FANTASTIC VOYAGE
WSC Yeltz 2 Worcester 1
28 January 2003
A giant victory in a small competition. Or is it the other way around? We all know it's only the Worcester Senior, but it's our first victory this year so let's not dismiss it too lightly. Goals from new bloke Fraser McHugh and Kirk takes us through to the last four but as Chas pointed out to me Moor Green are still in it so we've got no chance :-)
No game on Saturday, so we'll have to wait until next week when Havant come to The Grove to see if we can build on this victory. Let's hope for some helpful results in the other games.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Newall, Charlton, N. Smith, L. Collins, R. Collins, Spencer (Ashby 56), Master (May 66), Leadbeater, McHugh, Hines (Trainer HT). Unused Subs: Skidmore, Stone
Worcester City: Wyatt; Holloway, Carty, Jones, Shail (Heeley 62), Burrow, D. Smith, Counsell, Hadley (Middleton HT), Willetts, Tomkins (Holmes HT). Unused Subs: McDonald, Hayes
Referee: J. Holbrook (Kidderminster) Attendance: 178 Booked: None Sponsors' Man of the Match: Lee Collins
Halesowen ended their dismal run of defeats to notch a vital first win of 2003 in a low-key affair against old rivals Worcester City.
With both sides showing a number of changes, Worcester's Stewart Hadley was only inches away from meeting a dangerous 6th minute cross by Dean Smith. Halesowen's Richard Leadbeater then went close three minutes later when he rounded Paul Wyatt but the goalkeeper recovered to make a fine save.
Fluent football was difficult on the sticky playing surface but the Yeltz took a 13th minute lead when Fraser McHUGH took a direct free-kick near the left touch-line and the ball drifted across goal to evade a surprised Wyatt. Andy Spencer then side-stepped his marker in the 24th minute to drive at Wyatt from the edge of the box. Worcester equalised a minute before the break with Stewart HADLEY slotting past Tim Clarke after being put through on goal by Dean Smith.
Darren Middleton chipped weakly at Clarke in the 49th minute after the home goalkeeper made a poor clearance before Kirk MASTER grabbed Halesowen's winning goal on 50 minutes by beating Wyatt with a low drive from the left following a flick-on by Leadbeater. Leadbeater then danced through the Worcester defence in the 69th minute but substitute Leroy May shot just wide. Six minutes from time a David Holmes effort was cleared off the goal-line by Neil Smith to ensure Halesowen's passage into the semi-final.