West Midland Regional League Division 2
Old Wulfrunians 3 Red Star Alma 2
If ever proof were needed that you don't need to watch professional football to see a good game,this was it.Two evenly-matched teams putting everything into it to win.The hosts probably couldn't quite believe it when after half an hour they were two goals down,their keeper touching the ball just twice - to retrieve the ball from the back of the net.Both goals were preventable;one from a free-kick and one from a defensive error.On it went,Wulfrunians putting everything into attack,RSA doing their best to stop them.Plenty of 'blood & guts' tackling and some nice one-touch stuff from both teams.Come the second half and things began to change as the hosts pulled a goal back after 10 minutes and could have equalized from the spot,their penalty being superbly saved by the RSA keeper.To be fair,Wulfrunians were seeing a lot more of the ball and it was no surprise really when the levelled.To put the icing on the cake and crown a superb come-back,the hosts got a winner near the end.
This was a good game to watch,played in good spirit and nobody fell as though they'd been shot.Well done to all concerned.
Entrance ; Free
Programme ; £1
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 30ish(and a dog)
Referee ; Good
West Midlands (Regional) League. Division 1
Darlaston Town(1874) 1 v Trysull 2
I had to check the league table to find the visitors were not top,but way down the bottom half.On the evidence of this game they are in a false position.They often seemed to have an extra man,whether defending or on the attack.Town started the game on the front foot but it soon became clear they were up against an extremely well organized outfit.The hosts had their chance to take the lead in the 20th minute when they were awarded a penalty which,unfortunately for them,was saved.Two minutes later the visitors were ahead.The first ten minutes of the second half all but decided the games' outcome when the Town had a man sent off(wrongly,in my opinion) and minutes later Trysull got a second goal,Strangely enough,Town seemed to have the better of things from that point on;indeed,in the final minutes they reduced the arrears with a well-deserved goal and followed that with what looked like being an equalizer,only to be foiled by a brilliant save from the visiting keeper.
The hosts can count themselves unlucky to have met the visitors in such sparkling form.
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| Towns' penalty is saved. |
Entrance ; £2 (concession)
Programme ; £1
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 45 est
Referee ; Good
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Tividale v Stourbridge
This was a real good local derby.Tivi are going through a difficult spell at present being rooted at the foot of the NPL First Division South table and to be honest,it showed,with the visitors controlling large swathes of the game in the first half. Indeed, the hosts could have had no complaints if Stourbridge had gone in 3 goals to the good,such was their superiority.As it was all the visitors had to show for their efforts was a goal from Pierpoint on the half-hour; their lead would have been more but for the heroics of the home goalkeeper.The second half saw Tivi much improved and whereas the Stourbridge keeper was relatively untroubled in the first half,he was far busier in the second,the hosts being unlucky on a couple of occasions.Had Tivi equalized,Stourbridge would only have had themselves to blame having failed to put the game to bed in the first half.
A good game watched by a good-natured crowd and it's Stourbridge who progress to the next round with the bank-balance looking healthier to the tune of £3000.
Entrance ; £5 (concession)
Programme ; N/a
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 237
Referee ; Good
