IT JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER
Gresley 0 Yeltz 3
15 December 2001
Another clean sheet added to another few goals, and the mighty Yeltz march onwards towards next week's important clash against Chippenham in extremely good spirits.
Goals from Spencer , Matty Hall and Les led to our first win at Gresley for 17 years (the word according to Chas), who had been on a good run themselves. The only piece of bad news was new bloke Lee Ross limping off with a hamstring injury.
With Clevedon losing we're now 7 points clear in the promotion standings, and still four points clear of Chippenham although they have a game in hand.
Tuesday takes us to Evesham in the always exciting Worcester Senior Cup, before next Saturday Chippenham come to The Grove in a game that it looks like will have a huge impact on the title race. Come on!
Match Report from DJ
Gresley Rovers: Lindley; Bluck (Peters 32), Cheetham, Allcock, Woolley, Wardle, Bourne, Fairbrother, Ford, Parkins (Moran 84), Gray (Westwood 57)
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Colwell, Burnham, N. Smith, L. Collins, Skidmore, Spencer, Ross (Hall 23), May, Taylor, Hines. Subs: Crawford, G. Smith
Referee: C. Dawes (Willenhall) Attendance: 496 Booked: Hall (46), Gray (48), Allcock (89)
Halesowen underlined their promotion credentials with an emphatic victory in a potentially tricky meeting at in-form Gresley.
The home side started brightly playing up the slope and Tim Clarke did well to hold onto a fierce freekick from Ryan Ford in the 6th minute. Neil Smith made a timely tackle to deny Ford in the area after 22 minutes before Halesowen took control. Despite losing Lee Ross with a hamstring injury, the visitors went on the attack with Andy Spencer playing a key role in supporting the front-line from midfield. The Yeltz went ahead when the lively Leroy May worked down the left allowing Jason Burnham to deliver a fine 34th minute cross and Spencer stole in at the far post to side-foot home from close range.
Gresley were overwhelmed by Halesowen's neat passing game in the second half and it was no surprise when the league leaders scored a second in the 59th minute. Richard Colwell split the Gresley defence, setting Matty Hall free to cross to Les Hines and although his shot was parried away by goalkeeper James Lindley, Hall was lurking to tap home the rebound.
Well beaten Gresley gifted Halesowen a third goal in the 76th minute when Hall robbed Mark Peters and rolled the ball into the path of Les Hines and he made no mistake with a pinpoint 15 yard shot. The tenacious Stuart Skidmore rushed in to blast a Hall cross just over in the 82nd minute and May hit wide two minutes from time as Halesowen sought more goals in their first victory at the home of their long-term rivals since 1984.