Bilston Town V Kirby Muxloe (Division One)

​Bilston were looking to build on their 3-2 home win against Gornal Athletic at the weekend with a result against play off chasing Kirby Muxloe at Queen Street. The Steelmen’s home form had been good of late with three wins from their last four matches coming into yesterday.  

It’s a big few months coming up for Bilston who were only three points off the play offs going into this match. If they can build some momentum, they could have a good chance of finishing 5th which feels up for grabs at this stage of the season.

It feels like a three-way battle for that final play off spot between Cradley, Kirby Muxloe and Bilston Town going into the final few months.   

Kirby Muxloe were looking for a momentum building win to boost their play off hopes. The Leicester side were in a similar situation to Bilston and only a point off Cradley in 5th before kick-off.

The visitors have put themselves in a good position to challenge for the play offs over the next few months. Earlier in the season they went on a run of eight consecutive wins. If they can continue their impressive home form and pick up a few points away they could have a good chance. 

​Starting line ups

The starting line up for Bilston included Dominic Cooper starting in goal and Lewis Wall captaining the team as part of a back three. The formation looked like a 5-2-3 with Nehemia Zazi playing as the main striker and being supported by Adam Nazir and Eesa Sawyers on the wings.

There were two changes from their match against Gornal Athletic at the weekend with Joe Scriven coming into the team and playing in central midfield alongside Mitch Evans.

The starting line up for Kirby Muxloe included Jude O’Connor starting in goal and Daryl Russell captaining the team at centre back. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Lucca Watson-Quilter playing up front and being supported by Jack Gunn and Mark Foster on the wings.

There was one change from their last match against Stapenhill a few weeks back with Karum Shankar coming into the team and playing in the number ten role. 

​First Half

Bilston started the match brightly and created some good chances early on. Nehemia Zazi looked a threat up front and made a brilliant run into the box before shooting wide of the far post in the 8th minute. He was a focal point for the Steelmen up front and did a good job of holding up the play to bring players into the game.  

​Kirby Muxloe gradually grew into the game as the first half went on and were able to see out the early pressure from Bilston to keep it at 0-0 with twenty minutes gone. Daryl Russell was reading the danger well at centre back and the visitors offered a threat on the break to cause Bilston a few problems.  

The visitors made it 1-0 following a defensive mix up at the back between Ben Priest and Dominic Cooper from a long ball into the box. This allowed Lucca Watson-Quilter through on goal who made no mistake and finished into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0 after 25 minutes.

The Steelmen showed some character and stuck to their attacking game at 1-0 down. They were making things happen in the final third with Eesa Sawyers offering pace down the left and wing-back Tarique Hunter taking players on and crossing into the box down the right-hand side.  

Tarique Hunter was brought down in the box for a Bilston penalty a few minutes after the opening goal. Nehemia Zazi stepped up and produced a composed finish into the bottom right corner to make it 1-1 after half an hour.

Bilston had a guilt edged chance to take the lead in the 37th minute when Jude O’Connor was caught playing out from the back which allowed Eesa Sawyers through on goal. He ran towards the box before having a shot saved to keep it at 1-1.

The Steelmen were building some momentum near the end of the first half and creating some good openings. Nehemia Zazi made another good run into the box before having a shot saved by Jude O’Connor.

The visitors were doing just enough to stay in the match going into half time with Tom Carroll working hard off the ball and breaking up the play from holding midfield.

​Second Half

Both teams went for it in the second half which made for an entertaining end to the match with plenty of chances in front of goal.

Kirby had a brilliant chance to take the lead when Lucca Watson Quilter beat a few players down the right before squaring the ball to Karum Shankar who fired over the bar in the 49th minute.

Bilston also had a good chance to take the lead when Tarique Hunter put in an inviting cross to the back post where Nehemia Zazi had a volleyed effort hit the crossbar in the 55th minute.  

The Steelmen found the breakthrough in the 66th minute when Eesa Sawyers found some space in the box before finding Nehemia Zazi who finished into the bottom left corner to make it 2-1. Kirby thought it was offside, and Daryl Russell was sin binned for ten minutes following the goal.

The visitors responded well to being a goal down and temporarily reduced to ten men.

​They found a moment of inspiration to score straight from kick off with Karum Shankar producing a low finish into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box to make it 2-2. It was an unbelievable response from Kirby when taking the circumstances into account to find the equaliser.  

Bilston responded well to the set back and kept going in search of a third goal. The momentum was fully with Bilston during the ten minutes that Daryl Russell was sin binned for the visitors.  

They threatened from a couple of set pieces into the box with Jude O’Connor stepping up and making some instinctive saves to keep it at 2-2. The best one came from a corner when the ball looked destined to find the back post before the Kirby keeper pushed it over the bar.

The pressure from Bilston eventually told and they found the breakthrough to make it 3-2 thanks to a well worked corner that found Mitch Evans at the front post who headed in to give them the lead.

It looked like Bilston might see the match out at 3-2 going into the latter stages of the second half with the likes of Lewis Wall and Aaron Weston having a good game at the back.

Kirby Muxloe found an equaliser to make it 3-3 a few minutes after the goal to turn the match on its head with Jack Gunn noticing the keeper of his line before producing a looping finish into the top left corner. The fight and character shown by the Leicester side kept them in the match and they took their chances well to have a chance of gaining a huge point late on.

Bilston pushed for a winner in the closing stages of the second half and had some good opportunities to take home the three points. Substitute Max Dixon impressed up front since coming off the bench and gave the Steelmen that target man in the box. He found some space before putting a shot wide of the far post.

​Eesa Sawyers also had a late chance where he had a shot go narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

Not long after the referee blew for the full-time whistle with both sides taking home a point in an entertaining match at Queen Street.  

Full Time

The visitors battled well for a valuable point away from home against Bilston which is a tough place to get a result. It moves them level on points with Cradley Town in 5th.

The Steelmen will feel like it’s two points dropped from yesterday’s match but there’s plenty to be encouraged about up front. Nehemia Zazi offered an attacking threat and Tarique Hunter played well.        

FT score: Bilston Town 3-3 Kirby Muxloe

Man of the match: Nehemia Zazi (Bilston Town)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League