Oak Park: the home of some memorable football and a loyal crowd. For the good of The Wood!

Yesterday afternoon (Boxing Day, Thursday, 26th December 2013), Walsall Wood F.C. faced Heather ST. Johns at Oak Park, and put in a stellar performance of brilliant football.

Bill Shaw submitted the following match report:

Hi Bob,

Walsall Wood 6 v 1 Heather St. Johns

What an amazing afternoon!

The game was preceeded by a minutes silence for our old friend Keith (Oscar) Jones who lost his short battle to that silent assassin cancer on Boxing Day. The boys however did his memory proud with a superb second half performance that blew the opposition away.

The Saints started brightly and Walsall Wood’s Shawn Boothe made 2 important tackles in the first 15 minutes to keep the scores level, but Wood started to make inroads into the game as Saints keeper Gary Hateley made the first of several fine saves – one  bravely at the feet of Harry Harris.

Gary was powerless on 26 minutes however, when Lewis Taylor Boyce collected a ball wide on the right and cut inside, he seemed to scythe through the defence, ghosting through at least 5 tackles before scoring from close range. It was a goal worthy of goal of the season any year, and set up Boycie to turn in his best ever Wood performance.

Somehow, due in no small part to keeper Hateley it was only 1 – 0 at halftime, but it took Wood just 57 seconds of the second half to double their lead. Boycie again racing away wide right before crossing to the near post & Joey Butlin slotted the ball home. 10 minutes later it was 3, Boycie playing a ball into the the box. Harris calmly waltzed around the stranded Hateley & made it 3.

On 70 minutes it was Andre Gonzales crossing from wide right and Max Black scored with a diving header. A minute later Craig Hancox raced into the left of the box, played a precision ball inside to Leon Taylor who scored with a low drive.

To their credit the Saints kept trying to make a game of it & did pull a goal back on 77 minutes, Hayden Johns latching on to a deflected shot to fire home from 20 yards.

The last word had to come from Taylor Boyce and he didn’t disappoint, crossing to the far post, the ball was cleared into the path of Black to score with a crisp low drive.

Wood are at Heath Hayes on Thursday 2nd January kick off 7.45 pm before travelling to title favourites Tividale on Saturday 4th.

Bill Shaw

Thanks to Bill for the report – always appreciated – for The Good of the Wood!