Lichfield City have a new stand… Image from Lichfield City FC, via my pals at Lichfield Live.

It was back to winning for Walsall Wood FC on Wednesday last (20th December 2017) as they travelled up the A461 to Lichfield and decisively beat Lichfield City FC in their W Hunt Cup fixture.

Bill Shaw sent in the following report, cleverly compiled for reading social media feeds of both teams and spectators, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Bill for all his hard work for the club and the blog despite his poor health over the last year.

I understand Bill’s had some good news on that front, which is excellent as he’s the hardest working retired football reporter I know. My best wishes and those of all the readers go out to Bill, Lynn and all at Walsall Wood FC.

Thanks Bill. I wish you a happy Christmas and all the very best for 2018. You are a gentleman and thanks for all you do.

Bill wrote:

Hiya Bob,

Compliments of the season to you and all your followers from everyone at the Wood.

A return to winning ways but another nasty looking injury, let’s hope it’s not as bad as it first looked. We end the year away at Lichfield City in the league on the 30^th December followed by the away trip on 6^th January to Paget Rangers. The next five games after that are all at home, including third placed Studley on the 13^th and Ilkeston who are currently second on the 20^th – so by the time we visit Studley on 10^th February things could look very different, hopefully by then we will have played  a few more games than the teams around us.

It’s another report cobbled together from both sides Twitter accounts, hope it keeps everyone in the loop and is acceptable to all.

W. Hunt Cup
Lichfield City 2 v 6 Walsall Wood

Wood got back to winning ways with this comprehensive victory eventually, over a spirited City side who went in at the break level at two all.

It was the home team who drew first blood, Jordan Hunt deflecting a goal bound effort beyond keeper Lloyd Ransome to open the scoring.

Wood were soon back on level terms, Peter Till cutting inside from wide left before hitting a low drive into the bottom left hand corner. When Chris Slater headed home to put Wood in front they looked capable of taking control with Sam Agar, Stan Mugisha and Paul Sullivan all going close, but it was City who scored next, Ben Lund taking advantage of hesitant Wood defending to run through to equalise. They missed a golden chance to go ahead just before the break with keeper Ransome saving with his feet.

Within minutes of the re-start Wood were back in front when Agar fired home, Sullivan then waltzed through the defence and set up Agar who made it four. When Sullivan and Craig Deakin carved open the home defence and Sullivan calmly chipped the ball over the stranded keeper it was game over. The game was wrapped up with substitutes Kyle Humphries and Tony Clarke combining with Humphries releasing Clarke into the box to fire home number six.

Not as easy as the score suggests as Wood could easily have gone in at half time behind, but it was a different story in the second half as Birches return became an emphatic winning one.

It’s mid table Bolehall Swifts away for Wood on Saturday before lowly Stafford Town are the visitors to Oak Park at 3.00 pm on Boxing Day.

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy and prosperous New Year from the Wood.

Bill Shaw

The Teams:

Lichfield City – Clough, Bache, Carnforth, Bourne, McLeod, Hunt, Juxon, Thurstance, Howard, Evans, Lund.

Walsall Wood – Ransome, Hayden, Okojie, Slater, Tolley (captain), Till, Fitzpatrick, Butler, Agar, Sullivan, Mugisha. Subs. Deakin, Humphries, Clarke.

As ever, thanks to Bill for the report. For The Good of the Wood!