Walsall Wood's Wembley FA Vase dream lives on
Walsall Wood's Wembley dream is still alive – but they may have blown their best chance of staying in the FA Vase after a goalless draw against Guernsey.
Meanwhile, fellow West Midland contenders Gornal were knocked out of the competition after Gavin Cogdon grabbed a brace and an assist to fire Spennymoor Town to a 3-1 win.
Gornal's goal was scored by Spennymoor defender Lewis Dodds.
While the Wood made the hat for today's semi-final draw, they were left rueing their opportunities after having the better of their quarter-final in front of a crowd of 656 – swelled by around 200 from the Channel Island – at Oak Park. Mark Swann's side travel to Guernsey for the replay – and a ninth Vase tie of the season – on Saturday night.
The Wood's 21-goal top scorer Ahmet Bilgimer missed three chances to have clinched victory, while Guernsey's Dave Rihoy fired against the underside of the bar in extra-time and Dominic Heaume blazed over the rebound.
Walsall Wood set to fly out for Guernsey replay
Guernsey went closest in the early stages when a header by Ross Allen, who was 26 on Saturday and has scored 96 of Guernsey's goals since their formation in 2011, was nodded off the line by Lee Stretton. Then it was The Wood's turn to have an effort cleared off the line when Andrew Aiton's glancing header was nodded away by Jamie Dodd.
Bilgimer's first golden chance came four minutes before the break when Lewis Taylor-Boyce threaded him through for a one-on-one with Chris Tardif and he lifted the ball over him, but Alex Le Provost raced back to make a desperate clearance before the ball could trickle over the line. Tardif was in action again in first-half injury-time when he blocked Tom Evans's volley after Simon Geall missed Taylor-Boyce's cross.
The Wood had to keep a close eye on the dangerous Allen however, and keeper Dale Faultless tipped his shot wide after he twisted and turned inside Shawn Boothe in the 62nd minute. Aiton was denied on 78 when his shot was somehow turned aside by Tardif after Bilgimer's through ball was missed by Sam Cochrane.
Lanky striker Aiton missed another chance in the fifth minute of time added on when he fired straight at Tardif from Evans's cross.
The Wood's hearts were in their mouths in the 93rd minute when Stretton and Allen were both sent sprawling as they chased a long ball. But with Guernsey appealing for a penalty, referee Rob Madley awarded The Wood a free-kick.
Bilgimer's second big chance came on 97 when he tried to pick his spot from close range after Taylor-Boyce's cross found him unmarked, but Tardif made a superb point-blank save.
The Wood were then inches away from breaking the deadlock when the sliding Boothe failed to connect with Craig Deakin's free-kick at the far post in the 103rd minute. In the second period of extra-time there were chances at either end.
Walsall Wood: Faultless, Deakin, Stretton, Boothe, Gonzales; Evans, Forrest, Hawkins, Taylor-Boyce; Aiton, Bilgimer. Subs not used: Murray, Rock, Jones, Owen, Lewis.
Guernsey: Tardif, Geall (Isabelle 80), Cochrane, Le Provost, Dodd (Zimmerman 100); Loaring (Hutton 19), Bradford, Heaume, Dyer; Allen, Rihoy. Sub not used: De Garis (GK).
By Tim Nash
