Old Wulfrunians on the up

West Midlands Regional League Division 1

Tipton Town 0 Old Wulfrunians 1

This was a game of few chances.The visitors,it has to be said,were the the better side for most of the match. Towns best spell was early in the game but even then they found a resolute visitors' defence.On twenty minutes Town were awarded a penalty which was saved superbly 

Apart from the occasional foray that was about the sum total of Tiptons' threat.The visitors,on the other hand always seemed to find an opening and it was no surprise when they took the lead on 75 minutes with a very well-worked goal.They also hit the post and the crossbar as well as forcing the home keeper into at least three brilliant saves.

This was probably just a 'bad day at the office' for Town.For Wulfrunians,praise indeed for a thoroughly well-deserved win.

Special mentions ; Tipton Town - No 5
                           Old Wulfrunians - No 7

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; n/a
Drink ; £1 Star value ; ***  Pretty good
Referee ; 6/10
Crowd ' 40 est 

Transfer Window

So there is to be a change in the Transfer Window next summer. This is the silly season when the clowns in charge of football clubs throw money like confetti to buy bridesmaid for their teams and the greedy bridesmaids hold clubs to ransom for an even bigger share of the pot. The only new challenge that they seek is to see how much money they can take out of the beautiful game.
 All changes though next year when the deadline ends on the Thursday before the season starts. It will not make much difference to the transfer market other than the fans who spend half a weeks wages  buying a shirt with their favourite bridesmaid’s name on can be confident that the shirt will be valid until the winter transfer season starts. Providing of course that they wait until the Friday before the season starts to buy it.
But how does that affect us. Not a bit is the confident answer. Our Blogmaster will not be moving on. ‘Not for all the black pudding in Dudley. Nor all the beer in Banks’ brewery’ he said when interviewed at Lye on Saturday. ‘I am Black Country ay I ? And I watch Proper Football.’ he continued. So that is it, we are here for the long term. Watching good football and searching for decent cups of coffee.

Worcester City just edge it

Midland Football League Premier Division 

Lye Town v Worcester City  


                   


                                    0                                                   1

An excellent game for the neutral at the Sports Ground,Stourbridge Road Lye where the two teams provided 90 minutes of  cracking entertainment.Lye started this as one of only three unbeaten sides in the league and their record looked to be in jeopardy early on as the visitors seemed to hold the upper hand with their crisp passing game.The hosts spent the first 15 minutes defending in their own half as City poured forward at every opportunity but ever so gradually they worked themselves into the game without actually having a direct shot on goal and the half ended all square.

On the hour mark the visitors took the lead with a well-worked goal; a pass down the right gave Danks plenty of time to cross and Reynolds wrong-footed the keeper. This did nothing to deter the hosts as they upped their game searching for an equaliser and they got it on 70 minutes with a superb header,only for the referee to disallow it for an infringement only he was aware of. From where we were it looked a perfectly good goal..City certainly didn't sit on their laurels and defend,far from it and as the game wound down,they drew numerous free kicks from the home side.

Credit to both sides for providing terrific entertainment.The non-league game looks to be in rude health.

Entrance ; £5 concession
Programme ; Sold out
Drink ; £1. Star value **(could do with some coffee in it !)
Crowd ; 250 est (Crowd boosted by excellent away support)
Referee ; 6/10
Entertainment value ; 9/10

Tividale give the big boys a scare.

FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round 

The Beeches ground,Tividale.

Tividale 2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 3

After seeing some of the garbage 💩churned out by our illustrious England team on Friday,this gem of a game was like a breath of fresh air . West Midland Regional League Tividale entertained Evo-Stik East League table-toppers Rushden & Diamonds. Straight from kick-off it seemed the hosts would be overwhelmed by their two leagues higher opponents but somehow the visitors were kept at bay. After weathering the storm,Tividale gradually played themselves into the game as the half progressed.The hosts were testing the visitors keeper and on 35 minutes they took the lead with a fine goal from Smith.The visitors were visibly shocked as they had controlled most of the game to that point.

