MFL Weekend Preview (Division Three)

AFC Birmingham V Wake Green Amateur

AFC Birmingham will be looking to continue their excellent form against Wake Green Amateur on Saturday afternoon at Illey Lane. They have been one of the form teams over the last month and are on a run of four consecutive wins going into tomorrow’s match.

They got a big win away at Meadow Park on Easter Monday to leave them in 4th and only two points off the top two with a game in hand. They have been consistent at home with six wins and three draws from eleven matches to make them contenders for the top two.

One of their strengths has been up front with 71 goals scored from 24 matches. Rahiem Faulder has been excellent with 18 goals in all competitions.

Wake Green Amateur have gone a bit under the radar this season but are in the top half of the table with an outside chance of a top six finish. They will be looking to respond to the 1-0 away defeat at Balsall and Berkswell on Monday with a statement result tomorrow afternoon. They can be a tough team to play on their day and have conceded just seven goals from their last six matches.

Adam Turner has been one of their main attacking threats with 17 goals in all competitions.

AFC Solihull V Castle Vale Town

AFC Solihull will be looking to get the league title wrapped up over the next few weeks so they can prepare for life in step seven next season. It’s been an excellent campaign from the league leaders who have a twelve-point lead at the top with five matches remaining.

They will be looking to respond to the surprising loss away at Silhill a few weeks back with a win against Castle Vale Town tomorrow.

They have been strong at home with eleven wins from thirteen matches.

In a team full of quality, Jahvan Howell has stood out in front of goal with 30 goals in all competitions and has been an excellent addition since joining from DSC United last summer.

Castle Vale Town will be looking to build on their encouraging home win against Gornal on Easter Monday with a statement result against AFC Solihull. The Spitfires are on a run of three matches unbeaten going into this weekend’s match.

It’s been an excellent season from the visitors and a top six finish would be a good achievement in a tough division.

They have been good away from home with nine wins from fourteen matches.

They have been tough to break down away from home with just 19 goals conceded and Luke Smith has been excellent at the back for the Spitfires.    

Balsall and Berkswell V Gornal

Balsall and Berkswell will be looking to build on their 1-0 win over Wake Green Amateur on Monday with a result against Gornal. It’s been a transitional season for the Hornets with a new manager coming in at the middle of the season. They are challenging for a top half finish over their remaining ten matches and are comfortably in mid table.

It’s all about building for the Hornets over the next few matches and setting themselves up for next season. Zach Featherstone is a good signing from Leamington Hibernian and will help to solidify the midfield.

They have not been too bad at Lavendar Hall Lane this season with only three losses from ten matches.

Gornal played well on Easter Monday against Castle Vale Town despite the result and will be looking to build on the positives of that match against Balsall and Berkswell. The visitors have been decent since joining the MFL and have looked competitive in division three. 

One of their main issues has been away from home with one point from ten matches. This has stopped them being comfortably in mid table as their home form is notably better with five wins from fourteen matches.

Jaden Muckley is a player to watch who played well on the wings on Monday against Castle Vale Town.    

Birmingham Tigers V Boldmere Sports and Social Falcons

Birmingham Tigers will be looking for their first win of the season against a much-improved Boldmere Falcons side at the Hadley Stadium tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a challenging season for the Tigers with two points from 27 matches and they are playing for pride over their remaining five matches. 

They have had a few disappointing results over the Easter with the loss at home to Continental Star standing out. The Tigers are capable of takings point off teams on their day and will be looking to be tight at the back and frustrate Boldmere Falcons tomorrow. 

Their main issue has been up front with just 18 goals scored which is the lowest in the division.

Boldmere Falcons will be looking to build on their encouraging goalless draw against local rivals Castle Vale Town with a convincing away win tomorrow. The visitors are on a run of four matches unbeaten and are challenging for a top ten finish over their remaining five matches.

The best result in that run was the home win against promotion chasing Northfield Town a few weeks back. Dale Huckfield has impressed since joining in the middle of the season and has four goals for the Falcons in all competitions. 

If the visitors can finish the season with some momentum, they will be one of the teams to watch in division three going into next season.    

Feckenham V Northfield Town

Feckenham are at home to Northfield Town at Mill Lane tomorrow afternoon in a huge match for the 2nd promotion place. Both teams have been excellent since joining step eight and are competing for automatic promotion to step seven over the next month.

The hosts got a crucial win away at Leamington Hibernian last Saturday which will give them some confidence going into this match. They are two points off the top two with seven matches remaining.

One of the positives for the Millers is their defence with is the one of the best in the division with just 26 goals conceded.   

Northfield got some big home wins over the Easter period and are coming off consecutive wins against Solihull Sporting and Silhill going into this weekend. They are currently in 2nd and two points better off than Feckenham in 3rd so tomorrow is a huge match.

They have been good away from home with eight wins from twelve matches.

Louis Jones is a player to watch who has impressed with three goals over the Easter weekend.

Leamington Hibernian V Meadow Park

Leamington Hibernian will be looking to respond to the 2-0 home loss against Feckenham last weekend with a result against Meadow Park. There’s been signs of progress under new manager Kyle King such as the convincing home win against Birmingham Tigers and it’s all about building going into next season.

Charlie Fitzmaurice has impressed since joining a month ago and has two goals from three matches.

Meadow Park have been good since joining the MFL last summer and have been competitive in step eight. There comfortably in mid table and challenging for a top half finish over their remaining nine matches.

One of their main issues has been away with three wins from ten matches which has stopped them being higher up the table.

They will be looking to respond to the 1-0 home loss against AFC Birmingham on Monday with a result against Leamington Hibernian tomorrow.

Silhill V Solihull Sporting

Silhill will be looking to get a result tomorrow against Solihull Sporting to put some pressure on the teams above them. The hosts are in 6th and six points off the top two with seven matches remaining. They will be looking to respond to the 4-3 loss away at Northfield Town where they were close to getting something from being 3-0 down at half time.

There one of the form teams in the division with ten points from their last five matches.

They have also been strong at home with nine wins from thirteen matches to have an outside chance of promotion.

It’s been a brilliant first season in the MFL and a top six finish would be a good achievement.

Solihull Sporting are comfortably in mid table going into their remaining seven matches of the season. They will be looking to respond to the 4-3 loss against DSC United on Easter Monday with a statement result against of the standout teams in division three.

The main positive for the visitors has been up front with 57 goals scored and having that attacking quality in the final third to cause teams problems.

Fiifi Kwofie has been excellent with 12 goals in all competitions and he will be looking to build on the brace scored against DSC United on Monday.   

Preview feature written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League