Tenbury United 2 Walsall Wood 1
TENBURY bounced back from a mid-week defeat at Walsall Wood to record their first win of the season in Division 1 of the West Midlands League, when the two sides met for the second time in four days at Palmer's Meadow on Saturday.
The home side went into the game adopting a policy of stifling their opponents with a heavily manned midfield, leaving Ashley Botwood as the lone striker up front.
The formation worked well with Tenbury controlling midfield and Botwood holding the ball up well to win a number of crucial free kicks to relieve the pressure and set-up attacking moves.
Duncan Palmer had a chance well saved and it needed a last-ditch tackle to dispossess Gavin Morris in a dangerous position. The pressure told when United took the lead ten minutes before the break, Morris met Palmer's cross at the far post to score. Meanwhile the home defence, with the hard-working Simon Newhill, Simon Holden and Matt Kurkus in good form, only struggled at set-pieces.
The third quarter was fairly quiet with the home side looking reasonably comfortable protecting their slender lead.
Walsall Wood upset the plan with fifteen minutes remaining, they nipped in when the home defence allowed a long clearance to bounce and casually chipped keeper Craig Kurkus.
The way results have gone this season it would have been easy for the home side to have let their heads drop, but backed by a vociferous home crowd they struck back to deservedly grab a winner. Botwood attacked down the left and crossed for Morris to head home his second goal of the day.
The result will give Tenbury a boost of confidence when they take on fellow strugglers, Malvern Town Reserves away on Saturday.
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