Team Dudley well on top.

                  ⚽  West Midlands Regional League Div 1  ⚽     11/09/21  

Played at Bilston Town FC

FC Darlaston 1  Team Dudley 4  

The1st half of this game was as one-sided as we've seen in a long time ; Dudley were a  goal ahead within minutes and it certainly looked like a rout was in the offing. Incredibly, it took until just before the break to add a second.

Darlaston management team must have given them a right bollocking at the break because they emerged a changed side, snapping into the tackle and pressing much further up the pitch(the introduction of Number 15 made a crucial difference in midfield)and they got their just reward just a few minutes after the restart to reduce the deficit. They should have been level immediately after but were thwarted by a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing. As often happens in such circumstances, the visitors increased their lead, steadied the ship and just to add salt to Darlastons wounds, added a fourth.

No doubt , the best team on the day won and deservedly but credit to Darlaston for lifting themselves and giving it a right go after the break.

MOTM ; FC Darlaston ; Number 3

MOTM ; Team Dudley ; number 10

Special mention has to be included for an excellent referee who(and I hope he won't mind my saying)although looking like he has managed quite a few games in his time, conducted affairs brilliantly with an added dose of humour when required.

               

Entrance ; £3 concession

Programme ; N/a

Drink ; £1

Crowd ; 40(est)

Referee ; 9.5/10

entertainment value ; 8/10

Stalemate at Shifnal Town

      ⚽Midland Football League  Premier Div ⚽          04/09/21

The Acoustafoam Stadium

                          Shifnal Town 0   Highgate Utd 0

This was a case of  highly rated MFL newcomers against a well-established, tough as old boots MFL team and proved to be a fascinating match. The visitors were on the front foot from the off and it took Shifnal quite a while to establish a foothold in the game but as the half wore on they were looking the side most likely to score.

Following the break, it was the visitors  who began to stamp their authority on the game, controlling midfield but unable to find any decent end product , although they did have a goal disallowed for off-side. Indeed as the game progressed, it was Shifnal looking more dangerous in the area and it was they who had the best of any opportunities on offer.

The game entered the realms of farce near the end when the visiting keeper was 'sin-binned'(not sure of the reason) and it took a while to sort things out. Nothing really changed as a result of this strange incident and the game finished honours even.

MOTM Shifnal Town ; No 8

MOTM Highgate Utd ; No 11

Entrance ; £6

Programme ; Sold out

Drink ; £1.50

Crowd ; 100 est

Referee ; 7/10

Entertainment value ; 8/10

Excellent grass-roots entertainment

 28/08/21

                   ⚽Midland Football League  Div 1⚽           

 The Guardian Warehousing Arena

Dudley Town 3  Coventry Copsewood 2

This was without doubt, a fantastic advert for grass-roots football; two evenly matched teams serving up a brilliant game.

Dudley(DT) were the 1st to strike in the 15th minute but their lead lasted  just 10 minutes when the visitors(CC) equalised with a 20 yard free kick  and it was they who increasingly grew in confidence as the 1st half progressed. Having said that, their keeper made an outstanding double save on the stroke of half-time. 

The 2nd half carried on where the 1st half finished with CC confidently knocking the ball about but they took the lead in somewhat comical circumstances when the home keeper made the mistake of attempting to dribble the ball out from a back pass and lost it ,leaving the attacking forward to roll the ball into the goal. This was just the gee-up DT needed and they set about the visitors with gusto. The two additional goals they did score could well have been 3 or 4 as they piled pressure on the visitors, their substitutes proving to be a thorn in their side.

A thoroughly entertaining game played in an excellent spirit.

MOTM Dudley Town ; No 16

MOTM Coventry Copsewood ; No 5

Entrance ; £3 concession

Prog ; £2

Drink ; £1

Referee ; 9/10

Attendance ; 90-100 est

Entertainment value ; 9/10

Excellent game at The Cottage

                          ⚽   Midland Football League  Div 1   ⚽             14/08/21

Wednesfield 3 Dudley Sports 2

This really was an excellent advert for non-league football. That there had to be a loser is a shame as both sides gave it everything.

Wednesfield started the brighter of the two sides and it was really no surprise when they took the lead on 15 minutes through their impressive number 9 and it didn't take him very long to add a second. The visitors were seemingly in for a drubbing, or so we thought ; within 5 minutes they had reduced the deficit and to be fair, were  the team  most likely to score next.

Dudley started the 2nd half in brisk fashion and looked more threatening as the game wore on and they got reward for their enterprising play on 80 minutes when the Wednesfield defence went to sleep. Things worsened for the hosts 5 minutes later when they were reduced to ten men and conceded a penalty but the keeper made a superb save.

A draw seemed a fair result to most observers but with just a couple of minutes to go(due to one or two 'incidents')Wednesfield scored a late winner to send the home fans into raptures.  

Entrance : £3( Concession )

Programme : N/A

Drink : £1

Attendance : 50 Est

Referee : 8/10

Entertainment value : 8.5/10

The road to the FA Cup Final

                 🏆 FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round 🏆       7/8/2021

Tividale 2  Shifnal Town 0

Its hard to believe the FA Cup starts here in August, when the Final doesn't  take place until next May but here it is and this was an excellent game to start with.

Shifnal ,newly promoted following two frustrating seasons were quickly out of the blocks and had the upper hand for the first quarter but the game took a dramatic turn on 30 minutes when the visitors were reduced to 10 men following a red card. This led to the hosts taking the lead within 2 minutes of the incident and they more or less held sway for the rest of the half.

Whatever was said in the interval worked wonders for the visitors and their ten men threatened ,at times, to overwhelm their hosts but Tividale stood strong under extreme pressure with their two centre backs having impressive games. The inevitable happened when Tivi took advantage of Towns' eff🏆orts to reduce the arrears and made a sweet breakaway move downfield to increase their lead on 65 minutes. It looked all over for Shifnal when Tivi were awarded a penalty ten minutes later but their keeper brought off a terrific save to give them hope. Try as they might, the visitors were unable to make the breakthrough and it is Tividale who progress to the next round.

Congratulations and good luck to Tividale.

Commiserations and hard luck Shifnal Town.

MOTM Tividale ; No 5

MOTM Shifnal Tn ; No 5

Entrance ; £4(concession)

Programme ; £2

Drink ; N/a

Crowd ; 100(est)

Referee ; 6.5/10

Entertainment value ; 8/10