NOT LONG NOW
Friendly Yeltz 1 Bromsgrove 1
31 July 2004
Just two weeks to go now, and another friendly passes with a 1-1 draw against Bromsgrove - our goal was an early strike from Jason. Full details in Dave's match report .
The last two games before the season proper are this week, away at Chasetown on Thursday and then at Boldmere on Saturday.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Charlton, Cowley, Moore, Burgess, Baker, Strachan. Used Subs: Jones, Haarhoff, Forsdick, Skidmore, Steane, Williams (GK)
Bromsgrove Rovers: Lowe; Benbow, Hillman, Douglin, Benton, Mahon, Daniels, Erraji, Bellingham, Appleton, Lennon. Subs: Frost, Hateley (GK), Palmer, McGrath, Churchill, Gandy (GK)
Referee: W. Barrett (Cradley) Attendance: 230
Bromsgrove started brightly in a keenly contested friendly with Mark Benbow heading a John Daniels corner just over the bar in the 4th minute. Mark Bellingham was brought down on the edge of the penalty area in the 5th minute and home goalkeeper Mark Sheils gathered a 10th minute strike from Ryan Mahon.
Halesowen took an 8th minute lead when Jason MOORE gratefully accepted a bad pass out of defence in the Bromsgrove area and eventually beat former Yeltz goalkeeper Matt Lowe from 6 yards out. Alex Cowley continued to look exciting on the ball and won the first of two corners in the 38th minute after winning the ball in midfield and surging forward. Two minutes after half-time Cowley's right-wing cross clipped the top of the crossbar and Cowley then struck wide on 51 minutes following a neat interchange with Moore.
The visitors levelled the scores in the 52nd minute with BELLINGHAM converting a cross at the far post after Danny Lennon broke free on the left. Visiting goalkeeper Lowe dived to save at the feet of Cowley on 66 minutes before saving from Jimmy Haarhoff three minutes later and Dave Haywood drove across goal in the 70th minute.
The Yeltz applied further pressure late on in the game but were unable to break down Joe Jackson's well-organised Bromsgrove, who must surely start as firm favourites to capture the Southern League Division One West championship.