WALSALL WOOD AND GUERNSEY DRAW A BLANK

Today's choice of game today was a bit of a no-brainer really. It had to be the Vase Quarter-Final encounter at Oak Park. Walsall Wood being the only Step 6 club left in this competition and I was curious to see their opponents from Guernsey, an island I have had been on holiday during the 1990 World Cup.

The weather was fine and I had a hassle free journey from Worcester to Walsall on the train. I then took the bus journey from Walsall and we soon picked up a number of Guernsey supporters in their green & white finery, being a bit noisy but very sociable.

I had gone all the way to Oak Park for the Wood's FA Vase, 3rd Rd match against Wigan Robin Park 2 months before only to find it postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, so I was looking forward to seeing them play at last on their home pitch.

I got to the ground in good time (about 2:10pm) as I wanted to make sure I got a programme. I did so and it was a special souvenir edition 
with pictures of old legendary Walsall Wood line-ups. Nice one!

There were plenty of Guernsey supporters (around 200) and there was a great atmosphere for the game. The official attendance count ending up at 660.

(View of the match with the Walsall Wood Colliery sculpture in the background)

Walsall immediately took the game to their opponents and looked the more dangerous side for long periods without creating many chances. Their best opportunity fell to their top scorer, Ahmet Bilmiger. He managed to dink the ball over the advancing Guernsey keeper (shown above) but his effort was kicked off the line by a defender. 

The second half was more even and both sides should have scored but the final pass or cross was usually lacking in quality. The longer the game went on the more the Guernsey striker, Ross Allen, looked more dangerous. He's shown in the above photo, looking to turn past his marker.

So the 90 minutes finished with the score still 0-0. Guernsey had their best chance 3 minutes in to extra time when they hit the bar and Ross Allen following in from from a few yards out hit the rebound well over.

Walsall Wood went close again right near the end through Bilgimer but it was not be....both sides resume their titanic struggle in Guernsey next week. All that was missing from this entertaining game was a goal. It was a very clean game played in the right spirit with a great crowd, a great advertisement for this level of football. I'm sure the replay will be a close game too.