Westwood makes it half-century of goals

The Sporting striker clocked up his half-century of goals for this season by firing a brace in Saturday's 7-1 win at Cradley Town.

While Westwood's feat is surely unheard of at this stage of the season around the country, Paddock announced his disbelief at the lack of interest in his treasured forward.

"I'm baffled," said Paddock, whose side are second in the West Midlands Premier Division, nine points behind Haughmond.

"If he goes, then he wants to leave for a good standard to prove his credentials. He really deserves it and I'm so surprised.

"We've had seven-day approaches from Bromsgrove Sporting – who play at the equivalent of us – and Coventry United of the tier above but they didn't follow it up.

"I've never seen anyone with his natural know-how of what positions to be in.

Confidence

"Of course I'm not moaning that there's in interest in him – I'd ever hold him back. I think he's only not scored in three matches this season.

"He's a confidence player and I have no idea why people won't take him on at this point."

Westwood, who netted a double-hat-trick earlier in the season, now has 97 goals for Sporting in 14 months.

And should his purple patch continue into the League Cup second round tonight at Ellesmere Rangers, he could be celebrating his ton.

Westwood's double against Cradley was added to by goals from Chris Rabone, Dimitri Dunkley, Jak Barnes and a Jonathan Letford double.

Sporting, who have quarter-finals on the horizon in the JW Hunt Cup and Staffordshire Senior Cup, can make another last eight with victory over sixth-placed Ellesmere.

"The next game is always most important for us," said Paddock. "I want to make another quarter-final.

"Ellesmere always impress me every time I watch them."

Cradley boss Andy Wyton will be demanding a positive reaction to Saturday's capitulation when his side head to Willenhall in the League Cup tomorrow.

Wyton has promised changes to his line up for the second round tie and pulled no punches with regards to the weekend display.

"We were awful from start to finish," said Wyton. "You can't perform in that manner and expect to get a result.

"I had a bit of a moan after the game but we have to put it behind us and bounce back tomorrow.

"I expect a positive reaction and I will be making a few changes."

Wolverhampton Casuals are in League Cup action tonight when they host Smethwick.

And Casuals will go into the clash in confident mood following an impressive 5-3 win against Ellesmere at the weekend.

Casuals withstood some early pressure from their Shropshire visitors and then nosed ahead in the 15th minute through Joe Daley.

Karl Bailey then struck for Rangers to make it 1-1 at half-time. But a dramatic spell of three goals in four minutes from Liam Hughes, Nicky Dodds and Kevin Nickle then put Casuals in control.

To add to the visitors misery skipper Sean Griffiths was sent off for a second yellow card in the 66th minute. Scott Ryan grabbed a second goal for Ellesmere two minutes from time before Casuals' Harry Cunningham made it 5-2. Will Twyford added a third for the visitors in added time.

Bilston Town's rich run of form continued with an emphatic 4-0 win at Dudley Sports.

Mohammed Andrew set the visitors on their way with the only goal of the first half.

The impressive Lewis Archer doubled Bilston's advantage after the break before Neville Mbongwe and Archer again put the seal on a fine performance with further goals.

Gornal Athletic followed up their first win of the season the previous week by battling to a 1-1 draw at Shifnal.