WEDNESFIELD TAKE THE POINTS IN CLOSE GAME

SHIFNAL TOWN 1 WEDNESFIELD 2
West Midlands (Regional) League, Premier Division
Tuesday 14 August 2018

Despite a much-improved performance, Shifnal are still to register their first victory of the campaign. They fell behind after 10 minutes, when Brad Sharman burst down the right wing before slipping the ball inside to the unmarked KEITH THOMAS, who slotted home from 10 yards. The same player came close to doubling the lead 3 minutes later, his 18-yard volley passing inches over the crossbar. The hosts were unlucky not to equalise in the 32nd minute, when the ball was played down the left for Ryan Hadley, who cut inside only to see his angled drive strike a defender and rebound into the keeper’s arms. A good move by the visitors on 38 minutes ended with Fabian Facey’s low angled shot passing narrowly wide of the far post. Town grabbed an equaliser a minute before the interval from Hadley’s corner, which was headed towards goal by Brad Smith, last season’s leading goalscorer BEN NOVIS helping the ball into the net.

2 minutes after the break, Novis was unlucky to see his glancing header from Todd Brindle’s cross pass the wrong side of the upright. It was apparent that the next goal would be crucial, and this fell to the visitors after 56 minutes, BEN WILKINS heading in from a cross from the right. Try as they might, Shifnal were unable to break down the Wednesfield defence for another equaliser, thus going down to their second home defeat in four days.

SHIFNAL:

Jake James, Jeff Agyeman, Ryan Hadley, Zac Vale, Brad Smith, Ben McAuley, Tom Hounsell (Michael Gwynne 75mins), Harrison Barrett, Ben Novis (Ryan Bright 78mins), Todd Brindle (Ryan Mountford 75mins), Will Wells.

Subs not used: Tom Whittaker; Jordan Jones.

Caution: Wells 13mins.

WEDNESFIELD:

Vitor Pinheiro, Nathan Gray, Jamal Pinnock, Shaquille Lee, Tony Russon, Ben Perks, Fabian Facey (Tom McCrystal 82mins), Ben Wilkins (Thomas Rayson 71mins), Kevin Nickle, Keith Thomas (Mark Morgan 75mins), Brad Sharman.

Subs not used: Lee Warner; Nick Haynes.

Cautions: Facey 73mins; Morgan 79mins; Sharman 90mins.

Referee: Ross Smart (Madeley).

Assistant referees: James Astley (Telford).
Jason Simpson (Telford).

Shifnal Star Man: Zac Vale.