Walsall Wood V Silhill (Division Three)

​Walsall Wood were looking to build on last weekend’s 3-0 away win at Gornal with a statement result against Silhill at Oak Park. The Wood had got off to an encouraging start in division three with six wins from their opening eight matches going into yesterday. The new management team of Adam Pearce and Phil Male are building a competitive squad that can challenge for promotion at this level.    

They were looking to get back on track at Oak Park following a couple of home losses to AFC Birmingham and Continental Star a few weeks back.

Silhill were a side in form coming into yesterday’s match with four wins from their last five matches in division three. The visitors have been a competitive side at this level over the last few seasons and narrowly missed out on promotion last season to Wake Green Amateurs by two points on their way to finishing in 3rd.  

The Solihull side had one of the best attacking records in the league with 26 goals scored from nine league games under manager Leon Blake. They beat Leamington Hibernian 4-0 last weekend to move into 2nd and were looking to continue their momentum with an eye-catching result against Walsall Wood. 

​Starting line ups

The starting line up for Walsall Wood included Sam Cooksey starting in goal and Ronan Sheehan captaining the team on the right wing. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Mac Lee playing up front and being supported by David Frimpong and Ronan Sheehan on the wings.

There was just one change from their match against Gornal last weekend with Sam Cooksey coming into the team and playing in goal.

The starting line-up for Silhill included Louie Sheppard starting in goal and Owen Fackrell captaining the team as part of a back three. The formation looked like a 3-5-2 with a front two of Josh Sarmenio and Kyle Porter being supported by Gilad Grant from attacking midfield.

There were three changes from their match against Leamington Hibernian last weekend with Brandon Williams coming into the team and playing in a back three alongside Marcus Blake and Owen Fackrell. 

First Half

Walsall Wood got off to a brilliant start and took the lead in the opening few minutes of the first half to take control of the match. Jack Lynch beat a few players from left-back before unleashing a strike into the top right corner for 1-0 on 2 minutes.

Silhill responded well to the early setback and created a half chance when Josh Sarmenio had a shot from distance comfortably saved by Sam Cooksey on 13 minutes.  

The hosts pressed home their advantage a few minutes later to make it 2-0 thanks to a moment of quality up front. Ronan Sheehan made an inspired run down the right-hand side before finding David Frimpong at the back post who finished into the top left corner on 14 minutes.

The Wood were in the ascendancy and had a control of the match early on with Jamie Smith helping to break up the play from holding midfield and stop Silhill’s momentum up front.

They made it 3-0 a few minutes later when Ronan Sheehan beat a few players down the right-hand side before producing a quality cross to Liam Kirton in the box who headed into the top right corner on 15 minutes.

It was all clicking for Walsall Wood in the opening half hour of the first half, and they looked like a side that can challenge for promotion at this level. Ronan Sheehan was brilliant on the right wing yesterday with the former Wednesfield player causing Silhill all sorts of problems at the back.  

There was a bad looking injury to Marcus Blake in the middle of the first half who had to be replaced by Alfred Samuel as part of the back three for Silhill.

The visitors had a good fifteen-minute spell of momentum near the end of the first half and gradually grew into the game at 3-0 down. Owen Fackrell was reading the danger well at the back and helped break up promising Walsall Wood attacks. Josh Sarmenio also made some promising runs into the final third and was finding some space around the box.  

Their best chance to reduce the deficit came on 42 minutes when Alfie Merriman found some space in the box before having a shot well saved by Sam Cooksey at the front post.

Walsall Wood still looked a threat at the other end with Jamie Smith breaking free at the back post from a free kick into the box before having a shot tipped over the post by Louie Sheppard on 45 minutes.

Second Half

The Wood continued where they left off at the start of the second half and made it 4-0 when Mac Lee beat a few players on the edge of the box before producing a low finish into the bottom right corner on 47 minutes.

One of the most encouraging things about Walsall yesterday was their work rate off the ball. Kieran Carroll impressed at centre back and helped clear the danger throughout the second half to keep the clean sheet intact.

The clear-cut chances were more limited compared to the first half with both sides cancelling each other out for large periods.

Silhill had another fifteen-minute spell of pressure on the Walsall goal in the middle of the second half and looked a threat up front. Kyle Porter was making some promising runs and taking players on down the left-hand side. He found some space before playing a good ball to Josh Sarmenio whose shot was comfortably saved by Sam Cooksey on 74 minutes.

Their best chance to reduce the deficit came a few minutes later when Stefan Ciesar found some space in the box before having a shot well saved by Sam Cooksey to keep it at 4-0.

The hosts put in a professional performance to see the match out in the closing stages of the second half and did a good job of making it consecutive clean sheets yesterday.   

The win takes them up to 2nd in the table with fellow promotion contender Kenilworth Sporting losing 2-1 at AFC Balsall and dropping down to 4th. League leaders Coventry Colliery continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 away win at Leamington Hibernian to make it seven wins from their opening nine matches.  

Upcoming fixtures

Walsall Wood have a busy run of games coming up over the next few weeks. The Wood take on AFC Balsall (Away) next Saturday in the league before hosting Dudley Sports in the JW Hunt Cup on Tuesday 30th September.

They then play Mayfield (Home) in the Staffordshire Challenge Cup on Saturday 4th October before travelling to division two side Cadbury Athletic in the LJ Cup on Saturday 11th October.

Silhill have a tough run of fixtures over the next month and are at home to Kenilworth Sporting next Saturday. They then travel to division two side Fairfield Villa in the LJ Cup on Saturday 4th October before playing Continental Star (Away) in the league on Saturday 11th October.

They round off October with two home games in division three against Leamington Hibernian (Saturday 18th October) and Walsall Wood (Saturday 25th October).         

FT score: Walsall Wood 4-0 Silhill

Man of the match: Ronan Sheehan (Walsall Wood)

Attendance: 60

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League