West Midlands Regional League. Premier Division
Dudley Town v Bilston Town Community
Arriving late, Dudley Town were already in the lead and bossed most of the first half,limiting the visitors to the occasional breakaway.They always looked a yard faster than the visitors whose slow build-up was in sharp contrast to the hosts rapid shift though the gears. On 30 minutes Dudley increased their lead.It was well-deserved and well-worked.The latter part of the first-half was played in a blizzard.
Half-time ; Dudley Town 2 Bilston Town Community 0
The visitors were a different proposition from the first half almost halving the deficit straight from the kick-off.Their three live-wires , numbers 7,10 and 11 began to inject some much-needed pace to the attack. Their attacks were now much faster but their back four were continually being found out.
Bilstons' efforts eventually paid dividends when an attack down the right reduced the arrears.Try as they might,they were unable to draw level as the home defence stood firm and it was the hosts who got a second wind and a third goal.
A good game for the neutral,played in good spirit.
A nice little touch,free cakes to have with your half-time drink. Yum yum !
Result ; Dudley Town 3 Bilston Town Community 1
MOTM Dudley Town ; No 4
MOTM Bilston Town ; No 10
Click on a pic to enlarge.
Entrance ; £3(concession)
Programme ; Sold out
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 50 est
Referee ; Good
Vanarama Conference
Wrexham v Barnet
Not the best of games to sit and watch on a cold winters' afternoon.Barnet gave the impression all they had to do was turn up and collect the points but were sent home with nowt.Credit to the hosts who simply denied the visitors time and space.Barnet were bad but could have won the game were it not for some superb stops by Coughlin in the home goal.He is surely destined for better things.The visitors also had at least two very good penalty decisions go against them by a referee who impressed no-one on the day. The visitors cause wasn't helped by Akindes' second yellow card, for diving; the first being given for reasons only known to the referee.
Wrexham earned their 3 points by sheer hard work but their shortcomings are obvious.They need virtually an open goal to score(see goals for in the league table).Time and again their midfield set up good scoring chances only for these to be wasted.
Barnet on the other hand,need to work harder.As already stated,after being outplayed they had the better chances and could have won the game but for Coughlin.
On another note,I,ve been to many grounds over the years and heard lots of different chants from the fans; some clever,some downright nasty and some very funny but when Wrexham scored their fans were singing 'Land of my Fathers' ! What's that all about ?
West Midlands Regional League Premier Division
Bilston Town Community v Wolverhampton SC
What a strange game !
For 45 minutes the hosts looked like a team who had never seen each other before.Being kind,I'd say they were awful. By comparison the visitors were looking like they could do no wrong,pressing the game,snapping into the tackle and moving the ball about confidently.So,it was no surprise to anyone when the visitors took the lead,albeit via a penalty.In truth Bilston could have had no complaints if they had gone in at half-time 3 or 4 goals down.
Half-time ; BTC 0 WSC 1
I think I have a good idea of the managements' half-time team-talk in the home dressing-room.Something along the lines of " What the %$*£ing hell was that load of @~&#ocks about?Anyway,whatever was said had the desired effect.....eventually ! Sporting carried on where they left off by adding a second goal soon after the restart and it seemed to be a matter of how many more would they score.Straight away Bilston were awarded a penalty when half-time sub Turton was felled.This was duly converted and within minutes an equalizer was added. We'd had three goals in about ten minutes!The introduction of Turton had turned the game on its' head and Bilston took command of the game.They had gone from looking like no-hopers in the first-half to a side brimming with confidence.On loan Jake Webb put the icing on the cake with his own version of a 'James Henry screamer' and a fourth was soon added.
The visitors have only themselves to blame.They could have put this game to bed by half-time but all credit to Bilston for winning a game from what seemed a hopeless situation.
There is no other description,it really was 'A game of two halves' .
Result ; Bilston Town Community 4 Wolverhampton SC 2
MOTM Bilston ; No 5
MOTM W Sporting C ; No 9
Entrance ; £2(concession)
Programme ; £1(Excellent content)
Drink ; £1
Crowd ; 80 est
Ref ; V Good
