LOSE TO BLUES

Friendly Yeltz 1 B'ham City 2

21 July 2003

Another reasonable performance in a pre-season friendly, this time a 2-1 loss against a Birmingham City XI managed by ex-yeltz boss Stewart Hall. As usual, full details in DJ's match report .

Next game is at Oldbury on Thursday, which should be a cracker :-)

I've been doing a few bits of housekeeping on the site over the summer, and have a few things to come over the next few months. However two things I'd like to point out are these. This season's election for the Yeltz Hall of Fame is now open. Also, Fantasy Island is ready to go with the start of the league games, so you can start entering your predictions in for any games that are within the next month.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Harris; Colwell, Charlton, Kavanagh (Trainer 55), Smith (J. Skidmore HT), Grocutt (Small HT), Hollis (Wray HT), Mitchell (Phillips HT), Hallam (Ashby HT), Blake (Spencer 55), March. Sub: Gayle

Birmingham City XI: Dormand; Cotterill, Vaughan, Painter, Arrowsmith, Alsop, Till, Allen, Fagan, Borrowman, Motteram. Subs: Longthorn, Bagnall, Sheppard, O'Brian, Birley, Parratt

Referee: A. Mariner

Ex-Halesowen manager Stewart Hall brought his pacy youngsters to the Grove but it was Halesowen's Leon Mitchell who hit inches wide in the 4th minute after turning defender Lee Vaughan with a clever back-heel. Mark Hallam's header then produced a reflex save from James Dormond in the 10th minute.

City went ahead after 21 minutes through Andy Borrowman who slotted into an empty net when young goalkeeper Matt Harris raced off his line but completely missed his attempted headed clearance of a long ball. With the visitors on top, Craig Fagan struck the side-netting from a good position on the half-hour before Peter Till lashed home a second goal in the 44th minute as Halesowen's defence failed to clear a corner.

Borrowman then hit the underside of the Halesowen bar from 5 yards straight after the break and Richard Colwell made a timely clearance from Fagan in the 73rd minute.

Jason Ashby pulled a goal back with a simple tap-in after 76 minutes when goalkeeper Dormond dropped a Jamie March cross and four minutes later Andy Spencer cracked just wide as Halesowen finished more strongly.