The last time Walsall Wood won the Walsall Senior Cup was in 1925, with this fine lineup – note many of the committee of the year also present. Image kindly supplied by David Evans.

Last Tuesday, (6th October 2015), Walsall Wood travelled to Shifnal for an evening fixture against Shifnal Town, whom they defeated with some aplomb.

Bill Shaw kindly submitted the following report:

Hiya Bob,

A rare journey into Shropshire for Wood who moved smoothly into Round Two of the Walsall Senior Cup. They had too much pace and firepower for the West Midlands Division One side who to their credit stuck to their task without resorting to unfair play.

It’s Lye Town away on Saturday followed by Continental Star the visitors on Tuesday night in the league cup.

Shifnal Town 1 v 5 Walsall Wood
Walsall Senior Cup – Round 1

Wood ran out comfortable winners in the end, they went ahead as early as the 10th minute but within four minutes the West Midlands League One side were back on level terms when Adam Hill fired in a low drive from 20 yards.  Wood took control from that point onwards, never looking in danger of suffering an upset.

It was Town who had the first attempt on goal, a cross from the left into the far right of the box was headed back across goal and beyond the far post by Mike Jordan.

Wood were ahead two minutes later, Steven Hayles raced away wide left, swapped passes with Corey Currithers before crossing into the centre for Drew Aiton to power a header home.

It only took Town four minutes to get back on terms, from a left wing near post corner the ball was played back to Adam Hill 20 yards out, his low drive finding the left hand corner of the net.  A minute later they nearly went ahead, a long ball forward saw Chris Henry read the bounce of the ball better than two defenders, only to fire a first time effort just wide.

Wood went back in front on 19 minutes, a long clearance from keeper Lee Evans was headed out wide left to Currithers, he went through one challenge, cut inside and his low cross was sliced into his own net at the near post by Barry Evans.  Another Lee Evans clearance six minutes later put Hayles clear wide left, his cross met by the head of Joey Butlin, the ball came back off the bar, hit the keeper on the back but was cleared by an alert defender.

Butlin had a low drive deflected for a corner on 28 minutes, then three minutes later it was Craig Deakin crossing in low from wide right, Luke Delaney on the left edge of the box firing a low drive through a crowd of players, keeper Tom Whittaker unable to hold the ball, Dan Griffiths pouncing to fire into the roof of the net.  Next Currithers again released Hayles wide left, he crossed to the far post, keeper Whittaker somehow pushing away Butlin’s header.  The last action of the half saw a lovely flowing right to left crossfield Wood move end with Currithers from the left of the box crossing to the far post, the luckless Evans first to the ball but Whittaker spared his blushes with a superb full length save.

Wood’s new signing Emmanuel Gueyes  replaced Butlin at the break and almost made an immediate impact when on 50 minutes Deakin went on another of his marauding right wing runs, played the ball inside to  Gueyes  on the right of the box, he cleverly turned outside his marker to hit a fierce low drive that was saved at full stretch by Whittaker.  Wood made it four when from a right wing near post corner on 60 minutes Currithers bulleted a header into the roof of the net.

Three minutes later a ball through the centre of the Wood defence eluded two defenders, Henry couldn’t believe his luck but Deakin raced across and took the ball off his toe as he was about to shoot.

Wood completed the scoring after 73 minutes when Gueyes  crossed from wide right to beyond the far post to find Aiton on the left edge of the box, he was composed as he went past one defender, calmly rounded the keeper before unselfishly playing the ball right, across the face of the six yard box for Griffiths to fire home goal number five.  It was the same trio involved three minutes later, Gueyes  winning the ball wide right and finding Aiton down the line, he cut inside, made space for a shot that was pushed away by Whittaker but straight to Griffiths, his first time shot off the outside of the right post.

On 83 minutes the hard working Jordan ran onto a ball right of the box, his low drive beat the advancing Evans but was cleared off the line by Josh O’Garro racing back to cover.

The last action came on 87 minutes, Aiton collecting a ball right of centre before going on a diagonal run, finishing with a low drive that Whittaker at full stretch pushed away.

Wood go forward to round two, Shifnal Town, to their credit kept battling away but had no answer to Wood’s pace and clever interpassing.

Bill Shaw

Walsall Wood are a good team and an excellent, community-spirited club. They need our support – please do attend their games if you can.

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