 |
| Jamie Frost scored the winner |
Again we fielded a side without any 2nd years. Cameron Howieson was back in the matchday squad with Doncaster and recent contract winners Jay Gilchrist and Luke Gallagher were in the Droyslden line-up, with the former winning a penalty as the Bloods picked up a rare point in their doomed BSN season. Luke Conlan and Jack Errington remained sidelined through injury, so it was a combination of 1st years and schoolboys that made up our team.
The visitors started the brighter with a high tempo play that saw us harried in possession, and chasing the ball regularly. Our passing play was off-key and we were guilty of surrendering possession needlessly. We should have been well behind by the 20 minute mark. The Walsall left winger saw a blistering volley flash wide of the post and then the right winger got in behind Andy Nugent hitting a cross-shot onto the post. The ball popped up and flailing limbs saw it looping back towards goal. At the 2nd attempt Charlie Holt cleared the ball off the line by way of a bicycle kick. It looked well over, but we were some distance from it so on the touchline we happily breathed a collective sigh of relief.
We were struggling to make any kind of headway, then out of nothing we had a glorious chance from the spot. Christian Hill, on the right wing, ran on to a clipped ball and got in behind the left back. They came together in the box and Hill hit the deck, somewhat surprisingly, the ref pointed to the spot. Lewis Nuttall stepped up, but saw his effort saved by the keeper and his strong right hand.
We had another opportunity just on the stroke of half time as again Hill got past his man to cross, but Brad Jackson, drifting from the right, couldn’t make a telling connection and his effort was easily blocked. A scramble ensued and any threat was finally nullified with the Walsall keeper clawing a poked shot onto the post and wide.
As has been a recurring theme with our matches this season the words of Terry Pashley during the interval had a positive effect. No more than 2 minutes into the 2nd half and we were a goal to the good. Another clipped ball from midfield turned the Walsall defence and it was Jamie Frost that profited, running onto the ball and cleverly dinking it over the advancing keeper and hitting the back of the net.
We were a different side in the 2nd half and played with greater confidence, creating more time for ourselves in the face of the harrying opposition. Nuttall had a couple of good opportunities as the half progressed. Firstly he blasted a volley wide, then he sidefooted at the keeper following a buccaneering run from Cameron Dummigan.
We made use of our substitutions, with Nathan Lowe replacing Kevin Ly on the hour mark, then Ntumba Massanka and Andreas Bianga replacing Jackson and Frost for the final 15 minutes. We were just happy to see the game out but were nearly caught cold into stoppage time. The visitors made a chance from seemingly nothing and we just managed to see an effort wide with combination of Conor Mitchell and Alex Whitmore. The resulting corner was swung over but was claimed well by the keeper despite him receiving a clattering from a hefty aerial challenge. With the opportunity gone, the ref blew for time and awarded us the 3 points.
Teams:- Conor Mitchell, Cameron Dummigan, Andy Nugent, Alex Whitmore, Charlie Holt, Kevin Ly (Nathan Lowe), Luke Daly, Brad Jackson (Ntumba Massanka), Christian Hill, Jamie Frost (Andreas Bianga), Lewis Nuttall.
Sub not used:- Callum Jakovlevs.