NOT QUITE A BOSTIN FINISH
Friendly Yeltz 2 Boston 4
11 August 2001
The last friendly, and hopefully not a sign of things to come. We went 3-0 down to Conference side Boston, came back to 2-3 with a screamer from Giddens and a Gray goal, but eventually went down 4-2.
If you're interested, there's a nice set of photos of the Blues game sent in by Peter Blanchflower (thanks!)
Next week the real season starts with a home game against old time rivals Gresley. We really need to get off to a good start, but I'm very confident (as ever!) that we're going to do really well this season. Come on!
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Skidmore, Burnham, Spencer (Colwell 55), Knight (N. Smith 52), L. Collins (Knight 85), Hall, Giddings (G. Smith 73), May (Gray 57), Carter, Hines (Crawford 80). Subs: Shaw, Garvey.
Boston United: Bastock; Clifford, Lodge, R. Weatherston (Gould 49), Monington, Marsh, Brown, S. Weatherston, Murphy (Elding 75), Clare (Town 86), Angel (Cook 66)
Referee: I. Scarr (Rubery) Attendance: 207
Halesowen created the first chance when Matty Hall cut through the Boston defence in the 2nd minute and found Alfie Carter who powered a shot at Paul Bastock. However, it was much-fancied Boston who made an impressive opening with Micky Brown striking the post in the 3rd minute before surging ahead with two early goals.
Mark Angel beat his marker and squeezed the ball past goalkeeper Tim Clarke in the 13th minute and three minutes later the Halesowen defence were caught out again from Angel's right wing corner with Daryl Clare on hand to touch the ball home from close range.
However, Halesowen carved out their own clearcut chances with Hall screwing a sitter wide from ten yards when Leroy May's cross found him unmarked in the 22nd minute. Carter then burst through the heart of Boston's defence in the 34th minute but Paul Bastock saved easily when he tried to place his final shot.
Five minutes before the break the Pilgrims notched a third goal when Clare crossed from the right for former Telford striker Gez Murphy to head home from close range.
The Conference side appeared to drop down a gear at the start of the second period allowing Yeltz captain Lee Collins to head a free-kick from Les Hines inches wide in the 51st minute. Carter volleyed wide from Hall's cross on the hour and at the other end Clarke saved well from Clare after Murphy's cross. Boston were then punished in the 69th minute when Kerry Giddings muscled past two defenders before crashing a left foot shot from 18 yards into the top corner of the net. Two minutes later Hines set up substitute Michael Gray to plant the ball beyond Bastock as Halesowen came storming back.
Following a flurry of late substitutions, Clare was brought down in the 82nd minute and Boston captain Mike Marsh stepped up to hit the penalty to the right of goalkeeper Tim Clarke to confirm their superiority.