A TROPHY!
WSC Final 2L Evesham 0 Yeltz 1
23 April 2003
It's been a difficult season but our excellent cup form hasn't gone unrewarded with a 3-0 aggregate win over Evesham in the Worcestershire Senior Cup. A goal from Mark Danks clinched an easy victory in the two legs over the Midland Division side.
Saturday brings the most important game of the season so far down at Folkestone in a game we really must win. I'll repeat the strugglers' fixtures for reference below...
Obviously 3 points against Folkestone on Saturday are more or less essential, but it's all very close and you would hope two wins would make us safe. I'll try to update the site when I can, but for up to the minute updates I definitely recommend Scorecheck .
Match Report from DJ
Evesham United: Hart; A. Smith, Sage (Pinkney 58), Khela, Powell, Jukes, Wolsey, Oakey, Joyce, Bowen (Blake 75), Heath (Lennon 68). Unused Subs: Barnett, Ladek
Halesowen Town: Hateley; Spencer, Hines, Stone, Collins (N. Smith 70), Burnham, Gibson, Danks (Clarke 83), Leadbeater (Ashby 63), Blackwood, Trainer. Unused Subs: Williams, Colwell
Halesowen lifted the Worcestershire Senior Cup for the first time since 1962 with a comfortable three-goal aggregate victory.
Evesham forced two early corners in the third minute before Halesowen went on to create a host of chances. In the 10th minute Michael Blackwood burst down the centre and blasted just high from 10 yards. Three minutes later Phil Trainer won the ball in midfield and was just beaten to the ball by goalkeeper Tim Hart rushing out of his goal. On 16 minutes Richard Leadbeater rose to head a Les Hines corner just over the bar and four minutes later an Andy Spencer shot was deflected just wide. On 23 minutes Blackwood broke down the right again and crossed for Mark Danks to lob a good chance over the bar.
The returning Jason Burnham lost the ball in the 28th minute but Paul Oakey drove high from 25 yards out and on 32 minutes at the other end Danks scuffed another shot at Evesham keeper Hart from Trainer's right-wing cross.
The Yeltz scored the only goal of the night on 48 minutes when the creative Blackwood cut in from the right to strike the right-hand post and DANKS followed up with a diving header into the net. Sam Bowen and Wesley Joyce hit tame close range efforts at Gary Hateley and Joyce then watched the ball trickle just wide when Hateley dropped a deep right wing cross on the hour.
However, Halesowen remained well in control with Neil Gibson forcing a corner on the left and then shooting straight at Hart before a cracking Hines volley hit the roof of the net. Hateley spectacularly clawed away a free-kick on the edge of the box from Nathan Jukes after 67 minutes and a minute later opposite goalkeeper Hart saved well from Danks following Jason Ashby's left-wing cross.
The Yeltz gave themselves the luxury of using substitute goalkeeper Tim Clarke as a centre-forward for the last ten minutes and could have hit further goals when Andy Spencer from 20 yards in the 88th minute and Blackwood hit over the bar when clear on goal a minute later.