GOOD OLD DAYS

Yeltz 3 Clevedon 0

14 December 2003

Prodigal son Steve Piearce made an excellent return to The Grove with two second half goals in a 3-0 win over Clevedon. With Pie-arce and Jason up front I reckon we'd be a match for anyone in this league, but I'm not sure exactly what Steve's availability is - if anyone knows can they let us know on YeltzTalk ?

We're now 5th in the table and can move up to 3rd with a victory over Taunton at home on Tuesday. It's important we keep our excellent run going if we are going to challenge for the title this year.

After being rightly nagged for not updating it sooner, there's a new vote on the site for your Xmas pleasure.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Lowe; Reece, Charlton, Grocutt, Jones, N. Smith (Lowry 78), Hollis (Colwell 78), Ashby, Piearce, Steane, Spencer. Unused Subs: Hallam, Small, Sheils

Clevedon Town: Treago; Arndale, Richards, Baines, Scott, Price, Vickerman, Zabek, Walsh (Weisburg 31), Hobbs (Appleton 31 (Fey 78)), Bale. Unused Subs: A. Smith

Referee: I. Smedley (Derby) Attendance: 386 Booked: None Sponsors' Man of the Match: Simon Hollis

Former favourite Steve Piearce made a dream return to the Grove with two goals in a comfortable Halesowen victory. Piearce notched over fifty goals in two seasons at Halesowen in the late 1990s before moving to Hereford and already looks to have formed a formidable forward partnership with goal-machine Jason Ashby, already on 23 goals for the season.

However, Halesowen started shakily with Darren Grocutt tidying up a goalmouth scramble in the 5th minute with Clevedon's Fidel Richards eventually striking wide. From that point on there was only one winner as Clevedon failed to create any meaningful chances for the rest of the game.

Paul Treago was on top form early on in the Clevedon goal keeping out a fierce 7th minute drive from 15 yards by Jason Ashby after Ben Steane laid off the ball. Piearce and Ashby then combined five minutes later with Ashby flicking the ball off for Piearce to force another fine save from Treago. A Steane shot flashed wide on 13 minutes and Andy Spencer made a long run from midfield in the 14th minute but he hit wide with better options available.

It was no surprise when Dan JONES rose at the far post to squeeze a header into the net from a Simon Hollis corner to give the Yeltz a 26th minute lead. Clevedon then made a double substitution in attack but the move had little effect and it was Halesowen who finished the first half strongly with Neil Smith shooting wide on 42 minutes and Spencer almost latching onto a through ball from Steane just before the break.

Spencer won an early second half corner before Halesowen deservedly increased their lead in the 53rd minute when Steane made a long solo run from midfield and set up PIEARCE to turn on the penalty spot and fire past Treago from 12 yards. Ashby then set up Steane on the hour but he screwed wide from 15 yards out.

In a rare counter-attack, a casual back header from Jones almost let in Clevedon's Ryan Weisburg in the 67th minute but the under-worked goalkeeper Matt Lowe did just enough to distract the substitute striker. With little else on offer from the visitors Hollis blasted over the bar in the 68th minute and then saw his shot blocked on the line five minutes later with Piearce forcing a corner from the rebound. From the corner a wide-angled shot from Hollis beat the Clevedon defence and PIEARCE was on hand to convert his second goal from close range in the 73rd minute. In the final ten minutes Halesowen introduced 18-year youngster Mark Lowry who had only just made the move from Stafford Rangers.