BPYFL April 6 report

The unseasonal weather had a disastrous impact on Sunday’s fixtures, especially the morning games, with both the Under 8s and Under 10s mini soccer sessions being cancelled.

The Under 11s and Under 12s fixture programmes were also completely wiped out although Wednesfield and Finchfield did play their mid week fixture with South Staffs Charity Cup finalists Wednesfield getting their premiership challenge back on track with a comfortable victory over Finchfield courtesy of two goals apiece from Callum Wood, Matthew Hough and Jake Bain and one from Shaun Cooper.

Two of the Under 13s fixtures did manage to beat the freeze.

Eurofast skated into the final of the Premier Division Charity Cup where they will face either New Park Village or Hill Top Rangers after four goals from Connor Mulqueen, three apiece from Jordan Dixon and Adam Billingsley and one each from Matthew Pearce, David Hodgekinson, Alex Foreshaw, Christian Martin and Richard Shaw helped them beat Moorcroft Raiders while the group game in the Merit Shield between second division champions Bustleholme Athletic and premiership outfit Himley Colts further blurred the lines between the divisions showing the quality of football at all levels of the Bilston League.

The visitors started the match strongly only to have Bustleholme’s Joshua Heath take the second division side into an early lead with a superbly placed free kick.

After defending their lead for most of the first half the Bustleholme defence was finally breached just before half time when Himley’s Simon Gilbert managed to find the net with a set piece from a corner.

The battling continued through the second half with both sides evenly matched and with no further goals Himley had to be satisfied with their third merit shield draw and with the other games in this group also failing to deliver a winner no obvious finalists are yet to emerge from the group.

The afternoon fixtures fared little better with just three under 14s fixtures overcoming the conditions.

In the First Division two goals from Chris Price and one apiece from Daniel Whitehouse, Jack Duffield and Symeon Nelson helped Tipton Olympic beat Warstones Wanderers (South) with Darryl Westwood bagging a consolation goal for Warstones while in the group stages of the Merit Withington notched the only goal of the game as premiership outfit Darlaston Town beat Second Division champions Stone Cross while goals from Kumar, Chatham and Fearon helped second division Coven United move to the top of their group with a victory over first division Willenhall Town Colts with Cross replying.

Midweek merit shield action saw Sedgley White Lions beat Warstones Wanderers South 3-0 while Hill Top beat New Park 2-0 and it was honours even when Warstones Wanderers North and Sandwell Dynamos battled out a 1-1 draw.

The Under 15s seemed more able to cope with the conditions but even at this age the majority of the fixtures were postponed.

In the Premier Division leaders Bilbrook Juniors (East) slipped up when they were held to a draw by bottom club Wolverhampton Development with the visitors picking up only their second league point of the season. Birch, with a brace, and Chisholme were on target for Bilbrook with Taylor, with a brace and Roberts replying.

In the First Division goals from Griffiths, Tonks and Collins helped second placed Park Hill narrowly beat Wood Farm Wanderers by the odd goal in five and in the Second Division goals from Oliver Green and Harris helped leaders Bilbrook Juniors (North Star) beat All Saints with Mills replying while second placed Punjab United beat Warstones Wanderers 6-0 and a brace from Webb and goals from Rogers and Parkes helped Penn Rovers beat Tipton Warriors while goals from Markham, Gordan and Nichells guided Sedgley White Lions to victory at Wood Green United.

The weather had a devastating impact on the Under 16s fixtures with only Bustleholme able to book their place in the semi finals of the Wednesbury Junior (League) Cup when goals from Matt Harper and Dan Maying helping them to victory at Walsall Town with Louis Hylton replying while in the group stages of the Merit Shield a brace from Stuart Evans and goals from Ian Tipton, Jack Jones and Steve Whitehouse helped Parkes Hall to victory at Beechdale Swifts with Alex Keay replying and goals from Ian Bowkley, Matt Gosnell, Ryan Speakman and Matt Melton helped J.M. United beat Sedgley Rovers 5-1.

Only one Under 17s fixture survived the weather with Castle Youth and Willenhall Youth sharing the spoils and six goals. Foster, with a brace, and Forrest were on the score sheet for Castle with Smith, with a brace and James replying.