Preview: Walsall Wood (H)

The Blues sit on the verge of going seven league matches unbeaten but face a difficult task as they take on Walsall Wood at Grange Park on Tuesday evening.

Long Eaton United got their FA Vase journey off to a good start when they beat Midland Football League rivals Selston 4-1 at the weekend.

Grange Park played host to what was a tale of two halves Second Round Qualifying match. Goals from Alex Marshall, Charlie Wilde, and Romaine Graham outlined the Blues first-half dominance, however, a very even second half saw Connor Towes score for the visitors and Mitchell Robinson bag a fourth and final goal for Long Eaton.

Walsall Wood took a point from the struggling Worcester City in their last match, when they were held to an eventful 2-2 draw at the BBG Stadium Oak Park.

Jazz Edward Luckie opened the scoring for the hosts, and Craig Jones equalised with 15 minutes left. Debutant Romario Martin scored what he thought was the winner in the 90th minute, however, Worcester equalised once again and delivered a crushing blow in the sixth minute of added time through Dave Reynolds.

Previous Meetings -

The Blues were meant to travel to Staffordshire to face Walsall Wood in the MFL towards the end of last season, but the match was cancelled due to COVID-19.

However, the Woods did travel to Grange Park last season and they walked away with a 2-1 victory, thanks to goals from Joey Butlin and Ben Lund. Former Blue David Kolodynski secured Long Eaton’s only goal on that day.

Our previous meeting at the BBG Stadium Oak Park was during the 2018/19 season, when the Woods were victorious once again, beating the Blues 3-0. Joey Butlin, Mitchell Tolley, and Javia Roberts were the goal scorers.

Managers Quotes -

When asked whether he knew much about Walsall Wood, manager Ian Deakin said: “Yes, we played against them during my time at Ilkeston [Town] and I know their manager Darren Byfield who is an ex-footballer, he will set them up and they will play football.

“They will be robust, and they will be strong, like most teams in this league, you know nothing is a given, you have to go out and earn it.

“They are a good side, and they are very lively up front, so we will show them the due respect that they deserve.”

Speaking on the Blues’ busy schedule, Deakin added: “At the moment it seems to be Saturday, Tuesday consistently, but every week, and every game, whether the team comes here [Grange Park] or we go there, we always expect a tough game.

“The lads need to mentally prepare for that, and we will be going out the same way we always do, trying to win the game.”

Team News

Sam Wilson will remain absent after picking up a groin injury against Coventry Sphinx last week, and it looks like the Blues number one may be out for the rest of the season.

There is also likely to be more rotation in the squad so that players can rest and recover as we continue through our busy schedule.

Ticket Information –

£6 Adults
£3 Concessions
U16s FREE with a paying adult

The match kicks off at 7.45 pm and we advise all our supporters to arrive early and to download the NHS COVID-19 app to avoid any queues or delays.

Entry can only be purchased on the gate with cash, and you can only pay by cash at the kitchen.

Card and cash payments are accepted at the bar, which will operate with a one-way system, and a face-covering will be required inside the clubhouse. (The bar closes at 10 pm)

We are not providing a programme for this fixture, although you can see the team line-ups outside the hospitality room or on our official Twitter.

More information regarding COVID-19 safety measures at Grange Park can be found here, along with a link to download the track and trace app: https://www.longeatonutd.co.uk/news/new-covid19-safety-measures-in-place-at-grange-park-2571546.html