Smethwick were looking to continue their excellent start in division one with a result against AFC Bridgnorth yesterday. They went into this match top of the table with only loss from thirteen matches. One of their main strengths is their defensive record which is one of the best in the league with just 11 goals conceded going into this match.

AFC Bridgnorth are rebuilding in step six under new manager Jack Griffiths. It’s been a tough start for the visitors with no wins from eleven matches coming into this match. None the less, there’s hope for the Shropshire side with the likes of Regan Wardle and Kosheen Sappelton joining the squad who impressed at this level last season.
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The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed prior to kick off with the facilities at the Boldmere Community Stadium good for the level. The main clubhouse is impressive and offers a good selection of food and drinks. One of the main benefits is the view offered from the main stand and it’s well worth a visit for groundhoppers across the West Midlands. 

​Starting line ups

The starting line up for Smethwick included Andreas Spanou starting in goal and Jake Lamb captaining the team from central defence. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with Callum North and Lucas Edwards playing up front and being supported by Hisham Chiha from attacking midfield.

There were four changes from the team that started against Sutton United at the weekend with Chukwuxavier Nwobani-Akano coming into the team and playing in holding midfield alongside Danny Wood.

AFC Bridgnorth’s starting line up included Josh Lewis starting in goal and Craig Gregg captaining the team from holding midfield. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Joel Westwood playing up front and being supported by Kwabena Adjei and Reagan Wardle on the wings.

There were four changes from the team that started against Coton Green at the weekend with Damari Evans coming into the team and playing at right back. 

​First Half

The opening stages of the match were a bit scrappy with both teams settling into it and looking to get on the ball. AFC Bridgnorth started positively and looked like a side rejuvenated despite being in the bottom three. They were linking up the play well in the final third and being brave on the ball.

Smethwick were looking to soak up the pressure from AFC Bridgnorth and catch them on the counterattack. The hosts were playing a lot of good balls down the channels and looked to work balls into the box.

Pierre Phillips impressed at the back for Smethwick and cleared a lot of dangerous balls into the box to take the pressure off them. Chukwuxavier Nwobani-Akano also played well from holding midfield and was doing a good job of linking up the play to help Smethwick grow into the match.

Smethwick took the lead in the middle of the first half thanks to a shot from distance by Lucas Edwards who beat Josh Lewis before finishing into the bottom right corner.

AFC Bridgnorth responded well to the set back and started to build some momentum in the latter stages of the first half. Brett Taylor was having a good game at the back for the visitors. He made a promising run with the ball before having a shot from distance well saved by Andrea Spanou who managed to push it over for a corner.

Cody White also had a free kick that just went wide of the left-hand post for AFC Bridgnorth who were threatening for an equaliser.

The pressure from the visitors eventually told and a quality passing move made it 1-1 after 36 minutes. A brilliant through ball by Reagan Wardle opened the Smethwick defence and found Kwabena Adjei down the right-hand side. He played a low ball to Cody White who finished well for the equaliser.

Smethwick did well to see the first half out to go into the break 1-1 thanks to the defending of Jake Lamb and Efe Unuarhemhen at the back.

Second Half

It was not quite clicking up front for Smethwick Rangers in this match. There was some good build up play in the final third by the hosts but that final ball was missing yesterday.

The second half was a cagey affair with not that many clear-cut chances. It was a fairly even match with the visitors looking to get their first win of the season.  

Brett Taylor and Kosheen Sappelton played well for the visitors yesterday and helped them build some momentum in the middle of the second half. They were getting on the ball a lot and helped them build attacks from midfield to cause Smethwick problems.      

Their best chance to win it came in the 75th minute when Cody White was free in the box. He got into a brilliant position before sending his shot wide of the right-hand post. None the less, the number of chances the visitors were creating was encouraging yesterday.

There was a brief stoppage in play with the floodlights going off for a few minutes which stopped some of the momentum being built by AFC Bridgnorth who were pushing for a winner.

Smethwick had a few chances to take home the three points when the match resumed late on with Chukwuxavier Nwobani-Akano having a shot from distance saved by Josh Lewis. The best chance for the hosts came following a corner when Red Simmons was free in the box. He had a shot instinctively saved by Josh Lewis to keep it at 1-1 at full time.

Full time

Smethwick will feel a bit disappointed not to get the win yesterday but it’s a good point on reflection and keeps them top of the table in division one. They could have lost this match but held on for a point which could be huge come the end of the season.

There in a good position to challenge for the play offs in division one if they can keep their excellent form going. They have the weekend off before two away games against Saffron Dynamo and Birstall United in the league over the next few weeks.

AFC Bridgnorth were excellent in this match and could have got the three points on another day. They competed well with Smethwick throughout and were creating a lot of good chances in the box.

Reagan Wardle impressed on the right-hand side and offered pace going forward. He impressed for the likes of Wolves Sporting and Wednesfield last season and is a good signing by AFC Bridgnorth.

Based on this match they look capable of pushing into mid table over the next few months. A win would give the squad a lot of confidence, but they look on track to pick up a result at some point.

They have one of the toughest schedules going in step six. They have home games against Brocton (League Cup) and Nuneaton Town next week before playing the likes of Heather St John’s, Saffron Dynamo and Bilston Town. None the less, if they can play like they did yesterday the visitors have a good chance of causing an upset against one of these teams.   

