Wulfs repeat dose on Tividale

Wulfs, sponsored by Hydron Protective Coatings Ltd, squared up to Tividale for the second successive Tuesday night, this time in the JW Hunt Cup at the Brinsford Stadium.

Tividale started the game brightly, knocking the ball around well with Dave Brown looking particularly sharp up front but despite all their possession; it was Wulfs who created the games early chances.

In the 7th minute a free kick from the right was cleared out to Liam Evans.  He hit a high ball back into the area where Andy Mitchell headed back for Fraser Houston to hit a left foot shot just wide.

One minute later a Simon Hardle cross deflected high into the air for Ricky Anslow to produce a downward header that Tividale keeper John Carmichael did very well to save low down at the foot of his post.

In the 16th minute a long ball out of defense gave Fraser Houston a run at goal.  He carried the ball to the edge of the area before driving a shot just over the bar.

Wulfs excellent attacking play brought a deserved reward in the 20th minute.  Robin Sheffield played a clever ball over the full back allowing Ricky Anslow to break before squaring a pass to Andy Mitchell who rounded the keeper before slotting home.

It was very nearly two in the 35th minute.  Mark Tipton played a great ball out to Fraser Houston and he showed good pace down the line before cutting the ball back for Ricky Anslow to turn and fire a shot goalwards but, although it was good enough to beat the keeper, it was headed off the line by a covering defender.

Tividale threatened the Wulfs goal for the first time in the 36th minute and it very nearly brought them an equaliser when Lee Onions picked up a loose ball just inside the area and hit a deflected shot that bounced back off the upright and narrowly bypassed the forward who was following up.

Tividale had now worked up a head of steam and were looking likely to get back into the game and the half time whistle came as a bit of a relief to Wulfs.

Wulfs started the second half with a bang and almost doubled their lead straight from the kick off.  Liam Evans carried the ball forward, exchanged passes with Fraser Houston and the squared a pass to Simon Hardle but his shot from the edge of the area went just over the bar.

The goal that Tividale had threatened at the end of the first half came five minutes in to the second when Nicky Dodds fired a long diagonal cross into the area and Adam Checketts netted with a fine downward header at the far post.

At this point the game could have gone either way but a couple of substitutions for Tividale affected their balance and Wulfs took advantage in a big way. 

Shortly after Fraser Houston had seen his 67th minute free kick tipped over the bar by John Carmichael, Liam Evans broke up a Tividale attack and fed Fraser Houston.  He curled a cute ball forward to Andy Mitchell who shrugged off his marker before poking a shot past the stranded keeper.

Wulfs added a third in the 72nd minute when Ricky Anslow ran on to a ball over the top and danced past two players before driving in a low hard cross form the byline which Martyn Allard could only force into his own net under pressure from Andy Mitchell.

Following another batch of substitutions, Wulfs made it four in the 83rd minute.  Liam Evans hit a free kick deep into the area where Andy Mitchell headed across goal and Ricky Anslow headed in at the far post.

The game was now all but over although Tividale went close to pulling back a late consolation when Adam Checketts curled a free kick from the corner of the area just past Danny Tipton’s far post.