A rather wet, grey Oak Park saw a great match in very hard conditions.

Yesterday afternoon,  (Saturday, 15th November 2014), Walsall Wood FC faced Shepshed Dynamo at home, and the Woodmen proved themselves far the superior to the visitors in what were very tough conditions.

Bill Shaw submitted the following match report:

Hiya Bob,

Hiya Bob,

A convincing win for Wood in another entertaining 90 minutes at Oak Park. Both sides made light of the difficult heavy conditions but it was the Shepshed Dynamo choir who stole the show with a witty virtuoso performance.

Walsall Wood 4 v 1 Shepshed Dynamo

The visitors had the better of the opening 20 minutes, but it was Walsall Wood who took the lead on 28, Leon Taylor powering in along the byeline from wide right before laying the ball back to Joey Butlin who scored with a crisp low drive. Four minutes later it was 2-0, Harry Harris won the ball left of centre, hit a ball beyond the far post that Butlin volleyed in off the keeper on the post.

The visitors put the Wood defence under pressure in the last 10 minutes of the first half, Scott Staniland firing wide and then seeing a central free kick brilliantly saved by keeper Mario Kisiel.

Six minutes into the second half a lovely through ball by Harris into the right of the box was collected at speed by Taylor, keeper Luke Pickering taking the pace off his powerful low drive, the striker running on to tap the ball into an empty net.

A neat left wing move by the visitors on 57 minutes saw Staniland play a ball across the face of the Wood box, Courtney Meade calmly reducing the deficit.

Wood sewed things up on 68 minutes, Corey Currithers crossing from the left to the right of the box, Drew Aiton hitting a curling volley to give keeper Pickering no chance. Both defences were on top until on 90 minutes, returning Lewis Taylor Boyce released Aiton into the right of the box, keeper Pickering making a superb full length save.

It’s Walsall Senior Cup action on Tuesday night at Stafford Town, before it’s FA Vase action on Saturday 22nd at Causeway United.

Exciting times at the Wood, with the Stoke City Staffs Senior Cup game switched to Oak Park and will be played on Monday December 8th.

Bill Shaw.

My thanks to Bill for a great report – and for all those he selflessly writes and send to me after every match. They really are popular, and a credit to Bill and the club. Walsall Wood have a reputation for being a great, community spirited group of people and these reports demonstrate that – it’s an honour and joy to feature them here.

For the good of the Wood!