FT score: Smethwick Rangers 1-1 AFC Bridgnorth

Man of the match: Reagan Wardle (AFC Bridgnorth)

Attendance: 33

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League 

​Paget were looking to bounce back from their 7-1 loss against Kirby Muxloe at the weekend. It’s been a challenging start for the Bears with one win from twelve matches going into yesterday. None the less, they got a 3-1 away win against Wednesfield last week which should give the squad some confidence and belief.

Bilston Town were one of the form teams in division one coming into this match. The Steelmen have been excellent over the last few weeks and were coming off six consecutive wins to leave them in the play off positions. There’s a lot of continuity in the squad from last season and manager Mike Dunn is building something at the club.

The atmosphere around CV stadium was friendly prior to kick off. Bilston bought a good following along who made the trip to Castle Vale to get behind their team. The main stand looked close to full which is encouraging for step six football. 

​Starting line ups

The starting line up for Paget Rangers included Callum Cooke starting in goal and Jordan Ambris captaining the team from central defence. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with Luke Shearer and Ashawne Tucker playing up front and being supported by Matt Richardson from attacking midfield.

There were six changes from the team that started against Kirby Muxloe with Jonathan Baka coming into the team and playing in holding midfield alongside Jordan Ambris.

Bilston’s starting line up featured Dominic Cooper starting in goal and Lewis Wall captaining the team from central defence. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Chris Bladen playing up front and being supported by Adam Nazir and Jake Short on the wings.

There were no changes from the team that started against Chelmsley Town at the weekend from Mike Dunn.   

​First Half

Bilston got off to a positive start and were on the front foot early on. The visitors were committing a lot of players forward in search of the opening goal. They looked like a side in form and were linking up well in the final third.

The most encouraging thing for the Steelmen yesterday was how they were creating good chances in front of goal. Eesa Sawyers made a good run into the box before having an effort well saved by Callum Cooke inside the opening few minutes.

Paget were looking to catch Bilston out on the counterattack with the pace of Luke Shearer up front. They were looking to see out the early pressure from the visitors and gradually grow into the match with the hope of causing an upset.  

Adam Nazir had a guilt edged chance when he was free in the box before having a shot go wide of the right-hand post in the 11th minute.

The pressure from the visitors eventually told and they took the lead to make it 1-0. They built up the play well down the right-hand side before Eesa Sawyers played an inviting ball into the box that found Tarique Hunter who finished well into the net.

The Steelmen were playing well yesterday, and it was all clicking up front. They made a lot of good runs off the shoulder to stretch the Paget defence and open up the space in the final third.

A quality passing move saw Joe Scriven play a brilliant through ball that opened the Paget defence and found Eesa Sawyers on the right. He played a low ball into the box that found Chris Bladen who finished into the right corner to make it 2-0 in the 26th minute.

Despite the scoreline Paget were working hard off the ball to stop some of the Bilston momentum. Jonathan Baka had a good game from holding midfield and was constantly breaking up the play and winning the ball back to give Paget a foothold in the match.

The main problem for Paget was up front and they struggled to create chances in front of goal throughout the first half. Most of this was down to how Bilston were set up with Jordan Spragg impressing at the back and winning a lot of headers to stop Paget getting on the ball.

Bilston had a control of the match going into half time, but Paget had a chance at 2-0 down going into the break.

Second Half

The pattern of the first half continued in the early stages of the second and Bilston stuck to their attacking philosophy to make it 3-0. Substitute Shaquille McDonald made a good run into the box before producing a composed finish into the bottom right corner.

The visitors made it 4-0 in the middle of the second half and an inviting cross from the left-hand side found Shaquile McDonald who produced a quality finish from the right-hand side of the box.  

Paget had a good fifteen-minute spell in front of goal in the latter stages of the second half and were threatening the Bilston goal. Substitute Lateef Giwa delivered a good free kick from the right that caused a bit of havoc in the Bilston box before going wide of the far post.

Dominic Ellington had an underrated game for Paget yesterday and was playing well on the right of a back three. He was breaking up the play and clearing the ball away from danger to take some of the pressure off the Bears in the second half.

Paget were given a late penalty for a foul in the box by Lewis Wall. Luke Shearer stepped up and took a composed penalty into the right corner to make it 4-1 a few minutes before full time.

Bilston Town responded and got another goal to make it 5-1 at full time. Lewis Taylor-Boyce got into a threatening position in the box before unleashing a quality finish across Callum Cooke into the top left corner for the Steelmen’s fifth.

Not long after the referee blew for the full-time whistle with Bilston getting their seventh consecutive win in division one to move into 3rd.

Full time

Paget competed well with Bilston despite the scoreline. The Bears were undone by moments of quality from the visitors rather than any glaring mistakes at the back. It’s a tough schedule coming up with away matches against Heather St John’s and Coton Green in the league. They also play UCL side Rugby Borough in the FA Vase on Saturday who are top of the Premier Division South.

Bilston impressed yesterday and looked like a side who are going to be up there in division one. The Steelmen have built on the positives of last season and kept hold of key players such as Eesa Sawyers to make a run for the play offs.

One of the most encouraging things for the visitors was the strength in depth with Shaquile McDonald and Lewis Taylor-Boyce impressing off the bench and offering an attacking threat in the final third.

Joe Scriven also played well from midfield for the visitors and offered them that composure on the ball to build attacks.

They have a tough looking schedule coming up with games against Ingles, Coton Green and Kirby Muxloe. None the less, the Steelmen are in a position to challenge at step six this season.       

FT score: Paget Rangers 1-5 Bilston Town

Man of the match: Eesa Sawyers (Bilston Town)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League