I am heading off to an FA Vase 1st Round cup tie at high flying Highgate United today. This will enable me to meet up with friends in nearby Birmingham later on. Another reason for my choice today is that Highgate's opponents are Radcliffe Olympic who hail from near Nottingham, play in the East Midland Counties League and will be the first team from that league that I will have seen.
It's an un-seasonly warm and sunny day for the end of October, great for playing and watching football. I get off the train at Whitlock's End station, with plenty of time to spare. I see that the football ground, directly opposite the rail station, which was the former home of the defunct Shirley Town, looks to be in good nick. I'm later informed by a fellow spectator at the match, that the ground might be used for Sunday football now.
This area is a veritable hot spot of football grounds. Just round the corner down Tythe Barn Lane on the left is the pitch where ladies team, Leafield Athletic play and to the right can be found where the Wychall Wanderers veterans team (including former Villa favourite, Stillian Petrov, ply their trade on a Sunday.
Just a few yards further down and I am at the entrance to Highgate's ground, called 'The Coppice'.
I have been here twice before, once to see Highgate in an FA Cup match and then 2 years ago I saw their then ground sharing tenants, Blackwood, who are now defunct. Their ground sharers these days are Midland Div 2 team, Barnt Green Spartak.
The club's club house has had a recent makeover, the changing rooms are now in the same process and the stand which which runs along the whole of the nearest side of the football ground has had some much needed repair work.
The club had been demoted 2 years ago due to ground grading problems, duly finished champions last season and are now occupying a healthy fifth place in the Premier Division. So the future is definitely looking more rosy for the hosts. Their opponents are currently lying in a mid table position in the East Midland Counties League.
Highgate take to the field in their usual all red strip and Radcliffe are in red and blue striped shirts, blue shorts and socks.
It's a scrappy first half with Radcliffe looking to play an offside trap at every opportunity.
(Highgate midfielder, Dale Taylor, finds his way blocked)
This ploy backfires in the 13th minute when the ball is slipped through to Highgate's No.11 and top scorer, Lei Smith who only has to take the ball round stranded keeper Hadlee Dunne and stroke the ball home in to the empty net.
(Lei Brown fires in another shot on the Radcliffe goal)
Radcliffe's best chance comes after 28 minutes when a free kick from the right finds their No.11, Ian Yeomans, unmarked but he heads wide. Seven minutes later and again the ball is passed through to Lei Brown who the Olympic defence think is offside and he takes full advantage to place the ball past Dunne to double the lead.
The Radcliffe No.5, Liam Motson just keeps complaining to the linesman and referee and results in his inevitable yellow card (as shown below).
There is no further score and the hosts are looking well set to progress to the 2nd Round. Radcliffe though have other ideas and start the 2nd half well.
They are rewarded for their attacking efforts after 58 minutes when after some sloppy play by the Highgate defence, Radcliffe are awarded a throw in on the right. The throw is received by their most dangerous player, Ryan Smith who passes to his left for their No.9 Jack Smith to run on to the ball and slot it in to the far corner of the net.
Ryan Smith then sees his shot saved well soon after by Highgate keeper Bradley Catlow.
(Highgate player, Connor Mooney is well marked in this attack)
The home side though take control of the game for the last 20 minutes and could have scored several more goals if it wasn't for the heroics of the Radcliffe keeper and some wasteful finishing.
(Lei Brown makes another attack on the Radcliffe goal)
They do make sure of their win though when the impressive Lei Brown runs down the left and delivers a great cross for his fellow striker, Shane Benjamin, to plant a powerful header in to the Olympic net in the 76th minute.
Highgate finish well on top although they don't add to their tally. So in the end Highgate United have deservedly gone through to the next round where they will travel to play Nuneaton Griff who are top of the table in the MFL 1st Division and have been scoring prolificly. Should be interesting!
Match attendance: 46
Match entrance fee: £6
Match programme: £1.50p
Match entertainment: 6.5/10
Today it's FA Vase time again and also FA Trophy time too! I have decided though to see the Walsall Wood - AFC Bridgnorth tie in the Vase. The last time I went to Oak Park was the FA Vase, Quarter-Final tie when Walsall Wood played Guernsey, 2 years ago. It was a great occasion with a 650+ crowd, with the game going to extra-time but with no goals, although Walsall had the better chances. Guernsey won the replay, so now Walsall Wood will be thinking that maybe they can have another good Vase run.
I saw the Wood win at Malvern Town in a previous round and that result seems to have galvanised them after a fairly poor start to this season.
When I leave Worcester, it's starting to cloud over after a bright start to the day but with no forecast of rain. I get to Walsall by 12:50pm and after having a quick look around for a place to eat, decide on using the Gardenia Cafe near the bus station, a place I have been on two previous visits, as it's a friendly place and good value.
After a good filling breckie sandwich, I take the No.10 bus and 25 minutes later I am making the short walk on the path from Lichfield Road to Oak Park, which sits alongside the Oak Park Sports Centre. When I enter the ground, I can see the main stand on the left side of the pitch and the club house and changing rooms are on the right.
AFC Bridgnorth are occupying top spot in the Premier Division of the West Midlands League before today's game, so should provide stiff opposition. Many of the same players who were with the club, in their previous incarnation as Bridgnorth Town, when that club were dissolved (due to financial difficulties) are still in the squad and have shown great loyalty to the club and their Manager, Mark Clyde.
