Images Kindly supplied by the young David Evans – sadly the light was too poor for decent action shots.

A stonking home  win for Walsall Wood again last Tuesday evening (19th September 2017) as the Wood lads consolidated their domination of Chelmsley Town, this time on the real turf of Walsall Wood.

Bill Shaw was there, and enjoyed a great match.

Hiya Bob,

This really was a stroll in the park for Wood, Saturday’s game will be a different kettle of fish as they look to put their season back on track.  Suffice to say you can only beat what’s in front of you, but Town really aren’t very good.

PP League Cup
Walsall Wood 3 v 0 Chelmsley Town

Wood got back to winning ways progressing comfortably through to the next round. It took just eight minutes for Tony Clarke to open the scoring. Joey Butlin doubled the lead on 24 with Paul Sullivan wrapping up this stroll in the park on 87 minutes.

With just one minute gone Tony Clarke raced clear wide left, his low cross hit first time by Joey Butlin, keeper James Kelly at full stretch pushing the ball away. five minutes later Wood debutant Keenan Meakin-Richards played a through ball to find Clarke left of the box, he faded right, across the face of the box, Kelly blocking his low drive. The keeper was powerless two minutes later however as Lewis Taylor Boyce won the ball on halfway and fed Harry Harris who released Clarke into the box just right of centre, to run on and chip the ball over the stranded Kelly to put Wood ahead. three minutes later Craig Deakin wide right played the ball inside to Harris, his defence splitting ball was collected at pace by Clarke, his first time effort saved at the second attempt by Kelly.

On 18 minutes a long ball out of defence by Town saw Wood keeper Lloyd Ransome race from his area to kick clear from Jamie Barrett.

Three minutes later Callum McFarlane’s ball out of defence found Butlin, who seeing Deakin fly past him played the ball into his path, his low drive blocked by Harry Sweeney. Wood doubled their lead when on 24 minutes Harris delivered a left wing corner to the near post, Butlin skilfully touching the ball home from a very tight angle.

Town won a left wing corner on 31 minutes, Barrett saw his shot charged down, a bit of a scramble developed but the ball was eventually cleared.

Wood almost made it three when six minutes later a right wing run and cross by Deakin was headed goalwards by Clarke, Kelly at full stretch pushed the ball away, Butlin was first to react but his low drive was charged down by a posse of defenders.

A quiet start to the second half until on 56 minutes McFarlane won the ball in the centre and hit a lovely diagonal ball to find Deakin on the right edge of the box, his cracking volley flying just wide. five minutes later Darren Campion delivered a left wing free kick into the box, Butlin planting a header narrowly wide. 70 minutes gone, Butlin raced onto a right wing throw in powered into the box, his low near post drive superbly held by Kelly. It was Butlin again two minutes later, collecting a ball into the right of the box, only to fire wide of the near post.

On 77 minutes a superb five man one touch move through the centre carved open the visitors defence before the ball was played to Taylor Boyce on the right of the box to fire a first time effort inches over, a real pity as this would have been a contender for goal of the season. Wood kept up the pressure and on 85 minutes a McFarlane rising drive from the left edge of the box cannoned to safety off the bar with Kelly soundly beaten. two minutes later Taylor Boyce held the ball up cleverly in the centre of the box before feeding substitute Paul Sullivan who sidestepped two desperate challenges before passing the ball into the net.

After Saturday’s result Wood bounced back with a very comfortable win without having to get out of second gear. The FA Vase game at Cradley Town will be a harder task on Saturday as Wood look to put another unbeaten run together.

Bill Shaw

The Teams: 

Walsall Wood – Ransome, Deakin, Okojie, Meakin-Richards, McFarlane, Tolley (captain), Hayden, Harris, Clarke, Butlin, Taylor Boyce, Campion, Slater, Sullivan, Westwood, Faultless.

Chelmsley Town – Kelly, Keeley, Sweeney, Sadler, Kent, Lernihan, Knight, Ellis (captain), Barrett, Sinclair, Taylor, Ward, Parke, Egege, Casey, Inverary.

Professional video footage of the match by Russell Smith from TheWoodTV – check our the website for more professional match media here!

Thanks for the report and wonderful media are due to Bill, David and Russell – thanks lads for great coverage as ever. For the good of tThe Wood!