Aiton’s boys made their mark in style
Immediate success was very much the case for newcomers Pelsall Villa Colts, who hit the ground running and took the Beacon Sunday League by storm some nine years ago.
For a club that played their home fixtures at Pelsall Villa Cricket Club, the Colts ‘bowled’ over their opponents in Division One (second tier) in 2011-12 with a free-scoring style, much to the delight of joint
manager-secretary Bill Aiton, whose two sons Jamie and Andrew were key members of the squad.
The Colts ripped their rivals apart with a deadly attacking approach, hitting no fewer than 106 league goals and taking the title by a massive 21-point margin from runners-up Wednesbury Athletic, suffering just one league defeat, at Pensnett Rangers (2-1) in an early-season midweek game.
On the cup scene, Colts enjoyed a good first run in the league’s flagship Lester Charity Cup with victories over FC Banterlona, higher league Sedgley White Lions (9-1) before bowing out to Premier Division Shere Punjab. The tie had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes before Shere won 5-4 on penalties.
However, Pelsall quickly put that disappointment behind them and finished their debut campaign by adding a second prize, the Beacon Cup.
In the last four of the competition the Colts hit Pensnett Rangers for six to set up a final encounter with Eight Locks, at AFC Wulfrunians ground.
And, on a rain-sodden evening the Colts secured the silverware with another commanding performance, running out 5-1 winners thanks to doubles from Corey Carrithers and Andrew Aiton with Shaun Griffiths also on target.
That season, Aiton picked up the league’s Golden Boot award having notched 50 goals, while team-mate Jack Craig weighed in with 26. Overall, an excellent start for the Beacon newcomers.
The question was, could the club go one better and complete a treble in only their second term. If so it would be achieved in the Premier Division (after being promoted) against the best the Beacon League could offer and under the banner of their new name, Walsall Wood FC.
On the league scene they quickly adapted to a higher level of football and their consistency brought its reward as they celebrated winning the Premier crown by four points from nearest rivals Phoenix Castle, who had to settle for the runners-up prize for a second successive season.
Over the course of the league programme, Walsall Wood chalked up 14 wins in 16 matches, losing only to Castle (2-1 at home) and 3-2 away to Phoenix Seniors. However, Walsall Wood took sweet revenge when they defeated Seniors 4-3 after extra-time in a thrilling Premier Cup semi-final. Trailing 2-1, the Wood grabbed an equaliser in the final minute to take the tie to extra-time, eventually winning 4-3 with efforts from Ryan Thomas (two), Joshua Cann and Damien Kerr-Robinson.
Wood’s opponents in the final were third-placed Sportsman and Andre Gonzales gave the former the lead on 16 minutes, only for Chris Brown to level for Sportsman just before the interval.
Wood upped the pace in the second period and Gonzales grabbed a second, before two goals in the last 13 minutes from Carrithers and Cann secured further silverware. The Premier Cup was presented to a delighted captain Jamie Aiton by league president and former Wolves striker Mel Eves.
It was following a great run in the Lester Charity Cup, and three early round victories, that Walsall Wood reached the final after a well earned 4-2 semi final success over Thimblemill Recreation, goals from Joe Craig (two), Nathan Babb and Mark Hall.
In the final they faced old rivals Phoenix Castle, who opened the scoring after just 10 minutes through Ste Hadley. Battling Wood kept plugging away and struck back with an equaliser on 41 minutes when Andrew Aiton’s left-foot strike found the target.
Neither side were able to carve out a match winner in the second period or extra-time and it was, perhaps, fitting that the Aiton brothers would clinch the treble for Walsall Wood with the only successful spot-kicks in a tense penalty sho-out.
It was a short stay for this particular Beacon member, but they left a big impression on the league and their rivals.
