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

Tividale hit 4 against Atherstone

                             ⚽Midland Football League Premier Div⚽

Tividale 4  Atherstone Town 0

    Played at The Beeches

After watching the dross served up at the World Cup this week being described as Football,😂😂, this game was a ray of sunshine, two teams going at it hammer and tongue.

The first half was fairly even with both sides threatening , the visiting keeper being slightly the busier until the 36th minute when a cross from the right seemed to have beaten everyone when Tivi number 4 somehow managed to squeeze it in at the far post ⚽.

The hosts started the second half with all guns blazing and it paid off immediately as they increased their lead from the spot on 50 minutes⚽ and there was more to come as Tividale upped the tempo another gear. On 64 minutes came the best move of the match ; a ball down the left was chased by the defender and the Tivi player, the attacker winning the duel and putting over a sumptuous cross which was smashed on the volley into the net⚽. The scoreline was complete on 79 minutes as Tivi number 17 forged his way through⚽.

The scoreline says Town were given a sound beating but that paints an incorrect picture ; they were always in the game but their finishing couldn't match that of their hosts. 

Entrance ; £4 concession

Programme ; £2

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 9/10

Attendance ; 130 est

Shifnal Town and Walsall Wood share the spoils.

                          ⚽Midland Football League  Premier Division⚽

                         Shifnal Town 3 Walsall Wood 3

Played at The Acoustafoam Stadium

About 15 minutes into this game,my mate Pete said  ' There aint going to be many goals here today '. Pete knows stuff.

Wood could have taken an early lead  when a defender attempting to tap the ball out, saw it rebound of the foot of the post and that was the only telling goal action during a hectic first 35 minutes with plenty of attractive football being played by both sides with the visitors just shading it. Following that misplaced effort Wood took the lead with a well worked goal following some excellent work from their tricky number 8 passing it to their number 17 who curled into the top LH corner⚽. With seconds left to the break the hosts equalised via a bit of 'route one '⚽ . For the neutral, the 100 mph football on show was a brilliant spectacle as the two sides went at it hammer and tongue with the visitors two wide men proving a real handful.

Minutes after the break Wood regained their lead when their number 9 met a corner  perfectly⚽ but Town were not to be denied as again they replied with an equaliser⚽. This enthralling encounter took another twist when the visitors again went ahead⚽ and to all intents that looked like curtains for Town but to their immense credit they again found a leveller with seconds of the match remaining⚽.

An excellent encounter between two very good sides. Wood showed why they are at the top , they really are an excellent team but to be fair most credit has to go to Town for coming back 3 times against such a team.

BTW, I wont be be asking Pete for any future forecasts.

  

Entrance ; £6 concession

Programme ; N/a

Drink ; £1.50

Referee ; 6/10

Crowd ; 120 est

Entertainment value ; 9/10