Blood and thunder stuff at Queen Street

                                   ⚽Midland Football League Div 1⚽

Bilston Town Community FC 1  Stapenhill 3

Played at Queen Street Stadium

   

The Steelmen will look back on this and wonder how they lost it but they only have themselves to blame. Given the visitors were in front after just 11 minutes and proceeded to boss things for a good while after, Bilston are nothing if not game and for large swathes of this match they played some brilliant stuff.

They went further behind on 40 minutes but that was certainly against the run of play. They came out after the break and played their passing game which was soon rewarded following a ball over the top which was despatched with force ; some were calling a foul but I saw nothing wrong. Stapenhill are where they are for a reason ; Bilston may have had more possession but the visitors always looked more dangerous when they were attacking and hit the net 3 times from not too many chances whereas the hosts were profligate in front of goal.

So, congrats to Stapenhill for a job well done ; commiserations to Bilston who will play a lot worse than this and win.

Entrance ; £3 concession

Programme ; £1 ( Excellent)

Drink ; £1

Referee ; 6/10

Crowd ; 70 est

Entertainment value ; 9/10

Thrilling stuff at Amblecote

                     ⚽Southern League Premier Div Central⚽

Stourbridge FC 1  AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1

                                                                        Played at The War Memorial Athletic Ground Amblecote

This game wasn't my original destination ; I had planned a visit to lye for their game against Boldmere St Michaels but such was the traffic hold-up(roadworks), I turned around and headed to this game(only 5 minutes away). It wasn't a bad decision as this was a really enjoyable spectacle.

The visitors were smartly out of the blocks and were ahead on 10 minutes. I can't describe the goal as I'd only just got into the ground, such was the crowd. Not only were they ahead but also looking very assured, dealing fairly comfortably with anything and everything The Glassboys could muster.

Things changed gradually but immeasurably as the hosts upped their game and many times really good approach work was let down by lack of a decent end product, notwithstanding the immovable object in the visitors defence, ie, their number 5 who hardly put a foot wrong all game.

Following the break, it was The Glassboys on the front foot and in a bizarre repeat of the 1st half, it was they who scored after 10 minutes with a brilliant effort. With this and the substitution of their wily number 9, the visitors were on the back foot for large parts of the last 30 but all things taken into account, a draw was probably a fair result.

MOTM Stourbridge ; Number 5

MOTM  AFC R&D  ;Number 5

Entrance ; £9 concession

Programme ; N/A

Drink ; N/A

Referee ; 9/10

Attendance ; 817

Entertainment Value ; 8.5/10 

Wonder goal wins it for Wulfrunians

         ⚽Midland Football League  Premier Div ⚽         18/09/21

Played at The CKW Stadium

AFC Wulfrunians 2  Stourport Swifts 1

This was somewhat of a strange kind of encounter inasmuch as both sides seemed to have 2 distinct spells of possession/pressure but that didn't spoil the enjoyment ; this league always offers an excellent standard of entertaining football.

Wulfrunians were in the ascendency straight from the off but struggled to find a way through the resolute visitors defence. Following sustained pressure, the inevitable happened in the 7th minute as Swifts played a simple ball to the rhs which beat the defender and left Antonio to slot the ball home. Things were fairly even until the 20th minute when a superb cross-field pass from Hannah left Rowley with a straightforward lob over the advancing keeper. This seemed to spur Wulfs as they controlled things for the remainder of the half.

The second half was again fairly even until the highlight of the match in the 65th minute ; there didn't seem to be much on so Hill cut in from the left and tried his luck and it paid off handsomely when he let fly a 25 yard screamer into the top rh corner. A goal which would grace any MOTD ! Swifts responded magnificently, pouring forward at every opportunity but try as they might , they were unable to break through Wulfs defence.

A brilliant game for any spectator, be they partisan or neutral, played in an excellent if uncompromising spirit.

MOTM Wulfs ; No9

MOTM Swifts ; No 5

Admission ; £4

Programme ; £1.50

Drink ; £1

Crowd ; 70(est)

Referee ; 7/10

Entertainment value ; 9/10

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