Newport Town march on

                 ⚽ West Midlands Regional League Div 1⚽

Tipton Town 1 Newport Town 4 

After missing a couple of weeks courtesy of the flu,the blog is back in business.
When you're playing the league- leaders and they have a goal difference of +44 and yours is -1 there's really only going to be one outcome although things didn't quite look that way on 20 minutes when Tipton took the lead. Such was the case at Tipton Sports Academy today.Newport are a good side and eventually ran out well-deserved winners. To be fair to the hosts, they gave it a right good go,having to play the entire second half with the centre-forward in goal after the regular keeper went to hospital at half-time with suspected concussion.The big difference in the two sides was Newports' forwards always looked far more threatening and but for the substitute keeper the visitors could have been looking at a bigger score.

Special mentions ; 

Tipton ; Number 9
Newport ; Number 10

Apologies for the poor quality of pics ; camera on incorrect setting

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; n/a
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 25 est
Referee ; 8/10
Entertainment value ; 8/10
Non league dogs ; 0

Honours even for Khalsa & Wulfrunians

Total Motion Midland Football League Premier Division

Sporting Khalsa 0 AFC Wulfrunians 0 (played at AFC Wulfrunians' ground) 

Another boring 0-0 ? Not a bit of it.This was as exciting a game as you could wish for with both sides exhibiting  both attacking flair and stubborn defence and it would be hard for a neutral to guess which team was in the leagues' top three. Real,clear-cut chances were,to be honest,thin on the ground and if truth be told,Wulfrunians possibly came nearest to breaking the deadlock.It was obvious Brady was keen to score against his former team-mates but it wasn't to be and to completely spoil his day,he was sent off near the end.
So,no goals to report but plenty of action and a thoroughly entertaining game.

Special mentions:

Sporting Khalsa ; No 8
AFC Wulfrunians ; No 3

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; £1.50
Drink ;£1
Referee ; 6/10
Crowd ; 75 est
Entertainment value ; 9/10
Non-league dogs ; 0

Warstones hit a hatful

West Midlands Regional League  Div2  
Aldersley Leisure Village

Warstones Wanderers 7  AFC Bilbrook 1

So,just before the start we ask 'where can we get a cup of coffee' ? Mick Mullen of WW says to someone in the background 'make these two lads a drink'. Class.

From kick-off it soon becomes obvious who's bossing this game.Wanderers look to have too much in their arsenal for the visitors and within 5 minutes they are ahead through Miller who looks like he could bludgeon his way through a barn door.Try as they might,Bilbrook are unable to break through a resolute,organised home defence.On 35 minutes the hosts increase their lead through Gray.

The second half was a goal-fest with Gray  and Miller each bagging another,with Westwood and Males(penalty)also getting on the score sheet.You had to feel for the visitors;they were up against a much stronger outfit but to be fair,they never let their heads drop,kept going to the end and got a consolation goal from a penalty.

A real good game with bags of commitment,full-blooded tackles(but never dirty) and lots of goal-mouth action.

It would be remiss of me on completing this report, to not mention the WW people Mick Mullen and Angela Jones who were brilliant;filling us in on the history of the club and  topping it off by inviting us to the post-match feed at the Swan in Tettenhall.Did I say class? Top class.

Special Mentions ; 
Warstone ; No 8
Bilbrook ; No 4  

Bilbrook get their consolation goal

Wanderers reply with their penalty

Entrance ; £3
Programme ; N/a
Drink ; £1.75
Crowd ; Not many
Referee ; 8/10
Non league dogs ; 0
Entertainment value ; 8/10

Onwards and upwards for Tividale

        ⚽West Midlands Regional League  Premier Division⚽

Tividale 5  Bilston Town Community 1

As I write this weeks' blog following todays' game at The Beeches,I think back to all the mind-numbingly boring PL games I've  endured in the past.Watching that dross,you may well see intricate passing,lots of little tricks and all the White-board tactics imaginable but what you will not see is a game like this.It was brilliant. Had everything you could ask for in a game;plenty of goals,bone-crunching(but fair)tackles,penalties(one converted,one saved) and no little amount of skill.What you wont see is any play-acting or players rolling around trying to get other players booked. In my years writing this blog, I've oft repeated ,those that don't watch this level of football are missing a treat.

Ten minutes in and the visitors are awarded a penalty following a needless tackle just inside the box;duly converted and it looks like we have an interesting game ahead. Tivi showed why they are vying for top-spot with some nice football which eventually paid off in the 17th minute with an equalizer. From then on it was really a case of the hosts applying maximum pressure and the visitors refusing to cave in.....well,almost;Tivis' pressure had to lead to something sooner or later and it did with further goals and a penalty brilliantly saved by the visiting keeper.

All things considered, on a bitterly cold day this was a really good game to almost make you forget the cold ! Well done to both sides for putting on such a good show.

Special Mentions ; 

Tividale ; Number 9

BTC ; Number 6

One converted penalty...

...one saved penalty

Entrance ; £3 concession
Programme ; £1.50
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 50est
Referee ; 8/10
Entertainment value ; 9/10
Non league dogs ; 1 Staffy