Following the break it was 'as you were' with Rushden in total control and within minutes they had levelled with a goal of some quality from Shariff. Again there were ominous signs of a rout by the visitors and again Tividale surprised us all when,in a rare breakaway Smith scored his second with a beautifully placed header.Game on ! Back came Rushden and that man Shariff claimed his second and shortly after,a third. Tivi were unlucky with a last-gasp effort but the visitors came out worthy winners.

What a stunning advert for Non-League football. Next Mays' final will probably be a forgettable affair involving any two from the top six of the PL.This game deserves all the accolades I and others can give it.Congratulations to both teams for showing us what the FA Cup should be about.

Special mention to :- For Tividale,Goalkeeper & No3
For AFC Rushden & Diamonds,Shariff(and their fans who added to the atmosphere)

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; sold out
Drink ; £1 coffee star rating **
Crowd ; 250 est
Referee ; 8/10
Entertainment value ; 8/10

Casuals bag a hatful

West Midlands Regional League Premier Division

Wolverhampton Casuals 7 Wellington Amateurs 0

Who would have forecast this score from looking at this mornings' League table? Admittedly these were the only two teams in the league without a win but Amateurs did have a couple of points on the board from two draws.It was obvious from the off Casuals meant business as they tore into the visitors and it was a surprise to no-one when they took the lead half-way through the first session amid mutterings from the sidelines of a  potential hatful. The visitors were having a hard time containing Holdcroft and Thomas, the latter especially with his driving runs causing mayhem ,being fouled once too often,bringing a booking for the defender.He was rewarded  for his persistence with a goal just before the interval and more followed. Amateurs made a couple of changes after the break and for a while it seemed they had stemmed the tide but it was to be a temporary lull as the hosts ran riot in the latter stages with Holdcroft bagging a hatrick and to be fair,it could have been a much heavier defeat.Today definitely belonged to Casuals and Amateurs are left still looking for their first victory of the campaign.

No photos this week as some clown😜 forgot to bring his camera to the match. I was that clown !🙋

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; £1
Drink ; £1.10 Coffee rating ;****👌
Crowd ; 40 est
Referee ; 8/10
Entertainment value ; 7/10

Khalsa own goal earns Drayton a replay.

Regular viewers of this blog will,I hope, be pleased to see normal service has resumed,albeit a couple of weeks late.A simple matter of changing my phone number led to all manner of complications with 2-stage Google verification.Problem solved and back to business.

The Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Sporting Khalsa 1 Market Drayton Town 1

This was an eagerly awaited contest as Khalsa entertained their Evo-Stik South opponents.As it was,we were crying out for half-time as an uneventful first half proved difficult to raise any kind of excitement.Indeed,my mate was of the opinion the highlight of the half was the damn fine cup of coffee on offer ! There was precious little football to be seen and half-time came as a welcome relief.😒

Somebody must have had a word with both sets of players players at half-time as the second half was a complete contrast with the ball being played much more to feet and as such,the game became more enjoyable as a spectacle as the hosts tore into the visitors and reaped their reward with a goal on the hour.😌This was the spur Town needed as they upped their own game and the inevitable equaliser came with an own goal late in the game.😀

The teams meet again next Tuesday and with the First Qualifying Round drawn on Monday,both teams will be aware of their prospective opponents.

Entrance; £3 concession
Programme; £1
Drink; £1.50
Crowd; 50-60 est
Referee; 7/10
Entertainment value; FH 4/10; SH 7.5/10

World, we have a problem. The problem is of Google's making but we are trying desperately to get a fix. It means we haven't been able to post reports from our last two games, Wulfrunians Vs Shawbury in the FA Cup or Wednesfield Vs Smethwick in the league. Hopefully we will be back soon but in the mean time ask you to be patient with us.

We would also like to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of Wrens Nest player Ryan Passey. A really nice chap and such a terrible loss.

Pete