Ingles battered by Bilston....and storm Dave.

 04/04/2026

            ⚽Midland Football League Div 1⚽

Bilston Town 4  Ingles 0

                                                                                                          Played at Queen Street Stadium

The portents of forthcoming storm 'Dave' put paid to anything resembling a football match here,it really was pot-luck where the ball would go when it was kicked. 

Town were having their final Saturday 3pm k o of the season before their home crowd and made a great start, netting after 10 minutes via a penalty⚽. The visitors seemed to liven up after conceeding and were matching their opponents possession-wise but that doesn't win games and to be honest, any kind of goal threat was absent from them. The wind was a real nuisance,e g goalkeepers hardly reaching the half-way line with goal-kicks

Following the break things resumed as previous with the visitors doing everything right until the reached the opposition area,whereas the hosts always looked like they had more goals in them and so it proved on 75 minutes when a superb cross from the right was met by Town number 10...he really couldn't miss⚽. The writing was on the wall for the visitors as their hosts gained momentum and a third was added just 5 minutes later with a quick-fire attack catching out the visitors rearguard giving Town number 14 an easy slot home⚽. A minute before time,a poor goal-kick from the keeper straight to Bilston number 10 led to a fourth from number 14⚽.

Bilston deserved their win, their gung-ho style certainly suited to the blustery conditions. Not sure what to say about Ingles really ; on the balance of play,they didn't look 4 goals worse than their opponents but that lack of a goal threat in the area that counts probably was the real reason they got thumped.

Entrance ; £6 age concession

Drink ; £2.50

Referee ; 6/10

Att ; 150 est

Entertainment ; 7/10 (blame Dave)

Dudley Town made to scrap for the points.

 28/03/2026

      ⚽Midland Football League Premier Div⚽

Dudley Town 2  Highgate Utd 1

                                                                                             Played at Guardian Warehousing Arena

On a bitterly cold afternoon(cold enough to freeze the bollocks off a brass monkey..... really !) these two sides tried valiantly to provide entertainment for us spectators ; alas, they were no match to a biting wind that eliminated any effort to pass the ball.

At start of play there was a points difference of 49 and goal difference of 90 between these, so a battering was in the offing ; nobody told the visitors, as they put up a spirited first-half display against their high-riding opponents.

Dudley started as though they meant business and before we could draw breath,they were ahead, in the 8th minute⚽ ; maybe that hammering was on the cards, as the visitors looked far from organised while Dudley piled on the pressure. On 20 minutes the visitors conjured up a smashing goal by passing their way through the hosts defence,leaving number 10 to basically pass the ball into the net. Nice. From this point on,the visitors were the more confident team, using a high press to disrupt Dudley whose early exuberance seemed to desert them.

Following the break, it soon became obvious the visitors had had their moment of glory as they were,at times,overwhelmed, but they seemed to ride out the storm to limit the hosts to just a couple of goal attempts. All that effort was undone on 70 minutes when the Dudley number 9 twisted and turned in the box, inviting a tackle,for which a penalty was awarded, duly despatched⚽. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Highgate and as hard as they tried,could not pierce the home defence. Dudley had some good efforts in the closing stages after the visitors had a man sent off but were unable to add to their tally.

Dudley deserved their win but credit must also go to Highgate who gave the impression(on this occasion) they are at the wrong end of the table.

 

Entrance ; £6.50 age concession

Drink ; £2

Referee ; 6/10

Attendance ; 140

Entertainment ; 8/10

Gornal Colts held by a gritty display from Bilbrook.

 21/03/2026

           ⚽ West Midlands Regional League Premier Div⚽

Bilbrook 1  Gornal Colts 1

The visitors started on the front foot and the disparity in league positions was obvious but the hosts were having none of it and they slowly but surely played their way into the game. After 10 minutes it was not so obvious which side was 20 points + ahead of the other. On 30 minutes Bilbrook took the lead through their number 10⚽,deservedly so on the balance of play and were denied a second,the ball rebounding off the crossbar. Gornal improved following the goal and levelled on 40 minutes⚽.

Gornal were a much better side after the break,enjoying long periods of possession without seriously troubling the keeper; indeed,it was their own keeper who brought off  two incredible saves to deny Bilbrook. A scrappy game ensued with multiple free kicks but no further goals.

Credit to both teams for the energy, commitment and sweat on display(something rarely seen in the Premier League).Individual credit  must go to the hosts for a gritty display, matching their better placed league opponents in every department.

Entry ; £3 concession

Drink ; £2

Referee ; 7/10

Att ; 40 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

Dudley Athletic in a comfortable win.

14/03/2026 

 ⚽West Midlands Regional League Premier Div ⚽

Tipton Town 1  Dudley Athletic 4

                                                                                                           Played at Tipton Sports Academy

The writing was on the wall for Tipton as early as the tenth minute as the visitors took the lead far too easily⚽ and this point was hammered home(no pun intended)emphaticlly 4 minutes later when Dudley 11 let go a piledriver to add a second⚽ and a real drubbing was looking extremely likely. Town were all over the place,totally disorganised and being given the run-around by their visitors ; they were not helping themselves by constantly giving the ball away and Dudley midfield were gobbling up everything being offered them. On 40 minutes a third was added⚽ and the whistle could'nt come soon enough forTown.

To be fair to Tipton, they did seem to have a different mindset after the break and they attacked with much purpose and belief. On 70 minutes Town found themselves further in arrears as Dudley scored direct from a corner⚽ which actually was against the run of play seen since the break. Tipton scored via a penalty 4 minutes later⚽ and were unlucky just a few minutes later by hitting a post.

Dudley deserved their win if only for their almost complete domination of the first half. Tipton got what they deserved for such a woeful first half display but fair play to them for showing some spirit after the break. 

Entrance ; £3 concession

Drink ; £2

Referee ; 8/10

Att ; 60 est

Entertainment ; 7/10