West Midlands Regional League Premier Division
Bilston Town Community 3 Shifnal Town 4
This was a first visit of the season to the refurbished Queen Street Stadium with smart new all-round fencing and brick-built dug-outs.The hosts were welcoming newly promoted Shifnal Town and what a brilliant game it turned out to be.
The first half was excellent with The Steelmen taking the lead after about twenty minutes which,on the balance of play,they just about deserved but the visitors came on strong and levelled things after 35 minutes and that's how it finished at half-time.
The second half was thrill-a-minute with the hosts regaining the lead only for Shifnal to first level the scores then take the lead with two goals in as many minutes and looking good for the points.They then had a man sent off and from the resulting penalty Bilston levelled.I should say here (as a neutral)I thought the ref got it wrong, it was a clean tackle with the defender getting the ball.The hosts were having big problems dealing with the visiting No 8;he's a big guy and and is difficult to shake off the ball and it was down to his runs that Shifnal again went in front and there they stayed.
The result was hard on the hosts but credit to the visitors who took the game to them.All said,this was a brilliant advert for this level.
Entrance ; £3
Programme ; £1
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 70 est
Ref ; 7/10
Midland Football League Premier Division
Tividale FC 0 Walsall Wood 2
This was another ground we'd not visited for a while.The previous visit was a couple of seasons ago when Tivi were regularly proving they were too good for this league.
The first ten minutes had the hosts in the ascendency without seriously threatening to score and it took Wood some time to gradually work themselves into the game;from then on the game swung to and fro with both sides enjoying sustained periods of dominance with Tivi coming on strong towards the break without finding an opening.Having said that,the visitors' midfield were in no mood to yield anything.
From the restart Wood were on the front foot and within ten or twelve minutes were two in front with the keeper blameless for both goals.The first took a wicked deflection and I doubt any keeper would have stopped the second,it was that good.Wood then beefed up midfield and try as they might,Tivi were unable to break through.
Another excellent game played in a tremendous spirit;it was a stunning game for us neutrals.
Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; £1.50
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 60-70 est
Ref ; Good
West Midlands Regional League Div 1
Tipton Town 0 Wrens Nest 0
For some inexplicable reason this was our first visit to The Tipton Sports Academy for quite a while.After seeing this seasons' opener,we will be returning.This was an excellent game with only one thing lacking, goals.Following that awful crap we saw in the recent European Championship,this was a joy to behold.
The visitors looked the most likely scorers for most of the first half and were looking dangerous at the start of the second half although Town had their fair share of possession without looking threatening.Following substitutions,Town began to get the upper hand and were unlucky on a couple of occasions.One in particular was an excellent cross from the right met with a cracking header and an even better save by the visiting keeper.
In the end,a draw was probably a fair result but make no mistake,this was anything but a drab 0-0. Fair play to both sides for getting stuck in on the first game of the season.
Entrance ; £3 (concession)
Programme ; N/A
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 40 (est)
Ref ; Good
Pre-season friendly
Wolverhampton Utd v Lanchester Athletic
After watching the utter tripe that is Euro 2016,it was a relief to head down to Prestwood Road to watch this game.Just a load of blokes trying to win a game(unlike Euro 2016 where the objective is to not lose).I wasn't alone in wanting to see this game;there must have been about 40-50 people there.The score is irrelevant,it being a PSF.It was so nice to see football as it should be played,players having a go,putting in good hard tackles and no play-acting.So well done to all concerned.
