Jai Verma on target for Walsall Wood who stay top
A solitary goal from Jai Verma at Tividale kept Walsall Wood on top of the Midland Football League Premier.
It was a game of few chances at The Beeches, but Verma’s strike on 22 minutes proved the difference.
Wood boss Harry Harris admitted it wasn’t a game for the neutral.
He said: “It was always going to be a close game, coming here is always tough, the pitch wasn’t the best and when we went 1-0 up they were always going to come hard at us but we stood up to it which was pleasing.”
Wood are seven points ahead of Shifnal Town who won 4-0 at Wolverhampton Casuals with two goals from Tom Hill, one from Jez Abbey and the opener from Joe Thompson.
Darlaston Town (1874) CIC kept firmly in touch with a 2-1 win at AFC Wulfrunians.
In a lively encounter, both Darlaston goals came in the first half, through Rivel Mardenborough and Lewis Gill before Kai Adams got a goal back on 62 minutes.
Darlaston’s Kieran Cook was sent off for a second bookable offence in the second half.
Lichfield City slipped up though at Atherstone Town, going down 1-0 and are now in ninth place in the table.
Lye Town continued their impressive recent form with a 2-1 win at Worcester City with goals from Joe Palmer and Morgan Owen.
The result leaves The Flyers in fifth place, 13 points behind the leaders but with a game in hand on all their promotion rivals.
Meanwhile, Lye Town travel to Stourbridge in the Birmingham Senior Cup tonight with a 7.45pm kick-off at Amblecote
It is a happy new year for Dudley Town who stay top of division one after a 3-1 win in the Black Country derby at Bilston Town Community.
In a thriller, two goals in the last five minutes from Alex Perry and Harry Crook – who set up the second from a corner – secured the win.
Earlier, a Jamie Bedall header had given The Robins the lead at the break, only to see them pegged back to 1-1 early in the second half.
The result leaves Town two points ahead of nearest rivals in second place, Ashby Ivanhoe.
Wednesfield remain in 13th place after a 2-2 draw at home to Smethwick Rangers who are two places below them. Samuel Kayode was on target with two goals for Smethwick.
Wolverhampton Sporting Community won 2-1 win at Heath Hayes and are in seventh place going into 2023.
The game between OJM Black Country and Cradley Town was postponed.
