Match Information
Rushall Olympic v Leiston
BetVictor Southern League Premier Central
Kick Off 3pm
Dales Lane, Rushall, Walsall, West Midlands, WS4 1LJ
Tel: - 01922 641021

Game 3/42.

The Blues travel to Rushall Olympic in the BetVictor Southern League Central Premier Division at the weekend looking to gain their first win of the campaign. After drawing at home to Coalville Town on Saturday, Leiston will be disappointed with the 5-1 loss to AFC Rushden & Diamonds on Tuesday evening, especially after going a goal up midway through the first half thanks to a Matt Blake goal. That result left Leiston 21st on the night, above bottom club Biggleswade Town on goal difference. Rushall drew 1-1 at Peterborough Sports last weekend but defeated Redditch United 3-1 at Dales Lane on Tuesday night to go 6th in the table.

Manager Stuart Boardley is away so Reserve Manager Ian Cornforth will take charge alongside Goalkeeping Coach Nigel Ling. The Management team have a full squad to pick from, with spanish duo Albert Serra Parrondo and Sebastia Pons Llado now available for selection after having their international clearance accepted by the Spanish FA during the week. However, striker Ryan Sharman is still out injured.

Last season, Rushall completed the double over Leiston. The Blues went down to a 95th minute goal at home to Rushall Olympic to lose 1-0, while away from home they lost 2-0.

Rushall were founded in 1951, and won the Staffordshire County First Division four times between 1960 and 1975. In 1975, in a bid to gain higher league status, they moved away from their ground at the time of playing, Rowley Place, and moved three miles to the Ashton University Sports Ground. The club did eventually get another new ground, Dales Lane, where they still play today, that was opened on 14th August 1977. They were accepted into the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1978 and won the First Division title in 1980. The next few seasons brought limited success, but ‘The Pics’ became founder members of the Midland Football Alliance in 1994. They won the league title in 2004-05, and with it promotion to the Southern League Division One West. Rushall were then transferred into a couple of different leagues, but they did gain promotion in 2010-2011 when they beat both Brigg Town (3-0) and Grantham Town (2-0) in the play-offs. They played Step 3 football for the first time in 2011-2012, playing in the Northern Premier Division. Since then they have enjoyed success in the Walsall Senior Cup and have had some decent finishes. Last season they finished 8th in their first season (along with the Blues) in the Southern Central Premier Division.