Stone Old Alleynians’ run of defeats in the West Midlands League Division One continued at table-topping Bilston Town but they must feel aggrieved to even have lost, never mind by three goals.
Any neutral watching the match would have thought that it was the Alleynians who topped the table, not Bilston, as they dominated the midfield but saw luck deserting them in front of goal.
They ran the game for 25mins as danger man, Matt Newman, ghosted past 3 defenders only for the keeper to turn the ball for a corner and Danny Heard rammed a long range effort into his body. As often happens the hosts went in front with their first meaningful attack through Nick Turton when he converted a crossfield ball with an excellent shot.
The dominating Luke Askey appeared to equalize when he headed home a Newman cross but was unbelievingly flagged offside. Another Newman cross was headed back across goal by Dave Latham for Sam Wilson to sidestep 2 defenders and bring out another excellent save from the home keeper, as the Old Boys went all out for an equalizer.
Latham then rounded the keeper, when chasing a through ball, down by the corner flag but rolled his shot beyond the far post from the narrowest of angles. Askey then put Newman through on the left to chip the keeper only for the goal again to be ruled out by another contoversal offside decision.
The home keeper saved a Heard shot with his legs before Bilston hit the side netting in one of their rare threatening attacks before the half closed with Askey having a shot cleared off the line. Bilston then went 2 goals up on the stroke off half-time with a first time shot from Leon Pugh.
Half time: Bilston 2 – Stone Old Alleynians 0
The Old Alleynians started the 2nd half in similar fashion and Newman missed by inches before they had their only bit of luck in this rain-sodden afternoon. Adam Tomkinson’s speculative shot was going wide before it struck the head of home defender John Griffiths for an own goal. The home keeper again came to Town’s rescue again with a stunning save from Paul Whalley.
The Old Boys got away with a scramble in the own penalty area before they were again on the offensive with Wilson volleying a Newman cross just wide and then with only the keeper to beat slipped the ball the wrong side of the post. A Bilston corner was headed home for their third by Pugh and with Stone still committed to a allout attack Mitch Fellows added their fourth in the closing minutes. Even after this the Old Boys were again unlucky when Danny Kocyigit had another shot scrambled off the line.
Final score: Bilston Town 4 – Stone Old Alleynians 1
On Saturday 1st December the Old Alleynians are at home to Trysull at Springbank Park in Yarnfield, kick-off 3pm.
