City Reserves On The Road - Birmingham Senior Cup Final

HOW THEY GOT THERE
Coventry City:
Third Round Nuneaton Borough away won 1-0 aet
Fourth Round Stourbridge FC away won 1-0
Semi Final Birmingham City away won 4-3

Walsall:
Third Round Burton Albion away won 2-1
Fourth Round Boldmere St Michaels away won 3-2
Semi-Final Redditch United away won 3-1
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PREVIOUS MEETINGS
City Reserves have played Walsall twice in friendlies at Ryton this season, Walsall won the first game in December 2-0 but City then under Darren Robinson won 3-2 five weeks later.

The last time a City side played at the Bescot, the first team lost 2-0 in a friendly in July 2005.

Walsall play their reserve games in the Pontins Holiday League Division One Central and have won three out of their last four games including a 2-1 win at Leeds last week.

City who declined the offer to stage this game at the Ricoh Arena lost 2-0 to a team of international trialists last week.
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TEAM NEWS
Trying to predict which team manager Steve Ogrizovic will field is not easy. Cameron Belford and Dale Jones have already left the club, Robert Page, Khali Fadiga and Colin Cameron are all injured,so the likes of Chris Birchall who scored the winner at Stourbridge, plus Kevin Kyle and Liam Davis could be drafted in.

Walsall are managed by former City keeper Eric McManus who will be remembered by older supporters as the man who let in six against Bayern Munich in the only European game City have lost. Per Cederqvist who has been banging the goals in for the Saddlers second string all season should start. Bossu,Lyall,Doran,Wright and Bedeau could also feature.
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MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee : Michael Murphy; Assistant Referees : Luis Martin; Matthew Wilkes; Fourth Official: Simon Barrow BCFA Councillor in charge: Michael Penn
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ADMISSION
£6 Adults and £3 concessions pay on the gate>
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A not too unpleasant evening is forecast with temperatures around eight degrees when it gets dark.
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TRAVEL
By Car
From the M6: Leave the M6 at junction 9 and follow the A461 towards Walsall. At the traffic lights turn right onto the A4148 (Wallows Lane/Broadway West - sign-posted Bescot Stadium). At the next set of traffic lights (1/3 mile) turn right onto Bescot Crescent, the stadium is 1/4 mile along the road on the left hand side.

FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST:
Keep on M5 past junction 1 and join the M6 North (s/p The Northwest, Walsall, Wolverhampton M6). Exit at the next junction (junction 9, s/p Wednesbury). At roundabout, take the third exit (s/p Walsall A461). After 400 yards, turn right where road divides, Bescot Stadium is signposted. Straight through traffic lights, over bridge, and right at the lights into Bescot Crescent. Note, that the queue to turn right at these lights can stretch back to the bridge, it is best to get into the right hand lane before hand. The ground is on your left after the Broadwalk Retail Park.

FROM THE NORTH AND EAST:
Exit M6 at junction 9 (s/p Wednesbury) and at roundabout follow sign to Walsall A461. Then as from South and West.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE FROM EAST (M6):
A good route for evening games cutting out the M5/M6 junction. Exit M6 at junction 7 (s/p Birmingham N, Walsall A34).

Keep to left-hand lane and follow signs to Walsall onto the A34. After a mile, turn left by the Bell pub into Walstead Road (s/p Bescot Stadium and Bescot Station). Follow road, then straight across at traffic lights (junction of Walstead Road and West Bromwich Road).
Away parking is on the right after 0.5 miles.

FROM THE EAST (non motorway route):
If approaching Walsall from the East via the A5/A461. Turn left at the island where the A461 meets the ring road (A4148).

Follow this road over several islands and sets of traffic lights. Turn left into West Bromwich Road (A4031) (s/p Bescot Stadium and Bescot Station). At next lights, right into Walstead Road West. Away parking is on the right after 0.5 miles.

Car Parking
From Walsall town centre: From the Arboretum island take the Broadway North exit and follow the Ring Road to the traffic signals by the Fullbrook Pub. At the traffic lights go straight ahead. At the next set of traffic lights by Broadwalk Retail Park turn left, Bescot Stadium is 1/4 mile along the road on the left hand side.

Parking: A secure car park is available at Bescot Stadium. We recommend people wishing to park on the stadium site arrive well in advance of the match kick-off time. Parking is not permitted on the nearby retail park for people attending the match.

By bus: Bescot Stadium is well served by buses. All buses leave from the Bradford Place bus station (just down from The Saddlers Shop in the town centre). Service numbers 401 and 405 run every 15 minutes and stop on Bescot Crescent outside the ground. The 404 service runs every 8 minutes and stops on West Bromwich Road a short walk from the ground.

By rail:Bescot Stadium is a two-minute walk from Bescot rail station. Trains from Walsall take three minutes to the ground and on matchdays all services stop at Bescot Stadium. If travelling from Cov, change at Birmingham New Street. 17.44 from Cov. Get the 18.27 from Birmingham New Street and arrive at 18.47. The train back after the game is at 21.36 if there is no extra time and penalties or 22.36 if there is.