Walsall Wood 0 Lye Town 1 - Report
Lye proved there is life beyond Joe Palmer as Lewis Archer scored the winner to settle a game between the two promoted Black Country sides.
Town manager Grant Joshua said top goalscorer Palmer had been carrying a hamstring problem since Saturday’s draw at Anstey Nomads.
“Two games in 48 hours is kind of difficult for someone who’s picked up a knock but we thought it was worth the risk,” he said.
The visitors’ task should have been more difficult after Adam Meacham was dismissed for picking up a second yellow card, eight minutes from time.
Meacham had gone into the book in the 34th minute after the officials spotted he had used a hand to force the ball into the Walsall goal. When Wood striker Kyle Montague leapt with Meacham and Lye goalkeeper Ben Newey, at a Walsall corner late on, the two outfield players ended up on the turf and their subsequent tussle saw them both carded, with Meacham given his marching orders.
But Wood assistant manager Steven Hinks, deputising for holidaying boss Harry Harris, said: “When it was 11 versus 11, we were better! I think we dropped points again today but our possession and the football we played were encouraging.”
