Wulfs 3 Pelsall Villa 3

Wulfs took the lead three times in this middle of the table contest against Pelsall Villa but still had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Andy Mitchell, Robin Sheffield and Bryn Jones replaced Ricky Anslow, Myles Fenn and Richard Gummery while Chip Southern returned from suspension to occupy a place on the bench alongside new signing John Aldridge.

Wulfs started the game brightly and went close to opening the scoring within three minutes when Earl Grant flicked a ball on for Andy Mitchell to outmuscle a couple of defenders before firing in a low shot that forced keeper Adam Jenkins to tip around the post.

The breakthrough did come in the 12th minute through a twice taken penalty. 

Earl Grant was again the supplier for Andy Mitchell who again held off defenders before rounding the keeper but was stopped in his tracks when keeper Adam Jenkins pulled him down.

Only a yellow card ensued and things almost got worse when the keeper then saved the resulting penalty. 

Luckily for Wulfs the linesman ruled that the keeper had advanced off his line and Andy Mitchell kept his composure to slot home second time around.

Earl Grant had an opportunity to double the lead in the 20th minute but sliced his shot wide before Pelsall got back on level terms just minute later when a long ball through the middle allowed Michael Griffiths to run on and slot under the advancing Danny Tipton.

Remarkably, Pelsall should have took the lead two minutes later.  Lee Sherwood delivered a cross from the left that eluded everyone except an unmarked Ryan Mosedale at the back of the area but he shanked his free shot across goal and wide of the far post. 

Wulfs regained the lead in the 34th minute.  Robin Sheffield’s cross from the right was headed back by big Earl Grant and was met by a technically perfect left foot volley from Andy Mitchell which flew into the bottom right hand corner of Jenkins’ net.

This lead was held comfortably in to the break but Wulfs were forced into a second half change when illness forced Oli Meanley off to be replaced by Chip Southern.  A cagey opening fifteen minutes of the second half ensued then the game began to open up again.

In the 66th minute a Lee Sherwood corner from the left saw Danny Tipton try to punch under severe pressure and the ball ended up bouncing back off the crossbar and a follow up header went over.

Wulfs hit right back and excellent interplay down the right between Earl Grant, Andy Mitchell and Fraser Houston ended with Grant producing a good turn and shot just wide of the post.

Pelsall got back on level terms once again in the 73rd minute. 

A corner from the left was cleared out to the edge of the area where Keith Grimsley struck a low shot that cannoned back off the post only for Paul Miller to drive home from eight yards out.

It looked as though Wulfs had secured all three points when they took the lead for the third time five minutes from time.

A poor free kick from the right was cleared as far as substitute Ricky Anslow who intelligently laid it back to Myles Fenn whose first time scuffed shot bounced off Earl Grant in to the path of former skipper James Skedgel who maintained his composure and coolly slotted past the advancing Adam Jenkins.

What Wulfs hadn’t allowed for was nine minutes of injury time in which Pelsall grabbed a third equaliser in the 96th minute.

A throw in from the left allowed Craig Gittins to deliver a hopeful cross which seemed harmless enough until Earl Grant inadvertently glance headed past Danny Tipton and in to his own net.