Express & Star

Title-chasing Wood out to avoid slip-ups

Boss Darren Byfield will remind title-chasing Walsall Wood there are no easy games as they look to avoid becoming victims of another Midland League Premier shock tomorrow.

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The Wood, second in the table, head to struggling Dunkirk aiming for a victory to maintain the pressure on leaders Ilkeston Town.

Last weekend saw the latter’s lead at the top cut to just three points as they went down 1-0 at mid-table Lye Town.

But while the surprise result came as a boost to Byfield, the boss is well aware his own team could quite easily slip-up if they fail to maintain focus.

He said: “People are going to look at our game tomorrow and expect us to win comfortably.

“I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. This is a tough, tough league where any team is capable of beating another.

“It seems as though every week there is a surprise and a game that looked easy on paper turns out to be anything but.

“Dunkirk might be sitting second bottom but if you look at their results, they’ve given some good teams a tough game.

“We’ll have to be ready for the challenge, though the way the league is this year that is the case regardless of the opponent.”

Ilkeston appeared to have one hand on the trophy when they beat Sporting Khalsa 3-0 at home last month.

But the Lye defeat has provided fresh hope to a chasing pack which includes both The Wood and Khalsa, who sit eight points back but have two games in hand. Byfield believes the pressure is all on the leaders.

He said: “I don’t believe there is any pressure on us at all. Everyone is still expecting Ilkeston to win it.

“They have been top of the table for the majority of the season.

“I think there are going to be a few more twists and turns to come between now and the end of the season.

“I don’t think there is a team challenging who are going to win all their games. It will all come down to who can be the most consistent and avoid slipping up.”

Khalsa, who sit fifth, host seventh-placed Coventry Sphinx at the Aspray Arena, aiming to follow up Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over Lye.

AFC Wulfrunians can further cement their place in the top six when they welcome Stourport Swifts to Castlecroft.

Victory, meanwhile, is the only option for Wolves Sporting Community in their clash with Highgate United. Sporting go into the weekend bottom of the table.