YELTZ KEEP ROLLING ALONG
Shepshed 1 Yeltz 2
01 December 2001
Despite everyone feeling a little down on how things have been going, suddenly the mighty Yeltz have gone back to the top of the league and started to pull away from the chasing pack. With Chippenham's game postponed and Clevedon losing, we're top however way you calculate it, and assuming Bloxwich's record is expunged (which I do), then we're now 4 points clear . Hurrah!
We lead at half-time through another Jason Burnham penalty , and after being pegged back to one-all we took all 3 points from a Neil Smith 20 yard screamer .
There's finally been some activity on the transfer front. We've signed forward Lee Ross from Bloxwich for a supposed four figure sum, and let Kerry Giddings go to Redditch on loan for a while. We've also rumoured to have signed a forward from Crewe on loan.
Bedworth's Trophy game was called off today which means our league game on Tuesday against them is off as well. This means our next game will be against Shepshed again at The Grove on Saturday.
Match Report from DJ
Shepshed Dynamo: Quailey; Folwell, Simpson, Goodwin, Lawrence, Commander, Holtom, Dunn, Blake (Heskey 84), McGlinchey, Master. Subs: Manning, Newbold
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Colwell, Burnham, N. Smith, L. Collins, R. Collins, Spencer, Ross (Hall 80), May, Taylor (Crawford 40), Hines. Subs: G. Smith.
Referee: P. Kirkup (Northampton) Attendance: 240 Booked: Lawrence (41) Sent Off: Lawrence (79)
Halesowen went four points clear at the top of the table, but had to rely on a rare late strike from Neil Smith after threatening to run up a cricket score in the first half.
Tim Clarke was on hand to make important early saves from Carl Lawrence and Andy Dunn on rare breaks by the home side, but for much of the first half it was one-way traffic towards the Shepshed goal. Ross Collins and Lee Ross both sent volleys high over the goal and Mark Taylor had a free-kick saved by Damion Quailey in the opening spell.
The Yeltz eventually took the lead when Jason Burnham crashed home his third penalty of the week after Carl Lawrence needlessly handled over his head in the penalty area after 22 minutes. But Halesowen had to be satisfied with a single first half goal as a number of chances continued to go begging. Debut boy Lee Ross blasted wide from a good position and in the 28th minute May broke clear and rolled the ball across goal to Mark Taylor, but he struck the post from just 2 yards out. Quailey then produced a splendid save to turn a header from Leroy May for a corner. At the other end Clarke pulled out a good save from a 25-yard free-kick from Kirk Master.
Halesowen were forced to reorganise in the 40th minute due to injury to Mark Taylor and the change seemed to throw the visitors off balance. Halesowen paid the price for their earlier misses when Shepshed levelled out of the blue in the 56th minute as the dangerous Kirk Master picked up the ball in midfield and ran into the area to hit home into the bottom of the net from 15 yards. For a twenty minute spell Shepshed were transformed and looked the more likely to snatch a winner with Clarke having to make a fine blocking save from Marvin Blake who was clear on goal on the hour.
May headed onto the top of Shepshed's net from close range with the home defence in chaos before Halesowen were finally claimed the three points that seemed a first half certainty. Ross held up the ball in the area in the 78th minute allowing Neil Smith to smash a 20 yard drive beyond Quailey. With Shepshed's Lawrence being sent off for arguing, Halesowen were content to hold onto the lead although Les Hines went close two minutes from time but was denied by Quailey.