjab were having plenty of possession but were not really threatening the home goal and it was the hosts who were upping the pace. Minutes from the end Bilbrook put the game to bed with a third ; a simple ball in from the left leaving the forward with a tap-in⚽.

As stated at the start, it was a good game with Punjab giving their all but Juniors were well worth their win.

Entrance ; £1 concession !!!

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Crowd ; 45est

Entertainment ; 9/10

High-Flying Lichfield survive a tough time at Tividale

      ⚽Midland Football League Premier Div⚽

Tividale 3  Lichfield City 3

Table-toppers Lichfield arrived at The Beeches with a 24 point advantage over their hosts having lost just twice ; it counted for nothing as hard-working Tivi took the game to them and for long periods, there was not an ounce of difference in the two teams.

Tividales hard work paid off on 32 minutes with a peach of a goal when a 20+ yards shot went straight and true into the top RH corner giving the keeper no chance⚽. The highlight of the first half was undoubtedly the number of 'meaty' tackles on display,with most coming from the hosts but this wasn't a dirty game. 

City equalised in the 63rd minute with a fine low drive into the far RH corner⚽. Game on ! Tividale were not to be denied and less than 5 minutes later they were ahead again with a clever goal from their number 5⚽. City were finding the Tivi corners difficult to deal with and this was highlighted on 77 minutes as they conceded again following a corner⚽. The visitors showed their true colours by scoring in the 86th minute⚽ and rescuing a draw with seconds of the game remaining⚽.

This really was an absorbing contest with Tividale refusing to be overawed by their high-flying visitors who,when the chips were down, showed why the lead the table. 

Entrance ; £5 concession

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Att ; 100 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

Wolves Casuals and Uttoxeter Town in a Blood and Thunder encounter.

      ⚽Midland Football League  Premier Div⚽

Wolves Casuals 2  Uttoxeter Town 1

                                                                                                                 Played at Brinsford Stadium

These two teams may well occupy the bottom two league positions but judged on this display, both should hold ambitions of moving in an upward curve. Make no mistake, this was an exhilarating display of  attacking football allied to solid defending with the visitors having the lions share of possession,looking the more threatening but matching their hosts with the paucity of shots at goal, the highlight being a  Casuals move down the right which resulted in an excellent attempt which was matched by goalkeeping heroics.

Things certainly livened up after the break with Casuals reacting to their half-time chat and going for broke from the off and the earlier thoughts of this ending in a 0-0 draw were fast fading. Town were matching their opponents efforts and also the meaty(but fair)tackles.Something had to give and on 78 minutes following a lofted ball which beat the defender, the Town keeper made a superb save from a blistering shot only for Casuals number 7 being Jonny-on-the-spot to tap the ball home⚽. Town responded and were unlucky on a couple of occasions but their efforts paid off on 89 minutes with a well-deserved equaliser⚽. That was seemingly it for the day but following a melee in the Town area, Casuals number 15 picked his spot with a low drive into the far corner in the 93rd minute⚽. So Town and Casuals swop table positions but this observer would be  surprised if they are still there come seasons end.

No doubt about it, this was a real blood and thunder encounter which we thoroughly enjoyed. Credit to both sides and the Midland Football League.

   

Entrance ; £5 concession

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Att ; 80 est

Entertainment ; 9/10