So the teams come on to the pitch in their usual colours, Wood in all red and Bridgnorth in all blue. I also notice that there are 2 other photographers in attendance today and look like press photographers with their professional looking equipment.
The first half proves to be an even affair with neither side on top for long. It's all a bit scrappy and sometimes a bit ill tempered, with the referee having words with both teams to watch their step.
The best chance of this half falls to Wood's No.10, Leon Taylor, who blasts the ball high over the bar after having been played in to a good position from a pass that comes in from the right.
The main threat from Bridgnorth comes from the surging runs on the right flank by Anwar Olugbon (who is shown below).
For the last few minutes of the first period, Walsall Wood are on top. Leon Taylor sees his effort saved well by the Bridgnorth keeper and then with their last attack, one of their players makes a run in to the box and is brought down and everyone is expecting a penalty to be given. Instead the ref blows his whistle for half time. Of course the home side are incensed and swarm round the ref, dismayed that no penalty has been awarded. It's to no avail though, both teams troop off the field and so the first half ends on a more dramatic note than expected.
When I walk to the club house, I can look over the wall and see the commemorative sculpture of the Walsall Wood colliery that closed in 1964. I'm later told by a spectator after the game that for years, they had a big slag heap on that spot.
So the second half starts and I have decided to go to the other end of the ground which Walsall Wood will be attacking.
After 48 minutes, The Wood are awarded a free kick just outside the area. Their No.9 takes it and sends a shot crashing off the intersection of post and cross bar and the rebound is bundled in by the No.11 Corey Currithers. At last a goal and this galvanises the visitors.
(The reactions of the players say it all after the first Walsall Wood goal)
On 63 minutes Bridgnorth equalise after the rebound from Olugbon's saved shot is pushed in.
Walsall Wood respond immediately as a minute later, Walsall's Leon Taylor heads in from a corner (as shown below).
Then the same player 4 minutes later just misses a ball played in across the Bridgnorth goal when he slides in at the far post.
It's a very open game now and with just 5 minutes to go Bridgnorth equalise again to the dismay of the home crowd. The goal comes courtesy of a lob over the advancing Walsall keeper Kiesel.
By now I have given up on my photography as the light levels are proving to be unworkable but just as I am about to go on my way, Walsall Wood snatch a dramatic late win when their substitute, Drew Aiton, shoots in the ball from close range. So just like their first Vase tie this season, The Wood have triumphed right at the death of an absorbing contest.
So it's hard luck on a stubborn AFC Bridgnorth team who will be strong contenders in the chase for the West Midlands Premier crown this season and Walsall Wood will now face an away tie to league rivals Causeway United, who play at Halesowen's ground in the next round.
The size of the crowd was disappointing today but that may be due to the fact that nearby Rushall Olympic were also playing at home.
(The backdrop of the match provided by the Colliery sculpture)
Match attendance: 89
Entertainment value: 7.5/10
Entrance fee: £5
Match programme: £1
Today sees the 1st Round proper of the F.A. Vase taking place. I have decided to visit the leafy Wolverhampton suburb of Castlecroft to see AFC Wulfrunians of the Midland Alliance take on Atherstone Town of the Midland Combination.
I arrive in Wolverhampton at about 12:15 pm have lunch soon after and then make my way to the Art Gallery for a spot of culture. It's a place Iv'e been to before and I can thoroughly recommend it as they display a good mix of sculptures, contemporary and older paintings. Today I see that the Wolverhampton Society of Artists have their exhibition opening and I manage to have a quick look round amongst the crowd of people. Good quality work on show too!
After this artistic interlude I go outside and catch the No.3 bus and 20 minutes later have arrived in Castlecroft which lies just over the Staffordshire border.
The Castlecroft Stadium of AFC Wulfrunians is an impressive facility. On the one side of the pitch is a big stand with changing rooms at the bottom with seating on top and the clubhouse above that. The pitch is of good quality too and a steward there told me that it is being used by the FA to stage schoolboy internationals. Wolverhampton Ladies team use the pitch too on Sundays.
So Wulfrunians are playing Atherstone who this season have already had an impressive FA Cup run after defeating Redditch United and Coalville Town.
The teams take to the pitch with Wulfrunians in their red strip and their opponents in their second strip of yellow and black.
Wulfrunians take the lead early on when their No.7, Jake Webb, evades a tackle, goes inside and drills the ball in to the corner of the net after 7 minutes. Atherstone go close to scoring soon after but it's the hosts who are looking much more dangerous.
Wulfrunians deservedly score a second goal when Nathan Rose-Laing heads home a goal, as shown below.
Atherstone manage to reach the interval without any further damage. I see that there are plenty of rain clouds coming from the south-west and sure enough it starts raining before the start of the second half and I have to take shelter in the stand for the rest of the match.
Soon Wulfrunians go 3-0 up when Dave Asbury shoots in from close range when the ball falls at his feet.
The same player makes it 4, with 20 minutes to go when when he volleys home from a corner.
Atherstone are looking demoralised and Wulfrunians are totally in control of the game, slicing through the visitor's defence with almost every attack.
They score a fifth goal with their player taking the ball round Smith in the Atherstone goal with 15 minutes to go. They could and should have scored 2 more goals before the referee brings a halt to proceedings.
AFC Wulfrunians have put in a very impressive display of attacking football and it just hasn't been Atherstone's day this time round.
Maybe Wulfrunians can have a good run in this year's Vase?
