Masterclass

Walsall All Stars showed up in aide to raise money for charity at the Banks’ Stadium. Walsall fielded faces from the past against an Easy Fit eleven who were captained by former Saddlers and Baggie Darren Bradley. Can’t really be sure of the team due to no match annoucements – or scoreboards information or the fact that many of the players had put on a lot of weight or were before my time.

Ron Green was in goal, at the back were definetely Stuart Ryder at right back and Dean Smith at Centre Half. Midfield had Mark Rees on the right wing, David Kelly and Rodney MacDonald in the centre and up front was Clyde Wijnhard – who has never ever played one professional minute for the Saddlers only a trial period during the Merson era.

Walsall started brightly and they soon took the leader and excellent cross by Mark Rees was met by Wyynard who looped his header of the stranded Easy Fit goalkeeper. David Kelly was running the match for the Saddlers as he managed to seemingly cover every blade of grass and some of his distribution was excellent.

Walsall changed over in the second half except Ron Green, Wijnhard and Kelly. Charlie Ntamark and Richard Green came into the back line, Darren Wrack (still playing for Kettering), Chris Marsh and Andy Reece played in midfield and Neil Tolson (Hyde Manager) joined Clyde Wijnhard up front. Easy Fit started to come back into the match and on the midway point they had an equaliser – Ntamark was turned to easily and the striker clinical finished past Green. But straight away the Saddlers had a penality after clever trickery by Kelly could only be finished by being hacked down. Up stepped Wijnhard but he woefully toed the ball wide of the top right hand corner.

Marsh and Wrack tried to keep the ball moving to open up the opposition and it was a quick one two by Wrack and Wijnhard which led to the winger firing past the Easy Fit keeper to restore the lead.

There was late drama in the match when Ntamark shoved into an Easy Fit attacker but just as many years ago Ron Green saved at Brammall Lane he did it again getting down low to save a weak shot.

Small facts I found from the match are:

Rodney McDonald’s son is called Clayton and he plays for Manchester City and spent last season onloan at Chesterfield.
Neil Tolson is only 35.
David Kelly could probably still play for the current Walsall team.