Wulfs in scrappy win

Wulfs, sponsored by Shifnal Environmental Safety Ltd, made the long trip to Herefordshire to face a Bromyard Town side who went into the game on the back of some good recent results including fine wins against Ellesmere Rangers and Brierley Hill & Withymoor.

Wulfs started brightly and created the games first chance when Ricky Anslow showed good skill on the right before crossing into the middle where Andy Mitchell rose well but couldn’t keep his header down.

Bromyard’s first effort at goal came shortly after when full back James Rayner carried the ball forward before exchanging passes with Craig Malins and hitting a thirty yard shot well over Tim Tipton’s crossbar.

Andy Mitchell went close again in the 18th minute when he got on the end of a Liam Evans cross but this time his powerful header flew straight at Town keeper John Meek.

Bromyard went closest to breaking the deadlock three minutes later when a diagonal ball to the right corner of the area was picked up by Joe Wood and he cut inside and hit a low shot that had Tim Tipton at full stretch to tip around the post.

The deadlock was finally broken on the half hour mark and it deservedly went to Wulfs.  Simon Hardle delivered a corner from the left and Ricky Anslow, going away from goal, turned to loop a header in off the underside of the bar.

This goal visibly deflated Bromyard and all they had to offer for the rest of the first half was a dipping volley from Cyril Dowling that Tim Tipton collected comfortably low down.

Wulfs almost increased their lead a minute from the break when Bromyard gifted possession to Wulfs and the ball was played forward to Andy Mitchell who in turn fed square to Fraser Houston but his shot was blocked by the advancing keeper’s legs.

Bromyard had the first chance of the second half when a lucky ricochet fell to Cyril Dowling and he fired a low shot wide and they were made to pay as Wulfs doubled their advantage in the 61st minute.

Ricky Anslow turned his man on the halfway line and skipped past another out wide before driving into the box and getting tripped for a penalty.

Andy Mitchell made no mistake from the resulting spot kick.

Bromyard were almost gifted a way back into the game ten minutes later when James Skedgel’s attempted back pass sold keeper Tim Tipton short allowing Craig Malins to nip in but Tipton spared his centre half’s blushes by saving well at point blank range.

This was the last scare for Wulfs as they went on to create all of the games remaining chances.

In the 75th minute Andy Mitchell put an opponent under pressure on the right wing, winning back possession and passing on to Liam Evans who squared to Fraser Houston for a free shot at goal but he failed to allow for the only bobble on the pitch and his shot sailed high and wide.

Substitute Richard Gummery then almost capped a promising twenty-three minute appearance with a goal but he was thwarted by a good low save by John Meek.

Meek was then pleased to see a Fraser Houston free kick from the left corner of the area fly just past his far post.

Manager Pete Tipton was not happy with the performance but extremely pleased that all three points had been collected with relative ease.