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Saturday 31 August 2013

FA Cup journey begins

                                FA Cup Preliminary Round

                             Tipton Town v Stratford Town
Tipton more than held their own against their higher league opponents.The visitors had lots of possession throughout the first half but without any end-product and Pemberton in the home goal had a relatively easy time of it.



The home side were,in effect,containing the visitors without really threatening until late in the first half when they started to gradually impose their own passing game on Stratfords' more physical approach.



Half time ; Tipton 0 Stratford 0

Within two minutes of the restart Tipton took the lead through Perks and from this came the confidence to take the game to the visitors.Any threat from Stratford was ably dealt with by the Tipton defence with the visitors still sending any shots high,wide and not very handsome.



Indeed,it was the visitors' goalkeepers'  heroic performance which kept it at 1-0 and this was borne out by his penalty and rebound save late on.Stratford never gave up but never really looked a league above their hosts. So Tipton pocket nearly £2000 and move on to the next round where a very tasty £3000 is up for grabs.

Penalty save !


All in all,a more than decent cup-tie between two good sides.

Entrance ; £3(concession)
Programme ; N/a
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 90-100(guess)
Referee ; Good


 
 

Thursday 29 August 2013

Tipton on the up

        Tipton Town v Alvechurch. Midland Football Alliance

Pre-match talk was of the  previous Saturdays' hard luck when Tipton should have won handsomely.Luck was certainly changed in the first ten minutes of this game. After six minutes the visitors' goalie helped the ball in from a corner and within a few minutes Tipton increased their lead from the penalty spot.
Tiptons' first..


..the second.

Sterling-James' pace was evident for all to see and he caused more than a few headaches for the home defence.The visitors were strong in midfield but seemed to have left their shooting boots in the dressing room.Indeed,one comment from nearby was ' they're all style and no substance'.



However tricky Sterling-James was,Towns' defence stood firm with Tilt and Henry particularly impressive.

Half-time ; Tipton 2 Alvechurch 0

The visitors began the second half much more determinedly and it surprised no-one when they reduced the arrears on 55 minutes albeit  via an own goal by Tilt who mis-kicked an attempted clearance. Tilt,however,more than made up for his error with a superb headed goal 10 minutes later.  


Tilts' bullet header.
Tipton were looking strong and dominating play and Ashton added a fourth on 75 minutes.



Ashtons' second and Tiptons' fourth.

Five minutes later,Ashton claimed his hat-trick with a stunning free-kick.

Ashtons' third,Tiptons fifth.

Henry walks after being sent off.


In the final few minutes the visitors had Henry red-carded . Make no mistake,Tipton looked well up for it against a good Alvechurch side and on this performance I can see them making big strides up the table .

Entrance ; £3(concession)
Programme ; Sold out
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 70-80(guess)
Referee ; Good






Monday 26 August 2013

Haughmond crush Penncroft

Penncroft v Haughmond. West Midlands Regional League. Div 1

This game was played at Aldersley Leisure Village,by far and away,the best ground in this league.
The game was quite strange really,inasmuch as me and my mate Pete spent the whole game under the impression Penncroft were in the red strip.Wrong !
Anyway,it was a more than decent game with plenty of goals,some of which were belters. 




Penncroft started the game marginally better than their visitors but Haughmond were the more clinical finishers and as a result were in front by half-time.

Half-time ; Penncroft 1 Haughmond 2

The first 10 minutes of the second half was a goal-fest ! Haughmond increased their lead only for the hosts to reduce the arrears 3 minutes later. Within five minutes the visitors again had a two goal lead.
Wolves scout ?

Bloody hell,that hurt.


From here on it was virtually one-way traffic as the visitors seemingly attacked at will and it was no surprise really,when they added further goals

Haughmonds' fifth goal. A cracker !







The result was maybe a little harsh on Penncroft as they were certainly in the game up to the hour mark but Haughmonds' finishing and their pressure in the last third of the game was the difference.Special mention for the visitors' number 4 who shone throughout.

Result ; Penncroft 2 Haughmond 6

Entrance ; Free
Programme ; N/A
Crowd ; 10 (including the Wolves scout !)
Drink : 90p
Referee ; OK



Wednesday 21 August 2013

Glass-boys shatter Saints

                             Stourbridge v St Neots Town 
                    Calor League Southern Premier Division
Possession means nothing if you don't score. Saints were so in control for the first half-hour,they just had to score....but they didn't.While Saints were stroking the ball around in midfield, their movement off the ball very impressive,the home side were forced into firing the ball over the top.



Benjamin,for the visitors, was causing havoc in the home defence. Strangely,as soon as Stourbridge started to pass it around,they scored. Saints were stunned;all the possession and nothing to show for it.



The referee seemed determined to spoil what was becoming a good game.Maybe he's seen too much MOTD.

Half-time ; Stourbridge 1 St Neots Town 0

Saints carried on where they left off and equalised with as simple a goal as you'll see.From a corner,the ball was scooped into the top corner from the edge of the area.No more than they deserved. 



The early running seemed to have taken its' toll on the visitors as the home side pressed for a winner in the closing stages and it duly came in the 92nd minute.Credit to Stourbridge for keeping going and looking for the winner but I still cannot fathom how Saints didn't leave with at least a point.





Entrance ; £5 (concession)
Programme ; £2
Drink ; £1.20
Crowd ; 447
Referee ; Poor

Saturday 17 August 2013

Darlaston Town update

The Express and Star has recently featured  a couple of really good articles concerning the plight of Darlaston Town FC. BUT.......you heard it here first !

Excellent cup-tie

                     AFC Wulfrunians v Earleswood Town.

                        FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
It seems a long way off,the FA Cup final,but here we are in August at the very beginning.
Midland Combination side Earleswood Town were Wulfs' opponents in a good cup-tie.Wulfs were slow out of the blocks(probably due to team changes) and Town took the initiative,their big(very big !) forwards,Glaze in particular, causing panic in the home defence. Town took a deserved lead with some neat passing and a clinical  tap-in and although this seemed to spur Wulfs somewhat,Town were unlucky to only go in at half-time with a one goal lead.

Half-Time : AFC Wulfrunians 0 Earleswood Town 1






Wulfs must have had a Malcolm Tucker type bollocking in the interval as they came out 'all guns blazing' and were ahead within ten minutes of the restart through Jackson and Rose-Laing.





Town were not done,however. But for some sterling defending by Wulfs,they would have been level. Wulfs were counter-attacking with pace and it was no surprise when they increased their lead with a beautifully flighted shot from Stevenson.Still Town were looking to score but were again caught napping as Webb scored a fourth  for the home side.








Result : AFC Wulfrunians 4 Earleswood Town 1

All in all,a good cup-tie, the result being a little hard on Town.  Wulfs now meet Stourport Swifts in the Preliminary Round 31st August.

Entrance : £3 (concession)
Programme : £1
Drink : £1
Attendance : 85
Referee : Good