Despite Walsall Wood looking the brighter from the kick off, the first opportunity to score fell to Andy Harrison of Brocton after just 10 minutes. Andy Hume had picked up a loose ball in midfield and fed it smartly into Harrison’s forward run. It sat up nicely, albeit a little too far right of the goal to present a full target, but Harrison got his shot off across the keeper, who was relieved to see it beat the far post.

The keeper did well on 18 minutes as he beat out a goal bound free kick from Hume at the angle of post and bar, but the resulting corner was disappointing and the pressure went.

Wood looked bright when they broke out, with good width on either side of the pitch and a dart to the bye line on the left before a weak cross promised better to come. In fact the deadlock was broken after a good spell of pressure from the visitors seemed to have been weathered. Brocton’s midfield and defence had been called upon to defend deep and had forced the ball away to their opponent’s left near the half way line as a speculative cross was aimed at the near post. Matt Skinner arrived first to head away, but the pressure on him deflected his header toward goal, beating Mike Shelper with what turned out to be a beauty at the near post.

Steve Allen almost brought the home side level direct from a corner as the wind swung the high ball into the goal, but the keeper was alert and tipped it over at the last moment. Allen repeated the dose, but this time it drifted harmlessly over.

The second half was hardly started before Andy Hume was up ended right in front of goal, but his free kick sailed over the bar. Then Walsall Wood almost made good use of an early throw. With the whole of the goal to aim at, the final shot was placed wide of both keeper and post.

Lee Scott, on in the second period, was found well by Steve Allen and the visitor did well to force the ball out for a corner when Scott found a dangerous position on the right of the box.

Then Matt Skinner arrived from left back at the far post to meet the deep corner on the half volley, but hit it wide.

The visitors seemed to gain confidence from Brocton’s profligacy and manufactured a series of good openings down the left flank, but each time the cross either drifted too near to Mike Shelper in Brocton’s goal or behind the forwards hoping to meet it.

Brocton’s equaliser followed their best passing move of the match. The ball was worked right from the back, every pass went to feet and Gary Fife, another substitute, found room on the right of the box, received the final pass and hit his shot early. Wide of the goal.

Immediately following that effort, Andy Chandler collected the ball at the heart of the Brocton defence once again and worked the ball to his left to matt Skinner. Skinner found James Dyke and Dyke slipped the ball inside the left full back for Lee Scott to run in and score.

Walsall Wood then brought the save of the match out of Mike Shelper. With Brocton simply out paced only Shelper stood between them and the goal. He was sent the wrong way initially, but still managed to squirm round and push the ball round the post.

Almost immediately Brocton went up the other end of the field and a deep cross found Richard Miller on the edge of the box. He chested the ball down and placed it carefully to the keeper’s right, only to see his effort rebound from the inside of the post all across the goal to find a grateful keeper and the game finished with honours even.

Brocton 1 v 1 Walsall Wood

Meir’s probing looked to have got through the heart of Brocton’s defence until Tom Kent won the ball and immediately set Scott off on the right. Scott’s gamble paid off as he raced on when his marker, looking set to cut out the pass, slipped at the last moment. Scott’s shot was well blocked by the keeper but he was fortunate indeed that the rebound from Andy Harrison went wide of the post. Gary Fife, keeping the ball under close control caused nerves to jangle as he jinked his way through the centre, but he was tripped just as he approached the danger area. The subsequent free kick, hit low to Steve Bennett, was struck across a crowded goal mouth but could not be forced home.

It was not until the 35th minute that the deadlock was broken. Andy Harrison did well to win a corner and from the corner the ball simply could not be cleared. Three shots rained in and were half cleared before Lee Scott hit the decisive one low to the keeper’s left.

Brocton barely had time to celebrate though before Meir were back on terms. A pass out from the back was gifted to the visitors and the Brocton defence quickly set back on their heels. The gift seemed to have been spurned as a swift attempt at a forward pass was misplaced and Brocton looked favourite to clear. Another slip left David Coulston one on one with Mike Shelper and Coulston kept his composure to side step Shelper and pass the ball into an unguarded net.

Just as the half time whistle was about to go Brocton once again took the lead when Gary Fife produced another fine cross ball cutting out the defence and delivering into to Steve Allen’s path. Allen set himself and hit a volley low into the net for the goal of the night.

The second period continued with similar pace and endeavour without either side quite creating the chances of the first period. Brocton’s best move of that period involved substitute Richard Miller, linking first with Richard Jones from the back and then with Andy Harrison before hitting the side netting with the keeper at full stretch.

Meir battled on and could have pinched an equaliser almost on full time when a free kick drifted over Brocton’s back line and what looked like a free unmarked header right in front of goal was just inches too high and went harmlessly wide.

Brocton 2 v 1 Meir KA

Coleshill are an excellent side and yet Brocton played at a very high level in their previous encounter and came out worthy winners. The test tonight was as to whether the Badgers could rise to the challenge again, or whether Coleshill would exact revenge.

Both teams began with attacking intent and both had initial problems with the swirling wind which gave rise to a strange mixture of very good, neat play, interspersed with sliced passes into the trees from both teams.

It all made for an entertaining match and the influential Gary Fife fashioned the first opening for the Badgers when finding some time and space on the left flank and whipping in an early cross. The ball beat the retreating defence, but the eventual shot, also hit early, was weak.

Steve Bennett worked hard up front, both in finding space for himself to receive forward passes and also in harrying Coleshill’s defenders whenever they had possession. Bennett’s first opportunity to cross, again from the left, was cut short by a trip, but James Dyke hit a dangerous free kick, which could only be scrambled away. Fife found Bennett in a similar position moments later and Bennett slipped the ball back to a supporting Lee Northwood, who put in a great cross. It was almost too inviting as Lee Scott flung his head at it, only to take it off the head of the marginally better placed Gary Fife. Had either been there on their own a goal would surely have followed.

Coleshill meanwhile were ever dangerous on the break. They managed to combine a long ball from defence with great movement up front and the passes never looked merely hopeful. Time and time again Brocton’s defence were stretched, but for the most part came out on top, until a swift break from midfield, snapping up a hesitant pass, led to a wonderful low cross behind the retreating Brocton back line and in front of keeper Mike Shelper. A despairing lunge at the far post could not convert the move into a goal, but the danger signs were there.

Both sides had enough half chances to promise goals to come, but the half was almost done, when a James Dyke corner was allowed to drop in the Coleshill box and although the keeper blocked the initial shot, Gary Fife was there to head in the rebound.

Coleshill were stung and raised an already high tempo to put Brocton under immediate pressure. Steve Bennett tried to block a cross, but went to ground and the free kick conceded led to his booking and considerable delay. Brocton’s concentration wavered and that earlier move was repeated with the cross this time firmly put away at the far post by Matt Robinson, five minutes into additional time.

The second period seemed to have Coleshill slightly ahead, until a bizarre incident in the heart of Coleshill’s area. A Richard Reeves throw was headed high in the air as an attempted clearance under pressure went wrong, but it was inexplicably allowed to drop and bounce with no one from either side moving. Steve Bennett broke the spell to tap in from a yard as the ball reached the ground once again.

Another free kick brought the visitors back into the game fifteen minutes later as Lee Hunt found his way into the Brocton area unchallenged and able to guide his downward header beyond Mike Shelper. He repeated the dose later, but this time Brocton escaped as he headed well wide of the goal. The upbeat visitors laid siege to goal in the last quarter of the game, but excellent defending kept the scores level.

Brocton 2 v 2 Coleshill Town