Images kindly supplied by David Evans

For the second time in four days, a twist of the fixtures saw Walsall Wood face Sporting Khalsa again yesterday – this time the Oak Park lads were the visitors for a blustery match that again saw the Woodmen lose.

Bill Shaw was there:

Hiya Bob,

A third defeat in a row for Wood, but it’s no disgrace to lose to Rowey’s rampant Sporting Khalsa, who for the second time in four days were well worth the win.

For rehabilitation Wood travel to Wolverhampton Casuals on Tuesday night in the quarter final of the Walsall Senior Cup before it’s the big one on Saturday ,with Alvechurch visiting in Round Three of the FA Vase, an intriguing encounter in prospect on the trail to Wembley with a place in the last 32 at stake.

Sporting Khalsa 3 v 0 Walsall Wood

Sporting Khalsa stayed in the chasing pack behind leaders Hereford with this comfortable victory over Walsall Wood, who were always playing catch up after conceding two goals in the opening 13 minutes, when they went three-nil down on 45 minutes it was all over as a contest. A floodlight problem that saw the game held up after 62 minutes threatened abandonment but the game resumed after a repair, but the last half hour was an anti-climax.

Both sides made light of the blustery conditions but after just five minutes a superb overlapping run and cross from wide on the right by Carlo Franco found Craig Bannister on the central edge of the box, he controlled the ball and turned all in one movement, burying the ball in the net.

Two minutes later an intricate piece of play wide on the right between Max Black and Dan Griffiths saw the ball played low into the box, a hurried clearance went straight to Drew Aiton to hit a first time rising drive that keeper James Pemberton pushed out for a corner. The corner was met by Corey Currithers, the ball cleared off the line and behind for a corner to loud hand ball appeals from the Wood attackers, from this corner Ben Birch hit a rising drive inches over the bar.

On 10 minutes Bannister collected the ball on the right edge of the box, turned away from his marker and his shot, arrowed into the corner was well held by keeper Lee Evans. 3 minutes later the hosts were two ahead, a free kick in the centre of the D from Bannister cannoning off the left hand post, Bradley Lawley first to the loose ball to fire into the roof of the net. On 20 minutes a poor ball out of defence went straight to Bannister 35 yards out, seeing Evans off his line he hit a first time effort narrowly wide of the right hand post. Three minutes later Franco raced clear wide right, his far post cross jut an inch in front of the flying David Meese. Then on 30 minutes Marvin Nisbett won the ball on halfway and raced through the centre before playing the ball right to Bannister who stepped inside one challenge before being robbed by a superbly timed tackle from Steven Hayles. On 40 minutes Matthew Martin was on the end of a left wing move, cutting into the box and firing a cross shot just wide. Right on the whistle for half time Franco fed Mensah Kinch wide right, his cross into the centre was met by the head of Bannister, Evans with a superb save to push the ball over. From the left wing corner Marvin Nisbett bundled the ball home at the near post, Wood handball shouts ignored, three-nil.

The second half was an anti-climax, as Wood tried to make inroads into the deficit, after a few minutes of poor visibility on the one side the game was stopped in the 62^nd minute for attempts to be made to repair the floodlights, that was duly done and the game was re-started after a 23 minute hold up.

The first effort after the re-start came from a left wing free kick on 66 minutes, the ball was headed on and Lawley ran on to head the ball straight into the waiting hands of Evans. Wood’s reply was immediate, Currithers cutting inside from the right, his near post drive blocked by Pemberton, Currithers collected the rebound delivered the ball to the far post only for it to be bundled behind for a corner from which Anthony Juxon put a header over the near angle.

On 72 minutes Tim Jackson raced down the left, cut inside to fire a rising drive over the near angle. Right on time Lewis Taylor Boyce came inside from wide right, Jackson making a great saving tackle.

No doubt Sporting Khalsa deserved the victory, for Wood it’s three defeats in a row, but they are in Walsall Senior Cup action at Wolverhampton Casuals on Tuesday night before they take on fellow Midland League opposition in Round Three of the FA Vase with high flying Alvechurch the visitors on Saturday 12^th.

Bill Shaw.

The Teams:

Sporting Khalsa: Pemberton, Franco, Jackson, Rogers (Captain), Perks, Martin, Lawley, Meese, Bannister, Nisbett, Kinch, Cork, Cooper, Nelson, Wherton.

Walsall Wood: L. Evans, Deakin, Hayles, Juxon, Birch, Black, Griffiths, Harris (Captain), Taylor Boyce, Aiton, Currithers, Wright, B. Evans, Sidibe, Ricketts, Hughes.

Thanks, as ever Bill – For The Goof Of The Wood!

My best wishes to the lads an I hope they find their winning ways again soon.

Walsall Wood Football Club are a top local side with a big-hearted faithful who know how to have a great time supporting their lads, and welcome all comers to come enjoy great local soccer. The boys from The Wood have been at the heart of the local community for a century or more, so please do go check out a match or two if you’re curious.