NOT LOOKING GOOD
Chelmsford 1 Yeltz 0
31 August 2002
Another disappointing result in what's been a pretty downbeat start to the season.
According to my roving reporter (Frank) they we're all over us in the first half with Clarkey playing a blinder to keep us in it. They scored from a short corner just after the break and although we had a goal disallowed for nothing and a definite penalty for handball turned down it was probably a fair result.
We've got two home games coming up against two of the pre-season favorites for the title - Tamworth are the visitors on Tuesday, and then we welcome Dover back to The Grove on Saturday.
Next Sunday (September 8th) is the club's AGM , so if anyone's got anything they want to ask but can't make it, mail me and I'll see what I can do.
There are still some Fantasy Island players who are getting mails returned as unknown. If you are one of those people (you'll know by the big red scrolling notice on your page) please let me know your new email address or I'll have to delete you from the game.
Doc has found the time to produce a new fixtures poster for September for all of you who are interested.
Match Report from DJ
Chelmsford City: Nicholls; Statham, Sanders (Cousins 68), Kersey, Wiles, Williamson (Keevill 78), Cross, Rutherford, Samuels, Gray, Owusu (Eaton 90). Unused Subs: Gibbs, Lakin.
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Colwell, Burnham (Ashby 68), Newall, Collins, Skidmore (Holmes 59), Spencer, Quiggin, Elmes (Leadbeater 51), Taylor, Reece. Unused Subs: Smith, Garvey.
Booked: Collins (22), Sanders (49) Referee: P. Sharp Attendance: 481
Halesowen are still seeking their first win back in the Premier and had goalkeeper Tim Clarke to thank for restricting Chelmsford to a single goal.
After a quiet opening an 8th minute corner from Gary Cross was headed on by Mike Rutherford but Phil Gray hit the side-netting. The real one-way first half traffic started with Russell Williamson finding himself clear on goal in the 12th minute but Clarke saved with his legs. Cross then burst through but shot wide when challenged by both Clarke and John Newall a minute later. With the Chelmsford strikers carving open the Halesowen defence with alarming ease, it was Clarke who rescued again after 15 minutes when he produced a tremendous reflex save to deny Tony Samuels.
Chelmsford should have opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when the rebound from a Samuels shot fell kindly back to the same player but he struck the post from just 6 yards out in front of an empty net.
For Halesowen, a powerful Rob Elmes header forced Chelmsford goalkeeper Paul Nicholls to tip the ball over the bar in the 35th minute and at the end of the first half Nicholls saved a fierce drive from Jimmy Quiggin who turned well in the penalty area.
Chelmsford's pressure finally resulted in a 54th minute winning goal from Mike Rutherford who turned and hit home over his head from 8 yards following a right-wing corner.
Halesowen looked livelier in the final quarter of the game and Ian Wiles had to make a telling tackle on Quiggin who was put through by a Gareth Holmes header in the 65th minute. Richard Leadbeater then turned home from an Andy Spencer header in the 65th minute but the substitute striker was judged to be offside. Leadbeater then flashed a header just wide from a Jason Ashby cross five minutes later. Quiggin was put through again in the 75th minute but his 5-yard shot was blocked by Ian Cousins.
Six minutes from full-time, Clarke made another fine blocking save from Gary Cross but it was Halesowen who almost levelled from a last minute 20-yard free-kick by Reece which was beaten onto the post by goalkeeper Nicholls.