ONLY A DRAW
Cambridge City 1 Yeltz 1
10 April 2000
After an amazing run of four wins, to be honest it's disappointing we only drew with Cambridge City. I guess that shows how much we've improved over the last few weeks. We're now up to 10th place in the league and almost mathematically safe from relegation.
For more information, you can always read the excellent match reports .
Match Report from DJ
Cambridge City: Davies, Wenlock, Coburn, Holden, Randall, Pincher, Reeder (Wilde 63), Tovey, Taylor (Cleaver 80), Cambridge, Salmons. Subs: Gawthrop, Wilde, Cleaver.
Halesowen Town: McDonnell, Brown, Owen (Cooper 45), Lloyd, Smith, Gardiner, Birch, Aldridge, Thomas, Cartwright, Reed. Subs: Gennard, Collins, Cooper
Referee: D. Whitestone (Northants.) Attendance: 328
Revitalised Halesowen enjoyed long spells of possession in the first half but lacked the killer touch in front of goal to secure victory and were ultimately forced to settle for a point.
For the home side, Ian Cambridge beat Wayne Lloyd to the ball in the 21st minute, but Danny McDonnell was on hand to turn his effort away for a corner before Adam Salmons aimed a fierce diving header wide of the mark following an excellent cross from Neil Coburn three minutes later.
In a flowing move with cross field interchanges between Jason Owen and Paul Birch, Halesowen's Ian Aldridge successfully lobbed goalkeeper Martin Davies in the 24th. minute but his effort struck the top of the crossbar. Three minutes later Aldridge's first time volley fell just wide after Davies had punched clear under pressure from Clinton Thomas.
The visitors took the lead in the 38th minute after persistence from Ashley Brown allowed him to deliver an excellent right wing cross which was headed home by Thomas. With the home side pinned back in their own half, Steve Holden cleared Ian Reed's drive off the line and Davies tipped Wayne Lloyd's close range header over the bar before the half-time interval.
Cambridge levelled in the 55th. minute when Player Manager Chris Tovey headed home a high cross in a crowded goalmouth. Halesowen's Neil Cartwright was then unlucky to see his 72nd. minute drive rebound into safety off the crossbar after his surging run from midfield and Matt Gardiner's drive into the net was ruled offside.
The home side almost stole the points two minutes from time when substitute Chris Cleaver beat the offside trap and place the ball beyond McDonnell in the Halesowen goal, but Adrian Cooper raced back to scoop the ball over the bar.