Willenhall Town 3-0 Sutton Coldfield Town

By Martyn Simpson

 

Willenhall Town’s impressive start to the season continued, with a convincing 3-0 victory over near neighbours Sutton Coldfield Town. It’s two clean sheets in two starts for new keeper Andy De Bont, but the talking point was Willenhall’s lethal attacking prowess.

 

The game did take a while for the home side to get going, and in fact the visitors could have been ahead inside ten seconds. Sean Platt’s weak back header allowed Damien Markman to nip in, but De Bont came racing out and thwarted the opportunity, giving a free kick away in the process.

 

The lively Markman had a couple of other half chances, but Willenhall began to get into their stride, with Nicky Campbell looking dangerous. It was Campbell who raced through with 32 minutes gone, and fired well over when he could have cut the ball back to players in space. However, that chance signalled the start of the pendulum swinging in Willenhall’s favour.

 

Dean Perrow looked lively, and a couple of half chances almost gave him the goal he craved against his former club. Two minutes before the interval, it was Perrow who turned provider, playing in Chad Sheppard to slot home his first goal for the club – the ball going in off the post.

 

It was just the tonic that the Reds needed, but half time gave Sutton Coldfield a chance to regroup and they started the second half brightly. Lucan Smith headed a corner over, before Markman wriggled free and side footed a casual shot towards the bottom corner. Great reactions from De Bont turned the ball behind, and Willenhall didn’t look back.

 

A fierce Craig Holland effort from long range was awkwardly saved by Dale Belford, followed a few minutes later by John Quilt hitting the bar when it looked easier to score. Campbell was next up, cutting inside and narrowly missing the target. 

 

The Reds finally doubled the advantage with ten minutes remaining with a stunning goal. Sheppard played a peach of a pass down the right wing for Campbell to run onto. A pinpoint cross saw Quilt strike a volley beyond Belford.

 

Following Saturday’s game where Sutton Coldfield conceded three times in six minutes to go down 3-2 against Marlow; Willenhall fans could be forgiven for thinking that the game still wasn’t safe. However, the final minutes were played out professionally by the Reds, and in the last minute Perrow’s wish came true as he headed home another perfect Campbell cross to put the icing on the cake.

 

Reds line up: De Bont; Platt, Newall, Khela; Campbell, Holland, Myers (Rochester 79), Sheppard (Rowe 82) Vaughan; Perrow, Quilt (Egginton 82). Subs not used: Petty, Thomas

 

Sutton Coldfield line up: Belford; Haynes (Wolsey 45), Wilson (Hazel 74), Smith, Moran, Owen, Massingham, Hebberd, Rowe, Markman, Crawford (May). Subs not used: Dodd, Breedon