MUCH MORE LIKE IT
Yeltz 2 Gresley 0
21 October 2003
After the weekend's disappointment, the mighty Yeltz bounced back with a good 2-0 win at home to Gresley. Goals from Richard Kavanagh - straight from a corner - and Jason means we're still in touch with the top of a pretty congested table . Full details in DJ's match report .
On Saturday we've got a difficult away game at Solihull Borough . They're above us at the moment and beat high-flyers Redditch at the weekend, and I'd be surprised if they're not one of the challengers at the end of the season, so it's important we get something out of the game.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Lowe; Colwell, Charlton, Grocutt, Jones, Baker, Hollis, Ashby, Holmes (Hallam 76), Spencer (Steane 68), Kavanagh. Unused Subs: Mitchell, N. Smith, Small
Gresley Rovers: Belford; Everitt, Cheetham, M. Smith, Haynes (Hebberd 70), Slater (Wardle 61), Doughty, Barrett, Harrad, Lenagh, Tate. Unused Subs: Alexander, Clarke
Referee: R. Vaughan ( Rugeley) Attendance: 334 Booked: Doughty (90)
Halesowen kept faith with the same line-up from the previous Saturday's defeat at Swindon and the players responded by ending high-flying Gresley's eight-game unbeaten run with a goal in each half.
The Yeltz created early chances but Gresley goalkeeper Dale Belford made a 6th minute blocking save when Jason Ashby broke clear and a minute later Darren Grocutt's header from Richard Kavanagh's corner was cleared off the line. Gresley's leading marksman Steve Lenagh was then let in by home goalkeeper Matt Lowe on the right in the 10th minute but Grocutt was on hand to tidy up.
In the 12th minute Ashby found himself free in the box but hesitated too long allowing Belford to recover with Simon Hollis eventually volleying over the bar. Andy Spencer's 22nd minute back-header then fell onto the roof of the net after a cross from hard-working David Holmes against one of his former clubs.
Halesowen took a 33rd minute lead when Richard Kavanagh's seemingly harmless corner squeezed directly into the Gresley net with the aid of a defender's toe, although KAVANAGH claimed the goal.
In the second half, a 56th minute volley from Hollis was back-heeled towards goal by Lewis Baker but Belford easily collected. ASHBY notched his 15th goal of the season to increase Halesowen's lead in the 62nd minute by showing his class to tease Belford before curling into the top corner from six yards. Belford was then caught off his line in the 64th minute but a long 45-yard shot from Hollis fell wide.
Gresley put up some late fight with Matt Lowe stretching to save Shaun Harrad's low cross in the 68th minute and Leon Doughty hitting just wide on 75 minutes. Lowe then had to be alert to pull off a fine 82nd minute reflex save from Harrad and save low down from substitute Liam Hebberd three minutes later after Halesowen failed to hold midfield possession.