Darlaston today travelled 3 miles to the Cottage Ground to play a local derby against Willenhall Town. In late September when Willenhall travelled in the opposite direction to the Paycare Ground, they were a very different team and squad, since Darlaston’s 6-0 win, both teams’ squads have changed, but Willenhall’s have been overhauled by manager Matt Fisher.

Willenhall are now a side that concedes very few goals, giving all sides a game, so Darlaston’s management duo of Andy Parkes and Scott Moore were very aware of todays fixture, no one knows more than Moore what a leveller the Wednesfield pitch can be.

Darlaston fielded the same starting line-up that put six past last seasons Division One runners up Newport Town, where as Willenhall made three changes to their last starting XI when they beat Old Wulf’s on penalties to progress to the League Cup semi-final where they will face Worcester Raiders.

Darlaston started the game well, last weeks hat-trick hero Tyrone Clarke-O’Connell sent a rasping angled drive across the face of the Willenhall goal, which just skimmed the angle of post and bar. Darlaston were presented a gift in the 7th minute by Referee Kyle Mowbray who blew for a penalty to the visitors, the reason on-loan defender Liam Cox was extremely harshly judged to have been holding Leon Taylor.

After the usual protests Noah Diallo stepped to take the penalty. Which Willenhall’s ex Albion keeper Chris Adamson superbly saved diving to his right saving to parry the ball away. Some may argue justice was done.

Willenhall were not letting the League leaders have their own way, fierce the tackle and not afraid to go toe to toe with their local rivals, in fact the home side had a golden chance to take the lead on 13 minutes. After quick exchange in midfield Steven Holmes found himself in behind the Darlaston defence, his heavy touch past keeper Liam Whittaker forced him wide, but his effort on goal beat the diving Glasby, fortunately for the visitors left back Ashley Evans was at the near post to clear his effort off the line. If the chance had been taken things might have been very different.

Both benches and teams were being frustrated by Referee Mowbray’s decisions at times, which caused the game to become disjointed and stop and start. The next effort on goal was from the home side once again, top scorer Liam Hickman putting high over the bar.

From the resulting goal kick in the 24th minute Darlaston took the lead, usually it was route one. Whittaker’s long kick was allowed to bounce after being affected by the wind, a huge bounce followed which took the ball over the home defensive line, quickest to react was Tyrone Clarke-O’Connell, after the ball bounced for the second time his right foot lob over Adamson from 12 yards found the back of the net. 1-0 to Darlo.

Daniel Bolzon cut in from the right to unleash a powerful left footed shot kept out by the Willenhall keepers’ legs. Darlaston nearly scored there second direct from a corner in the 30th minute, once again Adamson was Willenhall’s saviour this time his knees kept out Clarke-O’Connell’s curling corner.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 34th minute, a clearance from Darlo’s defence was held up by Taylor, eventually Alex Solomon delivered a measured pass into the path of the onrushing Sam Causton, his delicious pin-point delivered cross presented top scorer Leon Taylor the easiest of headers to score.

Arguably Darlaston should have had another two goals just before half-time, which would have been extremely harsh on their hosts, Bolzon hitting the base of the post with a sliding effort, after the busy O’Connell has played him in, and Taylor spurned a golden chance right on the half-time whistle once again Chris Adamson kept his side in the game.

As both teams walked off for the half-time break, both managers would be demand more from their players. Willenhall needed more time and possession in their opponent’s half, whereas Darlaston needed to be more patient and clinical with their play in the final third.

Whatever plans Willenhall made during the break, they went out of the window as Darlaston made it 3-0 in the first minute of the half. Daniel Bolzon smashing a left footed drive from 15 yards after, yet another Taylor lay off.

The home side were playing much better football in the awful conditions the wind and sheeting rain making life difficult and turning the surface into a mud bath. Liam Hickman warmed Whittaker’s cold hand with a 20-yard stinging drive. On 54 Lee Mill’s shot was saved by a diving Whittaker who could not hold the ball, just as Derrick looked like he would score somehow Whittaker managed to pick up the ball that appeared to have become a bar of soap.

While Willenhall were having their best spell of the game, Darlaston seemed to want to play at 100 miles on hour, surrendering possession too cheaply, this gave the home side more confidence which showed in their play and possession looking to get the ball wide at every opportunity to play on the grass, instead of playing down the muddy clingy centre of the pitch.

The home side were reduced to 10 men, by what can only be described as an act of stupidity. Lee Mills fouled Noah Diallo just inside the home sides half, the foul looked harsh. Instead of walking away Mills remonstrated with Referee Mowbray, during the two-way discussion for some reason Mill’s pushed the Referee leaving Mowbray no choice but to show him a red card, leaving his teammates with an impossible mountain to climb.

On 70 minutes Clarke-O’Connell scored his second of the afternoon, Taylor once again this time out wide on the left measured his pass perfectly to O’Connell his sliding right foot shot across Adamson was powerful enough to find the corner of the net 4-0 to Darlo.

The sending off seemed to kill any chance Willenhall had, now Darlaston were back in charge, Evans shot from distance was saved, Leon Taylors powerful header cleared the bar and Substitute Jarrod Grant forced Willenhall’s keeper in action for the umpteenth time in the game.

The League leaders last goal of the game came in the 84th minute As Clarke-O’Connell was given time and space to keep the ball up on the edge of Willenhall’s penalty area, his attempted overhead bicycle kick was misdirected, the unfortunate Josh Rayden missed his clearance giving Leon Taylor the easiest of chances to score his second of the afternoon and Darlaston’s fifth.

The game ended in strange circumstances, two minutes into added time, Scott Glasby cleared a ball into one of the gardens that surround the pitch, it would appear that both sides had run out of balls leaving the Referee no option but to blow for full time.

Darlaston’s tenure continues at the head of the table, their unbeaten League run continues, but next week is yet another huge game, another cup final as we welcome fourth placed Team Dudley to the Paycare Ground, they are also on an impressive unbeaten run winning their last six games. The management duo and their squad will need to be very much at their best to get anything from the game. Kick off is 2 pm