Walsall Wood FC: home of great local footy.

Walsall Wood FC delighted Bill Shaw and all the home crowd yesterday afternoon (4th October 2014), as they powered to a 3-0 win against Pershore Town, in a good humoured and sporting home match.

Apparently there was a somewhat regrettable and worrying casualty, to whom we all send our thoughts…

Bill submitted the following match report:

Hiya Bob,

Wood marched confidently into Monday’s draw for the First Round proper of this season’s FA Vase, courtesy of 3 first half goals.

Walsall Wood 3 v 0 Pershore Town

It took Wood just three minutes to go ahead with unlikely provider skipper Lee Stretton showing great close control  and awareness when he was found by a Ben Evans left wing corner, hheld the ball up before playing it back into the path of Max Black to fire a screamer into the roof of the net.

Wood kept the the visitors under almost constant pressure but keeper Andrew Yarnold was equal to anything they threw at him. He was unlucky with the 2nd goal on 32 minutes, a lovely one touch move through the centre ended with Black releasing Drew Aiton into the right of the box, Yarnold was out quickly to make a brave block from Aiton’s low drive, the ball going straight to Ben Evans who calmly sidestepped a desperate lunging challenge before rolling the ball sweetly inside the left hand post.

Grant Baker had worked tirelessly up front for Pershore and on 40 minutes he played a lovely reverse ball into the left of the box, Steve Roche reached the ball a split second before keeper Mario Kisiel, who being committed to the challenge brought the attacker down, collecting a yellow card in the process.

Roche took the spot kick himself, but Kisiel’s penalty luck held, the well struck shot cannonning down of the underside of the bar & out to Baker, whose first time effort was charged down by the alert Wood defence.

Just to prove it wasn’t their day Town conceded a third right on the stroke of half time. Jamel Fuller raced down the left before playing the ball inside to Aiton, combining cleverly with Joey Butlin and Max Black to play the ball to the right edge of the six yard box for Danny Forrest. A defender was first to the ball but his attempted first time clearance was charged down by Forrest, the ball flying into the net past Yarnold.

The visitors worked tirelessly in the second half denying Wood a clear shot on target, but even then Yarnold was beaten twice, on each occasion the woodwork coming to his rescue.

Town are to be commended for the sporting way they kept trying, without at any time reverting to foul play.

So it’s Wood into Monday’s draw, followed on Tuesday night by a visit to Loughborough University, and then another trip to Rocester on Saturday.

Can I wish Young David Evans a speedy recovery after his fall at yesterday’s game, I asked son Simon what had happened and he replied ‘He was walking along the front of the stand with his camera up to his eyes, his one shoelace had come undone and he tripped over it, going fulll length on the concrete & hit his head. Last week’s referee booked him for simulation’

Great one Simon but seriously David we all hope it wasn’t as bad as it looked at first & you are back to full fitness soon.

Bill Shaw.

Do get well soon David – from myself and all the readers here on the blog.

Walsall Wood are a good team and an excellent, community-spirited institution. They need our support – so get your backsides down there!

As ever, thanks to Bill for the report – always appreciated – for The Good of the Wood!