Today is 'Non-League Day', a good day to stay local. So as Worcester City are playing in Barrow-in-Furness I have decided to go to travel the short distance to see Malvern Town in their FA Vase tie v Walsall Wood.
I have been watching with interest, the upturn in fortunes of Malvern over the last few months, both on and off the field. On the field Malvern Town find themselves on top of the West Midlands League and off the field the club house has been spruced up and the pitch re-laid. So it will be good to see them in action and take note of the improvements.
I have enough time to have a quick look around the town in Great Malvern after leaving the train and then have a bite to eat at a local cafe. It's very pleasant walking down the hill towards the ground on a beautiful day. After 20 minutes I'm walking through the car park in to the club house. I pay my entrance and obtain a programme and step out on to a nice new decking area where there is a large gathering of supporters. Looking over to to the pitch I can see that is looking in good nick too.
Over the last 6 years since I came back to the Midlands, Malvern Town have been in a slow decline. After watching a couple of local Sunday League games at this ground at the end of last season, I could see the pitch looked a bit threadbare in places and the club buildings looking a bit neglected.
Last September, the club was in danger of folding after it came to light that the club had debts over £200,000 and it looked like they would have to sell the ground as a result. To the rescue in stepped 2 enthusiastic young businessmen, Chris Pinder and Ted Grizzell. Pinder is the co-founder of local company, HD Connectivity and Grizzell is the manager of Zig-Zag coaching and is also an academy coach at West Bromwich Albion.
They are organising a new youth set up at the club to nurture local talent and have set up the club as a Community Interest Company (CIC). They are a not for profit organisation and can look for extra funding from organisations like The Lottery, Sport England as well as local businesses.
So to the match and there is some bad luck for the home side before the kick-off, with main striker, Bryan Craven having to withdraw from proceedings because of a foot injury sustained during the warm-up. As he is currently his League's top scorer with 9 so far, then this is quite a blow for Malvern.
The match kicks off with the home side in a strip of mainly white but with sky blue and claret too. Looks like their old away kit. The Wood are in their usual all red strip.
The opening exchanges are quite even with plenty of attacking intent from both teams and I can't see this contest ending in a stalemate. Then Walsall Wood start to dominate the play.
After 14 minutes Walsall Wood's No.11 goes past 3 Malvern tackles before sending a shot past the post and then 'The Wood' take the lead with a goal from Dean Holgate.
This proves to be very short lived though as in the very next minute, Malvern go on the attack, win a corner and then score with a tap in by their No.6 I think.
After 37 minutes I'm impressed by a great double save by the Malvern keeper to keep his side in the game. This reprieve only lasts until the last minute of this half as the Wood's No.11 is left with a tap in at the far post after a pass comes in from the left.
So Walsall Wood have their noses back in front in this tie. They have been the classier team so far and just about deserve their advantage.
Walsall Wood only 2 seasons ago had a great run in this competition, losing only after a replay in the quarter-finals, when maybe they should have won in the first match after having the best chances.
The first 15 minutes of the second half sees Malvern Town using all three of their substitutes, which shows they mean business in getting back in to this game.
The balance of the match shifts in the home sides favour when in the 68th minute, Walsall's No.11 is sent off. I miss the incident but Wood's Match Day secretary who I have been chatting to, says he had kicked out at another player.
Then in the very next minute, Walsall Wood probably should have had a penalty when one of their players is pushed down in the area but his sides pleas are waived aside as it looks like the linesman thought the ball had already gone out of play.
Malvern then go close after 79 minutes when their No.15 has a dipping shot sail just over the bar. Five minutes later another home attack produces a diving header, again going over the bar after a good cross from the right.
Their pressure finally pays off when their No.11 manages to push the ball past Walsall's keeper.
Just after this goal's scored I'm thinking that Walsall Wood won't fancy playing extra-time with only 10 men. Then they go and score!
A good run by their No.3, Craig Deakin, in the area is impeded by a Malvern defender and he goes to ground, with the ref blowing for a penalty. This is duly despatched by their No.6, Danny Forrest, as shown below.
There is still time for the Malvern captain Joe Endacott to have an eyeball to eyeball confrontation with Walsall's No.16, who carries on their spat just a bit too long, which is a bit silly seeing that his side look they are about to win the game and go through to the next round.
It's been a great cup tie and although they lost today, Malvern Town showed great grit and determination against their higher league opponents. With their new regime, newly revamped ground and future plans, they seem like a club with a future now.
Walsall Wood's reward for their efforts today is a home tie in the next round against old rivals, Pershore Town, when they were both in the Midland Combination.
Match entrance: £5
Match programme: £1
Match attendance: 137
Entertainment value: 8/10
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