GETTING BETTER
Yeltz 0 Margate 0
26 August 2000
First point of the season, and we're creeping slightly up the table .
In a desparate attempt to try and keep positive, I checked last season's results and found that we're much improved this time round - we've actually scored a goal.
Monday evening brings Newport County to The Grove . I'm sure you all know by now that it was rearranged from Newport because a load of drug-takers will be running round the track down there.
Match Report from Fady
Bloody hell! Anyone who saw Clinton miss after ghosting past two defenders and the goal keeper, before shooting wide at Bromsgrove last year will have thought they saw miss of the century. On the evidence of today, not so. At the start of the second half Michael Griffiths broke free from the Margate defence to win a 50-50 ball with their keeper and find himself right in front of the goal with the closest defender 10 yards away and the keeper sprawled on the floor. He had time to sit down and prod it in with his arse. Instead, he tried to place it in the bottom corner and only succeeded in hitting the post, before putting the rebound (which incidentally, you'd have backed Clinton on a bad day to tuck away) wide. Madness.
And that was the highlight (or lowlight, depending on our viewpoint) of the match. An inept Halesowen display in the first half saw the team leave the pitch to jeers and cries of 'Rubbish'. And to be honest, it was. Free kicks were constantly wasted, balls hoofed into space, and it is a fair comment to say it was like watching a Sunday morning pub side. Margate hit the underside of the bar, not once, but twice, and the Yeltz did not like anything like the side who had been so promising in the pre season games. Needless to say, John Chambers looked a very unhappy man, with a few words to say to his players.
To be fair, the second half was quite a lot better, but still not brilliant. Griffiths wasted the afore mentioned chance, and Scott Darroch was also unlucky not to open his Yeltz account when a rasping 20 yard drive went just wide. Stuart Payne could also have scored when his shot from the by line was well saved by the keeper, and Halesowen were unfortunate not to score. The defence looked solid, and Les Hines was excellent getting forward. It should prove to be a solid unit in a few games time, especially if you consider four of the back five were playing Conference football last season. However, concerns remain, like the inability to use free kicks effectively, and likewise corners, although, some optimism can be taken out of the match.