ANOTHER VICTORY
Friendly Yeltz 2 Boston 0
30 July 2002
Another excellent result - this is getting very worrying. First half goals from Andy Jones and Les Hines clinched another victory against Football League opposition, and this run, although is obviously only in friendlies, is putting me in a very optimistic mood for the new season.
We visit Willenhall on Saturday, with only two weeks to go until the season proper. Hurrah!
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Clarke (Garvey 75); Colwell (Newall HT), Burnham, Smith (R. Collins 75), L. Collins, Skidmore (Holmes HT), Spencer (Quiggin HT), Jones (Adams 75), Elmes (Leadbeater 65), Taylor (Flynn HT), Hines (Reece 65).
Boston United: Conroy; Hocking, Carter, Roscoe, Foran, Gould, Darby, Brady, Town, Zayed, Angel. Subs: Elding, Hardie, Hart.
Halesowen's impressive pre-season form continued as they easily overcame the Nationwide League newcomers. Recently appointed Boston manager Neil Thompson elected not to play former Yeltz favourite Jim Rodwell, who watched the game from the sidelines.
In a lively opening Mark Taylor drove just wide in the first minute against an experimental Boston line-up (which included the much travelled triallist Alfie Carter) and at the other end Mark Angel set Dave Town free to bring out a fine 9th minute save from Tim Clarke. A minute later Boston goalkeeper Nick Conroy recovered well to save a certain goal from Andy Jones at close range.
Halesowen took a 20th minute lead after a splendid run down the centre by Andy Spencer set up Les Hines to cross for Andy Jones to squirt the ball beyond Conroy. A second goal followed in the 29th minute when the tenacious Stuart Skidmore won the ball in midfield and ran clear of the Boston defence before squaring across goal for Hines to side-foot home from 12 yards.
Halesowen fielded their squad players in the second half but Boston still failed to make any real impression with James Gould twice hitting half volleys straight at Tim Clarke after 58 and 61 minutes. Clarke then produced a full length flying save from substitute Hardie but it was the Yeltz who went close again in the 76th minute when a clever Jimmy Quiggin flick allowed Sean Flynn to cross but the ball was turned off the line by Ross Roscoe. Ten minutes from time Conroy denied Richard Adams with a great save following a left wing cross by Dominic Reece.