As the squad were lacking match practice, player/manager Mike McGrath arranged a friendly practice match last Tuesday against Midland Football League Premier Division leaders Walsall Wood. There were doubts about the match going ahead following a heavy frost but the pitch was given the all clear late afternoon.

The game started with a fog hanging over the Victoria Ground and although it was a little difficult to see from end to end, it got no worse and the match was never jeopardised.

Played at quite a fast pace, both teams had a number of chances in the first half with Wood having a couple of good efforts well-saved by Ollie Taylor in the Sporting goal. With the clock just tipping over in to added time, Rouslers' centre-back Kartell Dawkins made a clumsy tackle on one of the opposition forwards in the box giving away a penalty. Ollie Taylor guessed correctly diving right and got a hand to the ball but it was hit too hard to stop so Wood went in at half-time one up.

The second half continued much as the first with plenty of action and opportunities but both defences played well to prevent any changes in the score line until with five minutes to go Sporting left-back Ammar Dyer found hims with space just on the edge of the penalty are and hit a superb shot in to the top left-hand corner of the Wood net giving their 'keeper no chance of saving. And so the score remained as one-all at full-time.