The goal was impossible to photograph from the other end of the pitch! Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

An early attack by the home side in red. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

In worsening driving rain and on a greasy pitch both sides managed to play good attacking football throughout the first half. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

And eventually the match was abandoned, after 25 minutes of the second half played, and with the scores at 2 – 2. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

The match officials who were to brave the elements. Image kindly supplied by David Evans. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

Entry of the Gladiators. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

The conditions worsened rapidly, but the Wood scored their second well-worked goal to bring the scores level again. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

Flowed by anothe near miss, by the Wood. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

And gained their first goal from a penalty. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

The second half brought snowfall where the players bravely fought on. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

To a foreboding sky both sides prepared for the start with the ceremonial handshakes. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

A dramatic penalty save by the home goalkeeper. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

Boxing Day afternoon (26th December 2014), Walsall Wood F.C. played Boldmere St. Michaels at Oak Park and the match sadly ended early in a draw due to the inclement weather, a decision which caused some surprise in the crowd.

My best wishes to all the football folk who help and support the reports here – Bill Shaw for the excellent writing and humour, Andy Roper for all he does, and to David Evans for photos and help when I can’t work out what’s happening – but especially to the team and supporters, who time and time again prove themselves and their club a credit to the community. Happy new year, and thanks to you all.

Bill Shaw submitted the following match report:

Hiya Bob,

Compliments of the season to you and all your readers from me and everyone at Walsall Wood F.C. Also thank you for your help and support over the year, it really is appreciated by all.

I’ve broken with tradition and sent the full match report, the weather won in the end, much to Swanny’s disgust, but at the end of the day the safety of the players must come first.

However until the abandonment football again was the winner.

To everyone out there, have a marvellous New Year, after the game on New Years Day at home to Stourport Swifts the next home game is the big one, on Saturday 17th January with Shaw Lane Aquaforce in Round 4 of the FA Vase. Come along and roar the Wood on another step on the way to Wembley – Walsall Wood and Walsall there in May, now wouldn’t that put Walsall on the footballing map?

Happy New Year everyone.
Bill Shaw.

Walsall Wood 2 V 2 Boldmere St. Michaels.
Abandoned 64 Minutes.

Wood twice came from behind, the second time on 58 minutes in a blizzard and looked to be on the way to a hard earned victory, but with the ball starting to hold up on an already sodden surface and the lines quickly disappearing, referee Paul Wainman had no choice than call a halt to proceedings. A decision that didn’t please everybody, but was undoubtedly correct.

The game started in torrential rain but both teams adapted quickly with Wood first to threaten on five minutes, a neat right wing move ending with Craig Deakin playing a low cross into the feet of Leon Taylor, he found Ben Evans whose first time low drive brought a full length save from keeper Sean Butler.

Within a minute the Mikes went ahead, a long ball wide left was collected by Kieran Clarke, he raced across the face of the box and fired in a rising drive that hit Shawn Boothe on the arm, he was unluckily penalised and Clarke stepped up to take the spotkick, keeper Dale Faultless saving full length diving to his right. From the left wing corner Roland Agbor powered a header home.

Four minutes later Agbor won the ball on halfway, he went through three challenges as he raced into the right of the box, Faultless making a superb save from his low drive. On 18 minutes it was Agbor on the end of a central free kick, powering in a header that brought a superb save from Faultless, the keeper was up quickly to make a brave block from the loose ball.
On 27 minutes Evans picked the ball up wide right from a pass by Deakin, he came inside before releasing Max Black in the centre of the box, he was harshly adjudged to have been fouled and the referee pointed to the spot, Corey Currithers making no mistake to tie the game at 1-1.

Five minutes later Clarke won a free kick on the left of the Wood box, his free kick rebounded off the defensive wall to Andrew Lewis 35 yards out, his first time rising drive superbly clawed out of his left hand corner by Faultless. three minutes later Kieron Westwood was played clear wide left, he raced into the centre of the box only to be stopped by a crunching tackle from Boothe to save the day for Wood.

Not more than five minutes into the second half Westwood hit a far post cross from wide left, Andre Gonzales putting the ball behind to deny the ever dangerous Agbor. five minutes later Keenan Meakin-Richards crossed from wide left, Clarke powered in a header that was somehow kept out by Faultless, the ball falling into the path of Jason Holmes to fire home from close range.

Wood were back on terms on 58 minutes, Currithers racing onto a ball wide left making the box before hitting a low cross that was hit first time by Black, the ball deflecting into the path of Evans who drove the ball home. With a blizzard driving into the faces of the Mikes a ball into the right of the box by Ben Evans saw Butler race to the edge, the ball holding up in the heavy ground and the keeper only just getting down to deny the onrushing forwards, collecting a painful knock in the process. He was fit to carry on after lengthy treatment but with the lines on the clubroom side disappearing under a blanket of snow the officials had no option but to call the game off on 64 minutes.

The Assessor said it was one of the best games of football he’d seen for a long time, but with Wood gaining the whip hand the Mikes couldn’t get to the dressing room quick enough when offered the chance, I can’t say I blame them.

The abandonment of the game means Joey Butlin will miss the game at home on New Years Day against Stourport Swifts, Wood’s first game in a nine match January 2015.

It was another game at Oak Park with football looking the winner until the weather intervened to win hands down, as for once the Met Office got it wrong.

Bill Shaw.
Walsall Wood F.C.

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