Walsall Wood FC – scene of a great match, and home of a fantastic club.

On Tuesday evening (13th October 2015), Walsall Wood FC faced Continental Star at home, and the result never really seemed in question.

Bill Shaw submitted the following match report:

Hiya Bob,

A comfortable win, since we made Level Five we have now played Continental star 10 times and have won every game, last night two early goals put us in the driving seat. It was of course written in the script that Daniel Holgate would come back and score, which he duly did in the 73rd minute, the goal however was only going to be a consolation and Dan Griffiths wrapped the game up perfectly with his 10th goal of the season in the 90th minute.

With the injury list diminishing manager Mark Swann will soon have a selection problem, which is a vast improvement on his early season challenges, when he had half of his squad unavailable for selection because of holidays and injury.

Next up it’s Quorn at the Wood on Saturday.

Can I congratulate Ian Rowe and his Sporting Khalsa team on last night’s superb FA cup replay victory at Spalding United?

Well done guys.

Walsall Wood 4 v 1 Continental Star
League Cup Round 1

Wood went comfortably through to Round Two courtesy of two goals in each half, Daniel Holgate returned with the visitors, getting a 73^rd minute consolation, but the result was never in doubt.

Wood went ahead after just three minutes, Louis Harris collecting a ball left of centre and hitting a pinpoint crossfield ball to find Lewis Taylor Boyce on the right edge of the box, he ran at the defence, lost the ball but then won it back, made space for a shot which he buried into the roof of the net at the far post.

On six minutes Kamran Frost cut inside from wide right, went through two tackles only to fire a low drive well wide.

In Wood’s next attack on 14 minutes they doubled their lead, Grant Beckett popped up wide right, crossed into the centre for Joey Butlin to glance a header across the keeper and into the far corner.

Three minutes later Daniel Holgate ran into the left of the box and set up Carlos McIntosh, his low drive blocked by keeper Lee Evans, Frost was first to the rebound but it was Evans with another brave block, the ball rebounding off Frost and out of play.

With 27 minutes gone an incisive Wood move opened up the Star defence, Luke Delaney threaded a ball through for Butlin to run onto, only to fire a low drive narrowly wide.

Five minutes later Davion Hamilton picked the ball up left of centre, ran at the defence through two tackles, he then played a neat one-two with Holgate before firing a low drive just wide. Two minutes later Gareth Palmer’s long ball down the line released Daniel Elwell wide left, he cut inside, his low drive well held by keeper Evans.

Wood were content to play the ball around at the start of the second half without threatening the Star goal. It was the visitors who threatened first with Josh Nelson on a right wing run, crossing into the middle for Frost to plant a header over.

Four minutes later Wood wrapped the game up, Harris breaking from halfway, playing the ball forward to Butlin to release Delaney into the centre of the box, he stayed calm and slotted the ball past the stranded Jordan Ellis. On 70 minutes a short left wing corner was played to Butlin on the left edge of the box, his low drive was pushed away by Ellis, Butlin was first to the loose ball going through one desperate challenge, before hitting a low drive that was well taken by Ellis.

On 73 minutes dangerman Hamilton’s header forward was collected at pace by Holgate to run on and fire past the advancing Evans to reduce the arrears. 10 minutes later Hamilton faded across the face of the box from left to right, laid the ball back into the path of substitute Jamie Santos to hit a first time rising drive towards the far corner, Evans making a great full length save. Two minutes later a long high ball into the box saw Hamilton head the ball over the advancing Evans, follow the ball into the six yard box only to be stopped by Josh O’Garro’s superbly timed challenge.

Right on time substitute Dan Griffiths made it four, from a left wing free kick Star couldn’t get the ball away, Craig Deakin took charge, played a pinpoint ball to release him into the centre of the box and he made no mistake slotting the ball calmly home for goal No. 10 of the season.

Both sides played some clever football, Wood especially in the first half opening up the visiting defence almost at will but didn’t capitalise on their dominance.

For Wood it’s back to League action on Saturday with Quorn the visitors.

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!