Stourbridge Road, home of Lye Town based in the Black Country, West Midlands and play in Step 5 of the non league pyramid in the Midland League Premier Division. Nicknamed the “Flyers” which probably explains why they have an Eagle on the club badge… It’s the happ happiest season of all!! Plenty of football on for us fans this time of year!! I’m staying in Dudley with my family for the first time since 2017 after it was a regular trip this time of year for nearly 10 years prior to 2017, but 4 years later, here we are again and a first time staying here as the groundhopper that I have become!!
So, Hednesford Town, Dudley Sports, Lye Town, Bilston Town, Cradley Town, Sporting Khalsa… Who do I choose…? Dudley Sports is walkable from where I am staying! Big shout! Hednesford are playing Rushall Olympic which I have been told is a tasty affair but with public transport being a bit difficult, Hednesford is going to have to wait. Sporting Khalsa is the time in regards to transport unfortunately… Lye Town in a local derby against Tividale kicking off at 1pm? Dudley Sports at 3pm? It’s the most wonderful time of the year… But no! Dudley Sports has not passed the pitch inspection and is called off! Same with Cradley Town… Lye Town is the selected destination! Bilston Town will be done another time as well.
No double today but oh well… Can’t be too greedy! The short journey across from Merry Hill Shopping Centre over to Lye Town… And here we are! Plenty of time before kick off which means in we go into the club house! A groundhopper walks in with a Mansfield Town hat? What are the chances!? Great to meet him here today!! I’ve got a good feeling about today!!
£7 to get into this one… After whipping out a £5 note from my wallet, the man on the turnstile said “That’ll do” I said “are you sure?” He says “I’ve got no change it’s fine” How’s your luck!!? £5 for me to get in here! YOU BEAUTIFUL CLUB! I have to say at first glance, this is going to be a bad day to be washing the kits after the game… It’s going to be a muddy one!
Kick Off! 4 minutes in and Lye have a free kick just inside their own half, it’s lumped forward into the box, it’s headed on, it comes to Ben Billingham who wins the header… He’s hit the bar!! It’s over for a goal kick. 7th minute and Lye have a corner, it’s whipped in low, it evades the first attack and falls to Joe Hawkins… He’s headed it over… He should’ve hit the target there!
Both teams getting used to the conditions but Lye have certainly made the better start so far. 18th minute and Lye have a corner, in it comes… Jack Pearlman at the far post… Over! 24 minutes now and Dylan Hart wins the ball back for Lye just outside the Tividale area, he drives at goal and he shoots… It’s a poor effort and it’s straight at the keeper.
27 minutes on the clock and Tividale come forward now, Brad Welding has it about 35 yards out and he shoots… OH! It’s just wide! What a goal that would have been!! Great to meet other football fans at the game! What a story about watching Sir Stanley Matthews play! 35 minutes now and Tividale play a through ball to Elliott Hartley, he gets into the box and takes a touch away from the committed keeper… His shot is saved… And the keeper collects the rebound.
39th minute and Tividale have a free kick on the halfway line, it’s lumped into the box, the keeper comes and collects it, he hits it long towards the Lye front line, the Tividale defender gets there first but he puts it into the path of Ben Billingham who shoots first time… Good save but it comes to Dylan Hart for the rebound… OH! Brilliant double save!! Tividale are out of danger for now.
43 minutes on the watch and Tividale break forward down the right with Daragh Bustin, he beats his man and gets into the box on the right, he’s got options in the middle, he goes for the far post instead… It’s wide! He should have played it across… Still 0-0 at half time… I’m not worried as it’s been a good game! There’s a goal in this I think!
Second half, 49th minute and Tividale have a throw in on the left, it’s a long throw in to the box… It’s headed up into the air, it’s loose… It falls to Ethan Huckley… OH HE’S MISSED! He’s volleyed it over… He should have put his foot through it! 55 minutes now and Lye play a long ball forward, it’s headed on to Adam Garmson… The keeper saves it!
61 minutes on the clock and the mud is not helping either side here at the moment… Lye have a free kick on the halfway line, it’s lumped into the box, headed on, Lye still have it and they play it back to Adam Heacham to shoot first time!! He’s hit the bar!! So close! 64th minute and Tividale have a throw in on the left wing again, long throw in, the keeper comes for it and gets there but he only punches it to a Tividale man, he plays it across goal and it falls to Elliott Hartley… It must be!! IT IS!!! He puts it away and Tividale lead!!! 0-1!!
Can Lye respond here? 77 minutes on the clock and Tividale come forward, they play it through to Ethan Huckley who gets into the box, he looks around and decides to go for goal… But the keeper is equal to it!
Lye are pushing for the equaliser the more the game goes on here, will they get it? 89th minute and Tividale play a long ball forward, it’s bouncing… The keeper claims… He’s not happy with the clash from Daragh Bustin and he pushes him… Oh dear! All the players rush in here! Tempers are flaring! Free kick for Lye with no bookings given! Lucky!
Into stoppage time now and Lye are pressing for the equaliser! Tividale break forward from a Lye attack, it’s down the left, played in low to Eshan Greer who plays it forward to Daragh Bustin… Offside! The keeper saves his shot anyway! Stoppage time rolls on and Tividale break from a Lye attack again, Eshan Greer is through on goal here… He’s brought down by Joe Hawkins, he was the last man there… He’s off! Red Card! He had to go there for me! One last chance for Lye here… No there isn’t, the Referee blows for full time! Tempers flare again with both sets of players squaring up to each other! It’s been a proper match here today! Great entertainment!
FT: Lye Town 0-1 Tividale
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 2/10 – Not any chanting as such but both sets of fans rallied on their team and you could tell there was a crowd there.
- The Ground: 8/10 – I really liked this ground! Very unique! The stand behind the goal is one of the best I have seen at a football ground down to it’s unique style! I loved it! A great big stand on the one far side too! Not accessible on the one far side but it didn’t spoil my fondness for this ground!
- Expense: 10/10 – £5 should have been £7 but regardless of that pricing, the game was as open as any I have seen and it did have good entertainment value with the red card and trouble afterwards! A great game!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Great to meet Neil and others at the ground today! It’s a very friendly club here! The bar staff were as friendly as any bar staff I have met in the past! The club let me in for cheaper when they didn’t have to and the game was fantastic for a 1-0! A great day out all in all!
30/40