Darlo bag a brace on the road
WYRLEY 0 DARLASTON TOWN (1874) 2
AFTER two lack lustre league and cup performances Darlaston returned to winning ways with a thoroughly professional performance at Long Lane. Wyrley were unbeaten in five league games so a tough afternoon was in store and that’s exactly how it turned out.
Both teams started the game tentatively and looked to work each other out in the opening 10 minutes, neither side landing a blow of any note.
The game came alight in the 12th minute and it was Wyrley who landed the first blow of note when two long range efforts from Ben Derbyshire and Martyn Wheeler brought Darlaston keeper Liam Whittaker into action for the first time with two fine saves.
Darlaston’s first real effort on goal came in 17 minutes, when midfielder Alex Solomon nipped past keeper Joe William and from the acutest of angles, superbly back heeled an outrageous effort which hit the bar, and rebounded to safety with Leon Taylor inches away from converting.
Darlaston started to control the game and on 28 minutes Noah Diallo blazed over the bar from 12 yards after some neat approach work by Luke Charlton. Diallo and Solomon had further opportunities to put the visitors ahead but both failed to trouble keeper Williams.
Three minutes before the break Darlaston had their best chance of the half. Leon Taylor burst beyond the heart of the Wyrley defence and with just keeper Williams to beat his attempt to lift the ball over the advancing keeper struck Williams’s outstretched body to bring off a fine save to send the teams into the interval all square.
The second half opened in exciting fashion when in the opening minute Tyrone Clarke-o’connell broke down the left drilled a ball across the six yard box, Taylor beat keeper Williams and the ball clearly crossed the line by two feet before Reis Nadat hooked the ball away from behind the line. Unfortunately for the visitors, the assistant linesman was not up with play and the referee waived away Darlaston’s appeals.
Darlaston were continuing to have the better of the play against a very good Wyrley team and the deadlock was eventually broken in the 60th minute. Wyrley captain Reis Nadat fouled Leon Taylor wide on Darlaston’s right hand side some 25 yards out. Full back Ryan Jones stepped up to take an in-swinging free kick, which evaded everyone to find its way directly into the net for a deserved lead.
The goal gave the visitors confidence to press on and less than eight minutes later Darlaston doubled their lead. A fine run to the by-line from Clarke-o’connell, his pinpoint cross found Frenchman Noah Diallo in acres of space at the far post, Diallo had no problem in slotting the ball home from six yards.
With debutant Scott Glasby and Ryan Mcallister excellent at the heart of the visitors’ defence, Wyrley were denied any clear-cut chances as Darlaston snuffed out the impressive Ben Derbyshire and Matty Rhodes.
The most skilful moment of the game came from Darlaston midfielder Luke Charlton as he eclipsed Alex Solomon’s earlier piece of skill with a sublime piece of trickery, dragging the ball twice between his legs to outsmart his marker to set Clarke-o’connell free down the left wing. Unfortunately, Darlaston could not capitalise on Charlton’s superb skills and the chance came to nothing.
Substitute Mark Swann came within inches of making it 3-0 in the 83rd minute, just failing to direct his header on goal after some excellent approach work by Danny Mayne.
Rhodes and Derbyshire both had half chances to set up a rousing finishes but the visitors held on comfortably for a fine win, consolidating their fourth position in the table.
This Saturday Darlaston return to home league action when they entertain Allscott FC. Kick off is 2pm at the Paycare Ground, Bentley Leisure Pavilion, Bentley Road North, Bentley, Walsall, WS2 0EA.