Oak Park: scene of a killing last Tuesday. Well done, lads.

Last Tuesday evening, 11th April 2017 Walsall Wood FC entertained Rocester at Oak Park, and the Woodmen bagged a very respectable win, leaving the Romans in disarray.

Match highlights, expertly recorded and edited by Russel Smith, late of this Parish

Bill Shaw was there, and sent the following match report:

Hiya Bob,

It took Wood just three minutes to calm the nerves of the disappointing crowd, when Joey Butlin scored his and Wood’s second goal on 31 minutes they could begin to relax. A Louis Harris thunderbolt and a superb calm finish by Lewis Taylor Boyce in the second half gave the scoreline a more realistic look.

The implosion of the visitors in the last five minutes was sad to see and has no place in the modern game.

Two away games now until my last home game on Saturday 22^nd against Heanor Town, do come along and say goodbye.

Walsall Wood 4 v 0 Rocester

The win (the best of Harry Harris’s short reign) lifted Wood up to 14^th place, a point above Rocester, Long Eaton and Loughborough University. Shawbury are now four points away from safety with AFC Wulfrunians currently occupying 20^th spot, a further point adrift. The game ended in controversy with the visitors losing two players in the last five minutes, but Wood were already four-nil ahead at that point.

It was always going to be a tense encounter with the first goal of paramount importance, it took Wood just three minutes to steady their nerves at least, Ricardo Ricketts right of centre played the ball wide right to Luke Adams whose cross to the far post was touched home by Joey Butlin. On 11 minutes a ball forward was headed on by Drew Aiton, keeper Adam Binks completely misjudged the bounce of the ball and Ricketts raced onto the loose ball somehow firing wide of an empty net.

On 16 minutes a break out of defence by the visitors saw Oliver Roome race clear wide right, his ball inside found Callum Riddell who fired first time over the far angle. Four minutes later a 60 yard crossfield ball by Nick Ward found Riddell on the right of the box, he ran and fired over the bar. Next it was James Frost crossing from wide right, Roome putting a weak header wide.

Wood should have increased their lead when on 23 minutes great play wide left by Aiton saw him make space for a cross that was dropped by Binks, Butlin first to the ball to flick it over the keeper and the bar. Butlin made amends when on 31 minutes a right wing free kick was delivered to the far post and he out-jumped Binks to head home number two.

On 39 minutes Frost wide right played the ball inside to Riddell who faded across the face of the box before hitting a rising drive that skimmed the top of the bar.

The last action of the half saw Ricketts chopped down just to the right of the D, Butlin fired in the free kick, Binks diving full length to his left saving superbly.

Two minutes into the second half Adams raced clear wide right, crossed to the near post for Butlin to improvise with a back header that rolled wide of the far post.

A minute later Roome was put clear wide right, he cut inside but fired a cross shot well wide.

On 53 minutes Butlin was fouled twice on the left of the box, the resulting free kick delivered beyond the far post to find Louis Harris to thunder the ball home.

Five minutes later a superb crossfield ball by Ward found Matt King wide left, his ball inside fired first time wide by Roome.

On 64 minutes Leon Taylor raced clear wide right, he cut inside to fire a cross shot just wide. On 74 minutes a long ball forward found Butlin, who seeing the keeper off his line tried a cheeky lob, Binks racing back to make an acrobatical save. Wood wrapped things up when on 80 minutes Butlin was strong in the centre, the ball squirming left for Lewis Taylor Boyce to collect, race into the box and calmly slot the ball home past the stranded Binks to score his first goal since his return from Sporting Khalsa.

The visitors completely lost their discipline in the last five minutes having substitute Liam Shaw and Ward sent off to second yellow cards.

Wood now almost safe, three points at Coventry Sphinx on Saturday will take them on to 50 making certain before they visit Highgate United on Easter Monday.

Bill Shaw

The Teams:

Walsall Wood – Jenkins, Adams, Deakin, L. Harris, Williams, Bains, Molesworth, Mansell, Butlin (captain) Aiton, Ricketts, Henry Harris, Wood, Brooks, Taylor Boyce, Taylor

Rocester – Binks, Frost, King, Simpson, Lynch, Ward, Smith (captain) Brockley, Roome, Brown, Riddell, Shaw, Allen.

Remember folks, it’s all For the good of the Wood!