Stallions held by Tipton Town

                          ⚽ West Midlands Regional League Div 1⚽

Tipton Town  2  Saltley Stallions  2

Free-scoring table-toppers Saltley arrived at Tipton Sports Academy having lost just two league games this season but they were shocked after ten minutes when an innocent looking cross from the right looped over the defender and the Tipton number 9 beat the keeper with a cool finish⚽

The visitors look a good outfit with a passing game and are easy on the eye. They levelled on 25 minutes  when a low cross from the right behind the defence was tapped home at the far post⚽

Saltley were too often guilty of profligacy ; after playing their way into good positions many chances were wasted  and the  Tipton defence coped fairly well with most of the visitors attacks. That said, Saltley took the lead on 63 minutes⚽ with  some nice interplay  and looked to increase their lead but as before, the Town defence held. Town made a substitution to beef up their midfield and it paid dividends on 80 minutes with a well worked goal to level⚽

This was a good game. As previously stated Stallions look a good side but credit should also go to Town who were not overawed by the league leaders and gave a decent account of themselves.

Entrance ; £3 concession

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Attendance ; 45 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

  

AFC Wulfrunians reach last 16 of FA Vase

                                                 ⚽FA Vase Fourth Round⚽

AFC Wulfrunians 1 Anstey Nomads 0

Wulfrunians were expecting their toughest test so far in this competition against todays' visitors https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/non-league/2023/01/13/afc-wulfrunians-up-for-the-challenge-of-making-history/.

Both sides started well with the hosts having an early edge and their ' in-your-face ' tactics paid dividends on 16 minutes when Meggoe was tripped in the area and dispatched the resultant spot-kick ⚽. The visitors 'easy on the eye' passing game was in sharp contrast to Wulfrunians no nonsense play ; their problem was not much end product to match their build up play. Just before the break the hosts were down to ten men, their player receiving a second yellow card.

The second half saw Nomads in the ascendancy making their advantage tell in bucketloads but with the same problem as the first half, not enough end product. Admittedly they were not helped by a determined Wulfs defence who were prepared to kick it anywhere.

Parity was reached late in the game when Nomads also had a man sent off for two yellows, resulting in a much more even game.

Wulfrunians achieved club history by reaching the last 16 for the first time.

This really was a cracking cup-tie between two good teams with just enough needle to make it a must-watch. 

Entrance ; £4 concession

Drink ; £1.50

Programme ; £1.50

Referee ; 7/10

Crowd ; 180 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

Warstones take the points in a downpour.

                                West Midlands Regional League Div 1

Warstone Wanderers 3 Sikh Hunters 2

This game started in incredible fashion ; a rebound from the keeper was met with a speculative shot from the half-way line and the visitors took the lead. Hardly had they finished celebrating when Wanderers equalised. A hatful of goals seemed on the cards but  we had to wait until the second half for more and they duly arrived.

Ten minutes into the second half the hosts took the lead but wouldn't you know it, back came the visitors with a leveller and all this happening during a downpour. With a couple of minutes left, it was game over as theWanderers number 14 weaved his way through and the three points were theirs.

This was a good game between two committed sides but it was somewhat spoiled by a fussy referee who seemed to want to blow for any indiscretion, Credit to both teams who kept going as the weather worsened.

Entrance ; £3

Programme ; N/a

Drink ; £1

Referee ; 4/10

Crowd ; 60 est

Entertainment ; 9/10