Tipton win a scrappy contest.

           ⚽West Midlands Regional League Div 1⚽

Tipton Town 2  Wrens Nest 0

The visitors started well without actually looking as though they would scorel but Tipton soon assumed command and by the time 20 minutes were up, it was they who hit the post and had a goal disallowed(offside). Nest, belying their lowly league position, continued giving a good account of themselves but it was the hosts who always looked the more threatening and on 40 minutes a low cross from the right needing only a tap-in was superbly blocked on the line. Just a few minutes later, the same move resulted in a goal for the hosts which, on the balance of play, they fully deserved⚽.

Following the break, Tipton still looked the side most likely to score and did so but both efforts were ruled offside, while Nest had their moments, there was a definite lack of firepower from them. Tipton put the game to bed minutes from the end with a superb solo effort from Piggott who,receiving the ball,outpaced the defender and blasted his shot into the top left hand corner⚽. Nest continued to give it a go but were unable to break through a resolute defence and Tipton take the points from a game that was never a humdinger but still good viewing for the neutral spectator.

Entrance ; £3 concession

Programme ; N/a

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Crowd ; 80 est

Entertainment ; 8/10

Dudley Town progress in FA Vase.

                                                        ⚽F A  Vase ⚽

Dudley Town 2  Darlaston Town 2 (Dudley win on penalties)

Played at The Guardian Warehousing Arena

Dudley, roared on by a big vocal following, were out of the blocks pretty sharpish and although under pressure, Darlaston seemed to cope without too much concern and as they gradually worked their way into the game it was they who began to look the more threatening. That all went out of the window on 19 minutes when the hosts opened the scoring ; a ball in from the left seemed to confuse the keeper and before he could act, the ball was poked home by the Dudley number 9⚽. Within  a minute the visitors were level ; a superb cross from the right left Bishop with little to do but nod the ball home⚽.

Following the break,it was Darlaston who were quickest off the mark and within 6 minutes were ahead via their number 10⚽. Now it was Dudley playing catch up and they were given a lift on 65 minutes when the Darlaston number 4 was red-carded and they immediately made their superiority count two minutes later. A goalmouth scramble led to two shots  being cleared off the line but unfortunately for the visitors, the third was fired home by the Dudley number 11⚽. 2-2 and a place in the next round to play for but that was the end of the scoring in normal time (other than a cast-iron claim for a Dudley penalty missed by the ref and his assistant), with Dudley progressing via penalties.

An excellent game between to very committed sides.

Entrance ; £5 concession

Prog ; N/a

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 7/10

Entertainment ; 10/10

Gresley grit pays off.

      ⚽Northern Premier league Midlands Div⚽

Sporting Khalsa 2 Gresley Rovers 2

                                                                                                        Played at Noose Lane, Willenhall 

Khalsa were quickly out of the blocks and had the visitors under pressure immediately and it paid dividends in the 12th minute when Sidibe, receiving the ball on the edge of the area, turned his defender and smashed the ball home⚽. The hosts continued in much the same vein and were unlucky on several occasions although it has to be said the visitors were calm under that pressure and always looked dangerous on the counter, belying their lowly position in the league table. There was a definite feeling the visitors were improving as the game progressed but at the break, the score remained the same.

Following the break, Gresley seemed to up their game and Khalsa were having to work that much harder to contain them but it was they who scored next with Sidibe grabbing his second⚽. Khalsa may have increased their lead but it was Gresley who continued to look the more threatening and it was no surprise when they reduced the arrears around the hour mark via Lee following a goalmouth scramble⚽. The visitors were finding the spaces now and Khalsa were often being forced deep and in the 75th minute the visitors pressure paid off in spectacular fashion following a swift counter from their own area, with O'Connell sending a powerful shot past the keeper⚽. That was the end of the scoring  but both sides still had chances to claim the points.

Khalsa will be kicking themselves for letting a good lead slip from their grasp but credit must go to Gresley for never giving up when all seemed lost.

Entrance ; £5 concession

Programme ; £2

Drink ; £1.50(Good, branded coffee. Other clubs, take note !)

Referee ; 7/10

Crowd ; 180 est

Entertainment ; 9/10

Honours even between Wolves Casuals and Darlaston.

  ⚽ Midland Football League Premier Division⚽

Wolves Casuals 2  Darlaston 2

                                                                                                     Played at Brinsford lane

Anyone arriving late will have missed the highlight of the first half, Darlaston being awarded a penalty in the first minute and they were denied an immediate lead when the keeper diving to his left, pulled off a brilliant save. The rest of the first period was very much nip and tuck with both sides having good spells of possession and some thundering tackles going in.

As in the first half, there was early action following the break ; a Casuals defender misjudged the bounce, allowing Bishop a clear run at goal and he made no mistake, 1-0 to Darlaston⚽. Casuals were almost level within a couple of minutes but the shot was skied. The visitors increased their lead on 57 minutes, a corner from the right caused a big muddle in the area and the ball was prodded home by Podmore⚽, 2-0 to Darlaston and they were looking good for three points, although it has to be said the score didn't reflect the game. Casuals reduced the arrears on 74 minutes, the ball trickling over the line from their number 12⚽ ; it was no more than they deserved and two minutes they were level via a thunderbastard free kick from Smith⚽, it being awarded after the keeper mistakenly picked up the ball from a back pass. The momentum had certainly shifted in Casuals' favour although the visitors still looked dangerous. 

That was how things finished, honours even, which was probably a fair result after both sides entertained us, especially in the second period. 

Entrance ; £5 concession

Programme ; £1

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Crowd ; 120 est

Entertainment ; 9/10