JUST A POINT
Havant 0 Yeltz 0
20 February 2001
A hard fought point. By all accounts it wasn't much of a game, with neither team looking much like scoring. I guess three points would have been better, but at this stage any points are better than none. We're still bottom and with Folkestone winning at Burton we're still a long way from safety, but at least we're battling.
Saturday brings the second leg of this epic road trip we're on at the moment with a long trip to the flatlands of King's Lynn . A win would be lovely, please.
Match Report from DJ
Havant and Waterlooville: Nicholls; Anstey (Connolly 84), Price, Cook, Gale, Daish, Wood, Blake, O'Rourke, Leworthy, Champion (Taylor 77). Unused Sub: Wakefield
Halesowen Town: Quy; Crisp, Ford, Comyn, W. Lloyd, Skidmore, Mason (Sutton 73), Xiourouppa (P.Lloyd 79), Bowen, Smith, Hines. Unused Sub: Creighton
Booked: None Referee: D. Miller (New Milton)
Hard-working Halesowen were full value for a crucial point at in-form Havant and Waterlooville who had bagged 12 goals in winning their previous 3 home games. Inspired by captain Neil Smith, the visitors closed down their hosts at every opportunity and restricted their goal-scoring attempts.
Sam Bowen volleyed wide from a Les Hines freekick in the 4th minute for the visitors and a minute later Dean Blake blasted wide at the other end in a sterile first period.
Halesowen's resilience continued in the second half with youngster Stuart Skidmore tenacious in midfield and Costas Xiourouppa producing some dangerous attacking runs. Blake managed another half-chance before Richard Crisp cleared Ben Price's cross off the toe of Jamie O'Rourke in the 62nd minute. The Yeltz then had a spell of domination and Paul Nicholls saved well from Bowen midway through the second half after a clever combination between Costas Xiourouppa and Crisp.
The Hawks almost snatched a winner with the best chance of the game in the 78th minute when O'Rourke met Price's cross but his looping header rebounded off the inside of Andy Quy's post, allowing the Halesowen defence to hack clear.
Halesowen introduced Peter Sutton and Paul Lloyd as late substitutes and held firm for a point in their third encouraging display in row in which only one goal has been conceeded.