Walsall Wood on the offensive early in the match

This evening’s match officials kindly pose for the photo before the match got under way

Walsall Wood players celebrate scoring the only goal of a workmanlike match

The second half saw Alvechurch beginning to take control and put Walsall Wood under pressure

This Walsall Wood vs Alvechurch contest was conducted in a sporting manner throughout the match

The smart new tarmac!

The match was evenly contested and showed determination and great effort by both sides

Alvechurch wore their blue strip for this visit to Walsall Wood Oak park

Photos and captions from Tuesday’s match kindly supplied by David Evans

Last Tuesday evening (24th March 2015) Walsall Wood FC entertained Alvechurch at Oak Park, and comfortably beat the visitors 1-0.

Bill Shaw was there to catch the action:

Hiya Bob,

One goal was enough to give us all three points. It was another hard fought win with some neat football from both sides with Wood having the edge and with just a little more composure in front of goal, the margin of victory could have been greater.

Following the form line with us being beaten twice by Basford United, Alvechurch who had done the double over them should have beaten us comfortably, but then as Greavsie used to say, ‘It’s a funny old game’.

A similar sort of situation for Saturday’s game with Westfields, they went to Long Eaton and won 1-0, in front of only 23 spectators and then a week later they visit lowly Loughborough University and get hammered 6-1.

The form line this season has been all over the place in this division, look at one of my tips for the title, Boldmere St. Michaels, currently occupying 11^th place, but then I am to forecasting what Dr. Crippen was to healthcare.

Stay safe and healthy.

Walsall Wood 1 v 0 Alvechurch

Wood moved up to fifth, courtesy of a 27^th minute bullet header from Shawn Boothe. There were chances for both sides, but Wood comfortably held out and should have been further in front by the end of another entertaining 90 minutes.

It was all Wood from the kick off and they should have gone ahead on seven minutes, Corey Currithers won a ball on halfway, raced into the right of the box only to fire a cross shot just wide. Three minutes later Anthony Juxon ran through the centre before laying the ball right to Max Black who was fouled 25 yards out, Harry Harris firing a free kick inches too high.

On 12 minutes Jamie Sauntson cut out a through ball but his mis-directed square pass was intercepted by Connor Deards who raced into the left of the box, fired in a low cross that was well held by keeper Mario Kisiel. Two minutes later a ball over the top was collected at pace by Deards, Shawn Boothe clearing the danger with a superbly timed tackle.

A minute later Harris released Joey Butlin into the centre of the box, he powered between two defenders, his low drive bringing a full length save from keeper Shawn Edwards. The keeper denied Butlin on 20 minutes, Lewis Taylor Boyce found Black who chipped a delightful ball over the defence, the keeper quickly off his line to collect, inches in front of the striker.

Back to the other end, Elliot Nash collected a pass from Kyle Morrison on the right of the box; he twisted and turned to fire a low drive narrowly wide of the near post. On 25 minutes Nash charged down an attempted clearance by Boothe, the ball broke kindly for him and he raced into the right of the box, Kisiel out quickly and bravely to save at his feet.

Two minutes later Steven Hayles and Currithers combined wide left to win a corner; Harris delivered the flag kick, Boothe forcing his way through a crowded area to bullet a header home.

On 28 minutes Jess Race broke up a Wood attack and fired a long high ball forward that was collected at pace by Deards, Sauntson racing back to calmly take the ball away from him.

The last goalmouth action of the half came on 32 minutes, Craig Deakin powering down the Wood right, his superb ball into the right of the box put Butlin in on goal, he took one touch and fired the ball past the advancing Edwards, but agonisingly wide of the far post.

It was as you were when three minutes into the second half Brendan Kelly was the fortunate recipient of a ricochet on halfway, his chip over the defence for Deards taken off the strikers head by the alert Kisiel. Two minutes later the ball was whipped in from wide left to the far post by Nash, substitute Dale Edwards seeing his header comfortably saved by Kisiel.

On 56 minutes a marauding 50 yard run by Currithers saw him stopped on the left of the box, Hayles was first to the rebound but his cross went out of play.

Church nearly equalised on 65 minutes, another long ball forward found Nash who raced into the left of the box, Kisiel racing from his line to make a brave block at his feet, the ball squirming slowly goalwards but Deakin was quickly back to calmly come away with the ball. Nash crossed from wide left a minute later, Edwards firing a first time effort well wide.

From the goal kick the ball found Wood substitute Drew Aiton who quickly released the overlapping Hayles wide left, his ball inside was hit first time by Black, Edwards saving at the second attempt low to his right.

On 75 minutes Luke Dugmore judged the bounce of a high bouncing ball better than Sauntson and raced for goal only to be pulled back by the defender. The free kick punched away from a posse of attackers by Kisiel.

There was no more goalmouth action and Wood comfortably held out to gain revenge for the 1-0 August away defeat.

Wood sit proudly in fifth place, their highest ever placing in their long history, the title may be out of reach but they can still have a big say in where it ends up.

Next for Wood it’s the Jekyll and Hyde side of this unpredictable division, Westfields, Saturday’s visitors to Oak Park, should be another good one.

Bill Shaw
Walsall Wood F.C.

Walsall Wood are a good team and an excellent, community-spirited club. They need and deserve our support.

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