Lichfield City produced a fine performance to return from title favourites Walsall Wood with all three points.
They were forced to make six changes for the short trip to their neighbours, but were still about to secure a 2-1 win against the FA Vase quarter finalists.
City’s strength in depth was evident as they made a bright start to the game, Lee Ashmore’s volley going wide in the third minute.
Walsall Wood responded with Ahmed Bilgimer sending a header wide with keeper Craig Johnson beaten.
Ashmore saw a fizzing shot tipped round the post by Mark Higgins as Lichfield tried to rattle the home side.
Wood were next to threaten as the game became end-to-end, Johnson quickly off his line to deny the diminutive Bilgimer.
The home side started the second half the better, a thunderous Max Black volley was somehow kept out on the line by former Wood man Jonathon Huckfield as City’s back line came under pressure. But Johnson was in great form as he kept out a Lewis Taylor-Boyce effort.
Having weathered the early second half storm, City started to grow in confidence, fine play between 18-year-old youth team captain Ryan Baker and Lewis Bourne saw Danny Worrall play in Olly Budd, who cooly rounded Higgins to open the scoring on 65 minutes.
Lichfield’s possession was beginning to frustrate the hosts and with 15 minutes to go Taylor-Boyce saw red for a second bookable offence.
The visitors seemed to have made the game safe on 80 minutes when sub Kyle Minto was felled in the box by Shaun Boothe and Ashmore netted from the spot.
But Walsall Wood received a lifeline in stoppage time when Budd was adjudged to have fouled Andre Gonzales. But Michael Murray’s penalty proved to be nothing more than a consolation as City stretched their unbeaten league run to ten games.
