Darlaston 1 Team Dudley 0

A single goal from Darlaston’s Luke Charlton gave caretaker manager Scott Bamford his first league win following Mark Swann’s recent departure.

Following last week's encouraging performance against runaway League leaders Hereford Darlaston went into this game full of confidence against their lowly visitors. Unfortunately the visitors had not read the script and made a determined start, dominating the early proceedings with Ryan Spittle and Myles Nettleford in fine form. Despite going close on several occasions they were unable to take any advantage of their host’s poor start to the game.

As the home side started to get a foothold in the game and assert themselves Darlaston mounted pressure on the visitors and were awarded a penalty on 24 minutes, when Dudley keeper Liam Jones brought down Sam Melia following a clumsy challenge, the referee immediately pointing to the spot. Unfortunately for the home side Sam Giles was denied his first league goal since October as Jones dived to his right pulling off a brilliant save to deny Darlaston the lead.

Ryan Spittle and Alex Pinches both failed to convert difficult chances for the visitors whilst Josh Carvel and Sam Melia were both denied by superb tackles from Messenger and Cox respectively.

The deciding goal came on 39 minutes following a mix up at the heart of the visitors defence. An intended back pass by Cox was overstruck and keeper Liam Jones made every attempt to get to the loose ball, he was outpaced by the speed of Luke Charlton who pounced on the ball and he dummied and rounded the keeper to notch his third goal of the season.

Going into the break with the upper hand, Darlaston were a different side for the second half with Bamford introducing Ryan Steadman to the back four as he replaced Brad Simkiss on 46 minutes.

Five minutes into the second half, Nettleford set up team mate Jahmal Patterson whose 12 yard strike was well saved by home keeper Aaron Morris.

The home side were now in the ascendancy and midfielder Craig Ball executed a superb strike from 20 yards which tested Jones on 53 minutes.

Sam Giles who received a caution shortly afterwards for retaliation following a late tackle was getting somewhat frustrated and to avoid a possible dismissal was substituted two minutes later for Hayden Hughes.

Hughes was quickly in action and following an excellent 3 man move Hughes collected the ball on unleashing a low drive which hit the foot of the post before rebounding into the arms of a thankful Jones in the visitors goal.

Darlaston continued to drive forwards and thought they had netted their second goal a few minutes later when a through ball found Josh Carvel who drove home from close range, but the celebrations were short lived as it was cancelled out for offside.

On 68 minutes, recent new signing Tangeni Nghishidimbwa made his club debut after replacing Craig Ball and with his first touch headed just wide of the target. Darlaston’s final attempt on goal came nine minutes from time when Nghishidimbwa laid on Sam Melia but the youngster was again just wide of the target with keeper Jones well beaten.

A scrappy but deserved win breaking a sequence of 4 successive defeats, giving caretaker manager Scott Bamford his first win at the second attempt.