Town Overturn Olympic

[Duffer]

Tuesday 13th August 2002

Midland Football Alliance

RUSHALL OLYMPIC 0 vs WILLENHALL TOWN 4

 

There are always plenty of talking points when Town visit their local rivals Rushall, and this match was no different. As always there were two very committed teams who gave nothing away in this tough tackling encounter.

 

After just 5 minutes the visitors took the lead when a long ball through towards the strikers was headed backwards by defender Read past his own advancing and stranded keeper. The Pics defence claimed offside but the ref was having none of their protests.

 

Eight minutes later following a skirmish in which 1 Town and 2 Rushall players were booked, Long hit the Town's crossbar.

 

Following some Red's pressure Carter's cross found Grovensor whose shot was narrowly wide. On 30 minutes Rushall did get the ball in the ball but their effort was ruled offside on 30 minutes.

 

With half time looming Bullimore capitalised on a mix up between the keeper and defender only to see his effort cleared off the line by Read on 43 minutes.

 

Two minutes into added time and the second flashpoint occurred when Town's Hay was brought down in the Rushall area by last defender Brown ®, however the ref awarded a free kick outside the area and just cautioned the captain. The free kick was blasted into the wall.

 

The second half was just as even and just as frantic, Town's Swann and Hay combined in a neat 1-2 before Swanns shot was just wide.

 

On 72 minutes a clever back heel by Moseley to Rochester saw his pin point cross meet the head of Bullimore who's powerful effort was narrowly wide of the beaten Rushall keeper. On 75 minutes a Moseley cross was headed just wide, again by Hay. A minute later and Bullimore should have grabbed a second goal when he shot just over from a Swann cross.

 

With Willenhall having the better of the play it came as no surprise when Hay collected a pass from Bullimore and blasted the ball into the net for the Reds second goal.

 

Not a team to give up Rushall continued to try to break down their visitors, on 81 minutes Evans shot just wide.

 

However on 82 minutes Willenhall increased their lead when a chip by Bullimore was meet by sub Goodall, his overhead effort seemed weak, but Price failed to hold the ball and it fell behind him into the net.

 

Several bookings and a couple of skirmishes later, the game was wrapped up when on 89 minutes, Hay collected a through ball, beat the defence in dazzling style before dispatching an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net.

 

Willenhall entertain Biddulph Victoria in a league match on Saturday 17th August.