Walsall win but their injury list continues to prove a worry

Walsall beat Mellish decisively with a 43-10 win, despite mounting injury troubles.

featured-image

Walsall beat Mellish decisively with a 43-10 win, despite mounting injury troubles. The Regional Two Midlands North League clash started with Dan Carpenter supporting Dean Ainger for the first try, before he scored the second. An outrageous dummy from Liam Taylor saw him get the third.

Ben Pitt converted all three and a penalty to make it 24-0 at the break. Mellish came out fired up for the second half and shortly got a touchdown. The visitors responded, but Walsall’s captain, Taylor, went off injured, adding to their lengthening injury list.



Luke Chambers side-stepped defenders on a spectacular 30-metre try-scoring run, before Carpenter got the side’s fifth. 36-5. Walsall finished strongly after the host’s second try.

Callum Hoy touched down after a penalty from Pitt, who then converted to finish the scoring at 43-10. Lichfield are joint-top of the division after their 45-27 win against Ilkeston – their fourth of the season. Title-chasing Stourbridge picked up their first loss of the season in Regional One Midlands, losing 24-21 to struggling Derby.

They slip to third in the league while in seventh, Dudley Kingswinford lost 45-27 to visiting Nuneaton, conceding in the first minute. DK have now lost two consecutive games. In Regional Two Midlands West, Old Halesonians lost 48-7 to league-leaders Newent with Sam Herrington scoring.

Burntwood beat Newcastle 23-21 to make it four wins from four in Counties One Midlands West (North). Tries from Luke Rookyard, Jack Johnson, and Tom Shorrock were enough to stage a comeback, as Newcastle missed a penalty at the death. Elsewhere, Willenhall lost to Shrewsbury 35-24 despite tries from Sam Coyne, Zakary Quintyne, Jak Davis, and Michael Potts, Kidderminster lost 23-5 to Spartans despite William Fallows’ try, and Wolverhampton’s Alfie Parkes scored a try in their 51-7 loss to Sutton Coldfield.

Stafford are fifth after beating Newport Seconds 27-13. Stourbridge Lions went seven points clear at the top of Counties Two Midlands West (West) after beating Oswestry 69-12. Walsall Seconds beat Bridgnorth Bulls 58-24 with tries from Joe Brookes, Tony Lay, Jaheem Thomas, Max Vaughan, Nico Watkins, and Joe Cattell.

Eccleshall beat Rugeley 57-14 in Counties Three Midlands West (North). Brett Corcoran, Luke Fenwick, James Denning, Tom Coffey, Adam Haughton, and Tom Sant all scored tries for the winning side. Aldridge lost 45-29 to Uttoxeter with tries from George Hitchinson, Jamie Allen, andEllis Garratt, Handsworth lost 41-19 to Leek Seconds, despite tries from Harry Openshaw, Terry Clarke, and Daniel Malkin, and Stone lost to Newcastle Seconds 36-12 with tries coming from Daryl Fox and Danny Cutler.

Cannock, however, had some success. They beat Stoke-On-Trent Seconds 62-14. Lichfield Seconds lost 38-31 to Lutterworth Seconds in Counties Three Midlands West (East).

The two are now level on points at the top. In Counties Four Midlands West (North), Bloxwich beat Essington 35-17, St Leonards beat Whittington 42-19, and Wednesbury beat Warley 20-19. Stourport beat Five Ways Old Edwardians 45-17 in Counties Four Midlands West (South), while Old Halesonians Seconds lost to Bishops Castle & Onny Valley 22-7.