ALMOST OVER
Taunton 1 Yeltz 1
24 April 2004
In what's been a pretty uneventful season, the mighty Yeltz gained an unimportant point in the last away game of the season down in Taunton.
It was a beautifully sunny day, and a decent sized band of away supporters took full advantage! We probably had the better of the game, scored a decent goal through Jason, but then they equalised near the end, and probably deserved it. Full match details in Dave's report.
Next week we finish the season with a home game against Team Bath. Neither team really have anything to play for, with us both having clinched a top seven finish, although if we win we'll finish in fourth place, if not we may finish lower. At the top Gloucester beat Redditch to take the title race to the last weekend, but Redditch only need a point (but have to go to Cirencester so it's not going to be easy).
Match Report from DJ
Taunton Town: Edwards; Raybould, Dicks, Russell (Aguido 84), Watson, Harris, Fisher, Callinan (Allen 75), Foster, Douglas, Lynch. Unused Subs: Peckham, Musker, Mogg
Halesowen Town: Sheils; Grocutt, Forsdick (Gallieri 87), Haywood, Jones, Skidmore, Steane (Colwell 77), Moore, Lamey (Carter 84), Baker, Strachan. Unused Sub: Haarhoff
Referee: C. Spence (Newquay) Attendance: 384 Booked: Lamey (58), Callinan (60), Watson (75)
Halesowen seemed on course for victory but had to settle for a draw after conceding a late goal in their final away game of the campaign. The travelling away fans brought the highest attendance of the season to Wordsworth Road in a game where the visitors gave a run-out to a number of their fringe players.
Darren Grocutt headed behind his own goal in the 5th minute and Danny Harris back-headed Martin Douglas's resulting corner at the near post but Dave Haywood cleared off the line. A 9th minute cross from Grantley Dicks then just evaded Tommy Callinan at the back post.
Halesowen eased into their stride and their first corner on 12 minutes saw Ben Steane fire into a crowd of players. Two minutes later Simon Forsdick broke down the left from a long Mark Sheils clearance but Nathan Lamey blasted the ball over the bar. Craig Strachan clipped a ball into Lamey's path on 27 minutes but his effort was cleared after beating goalkeeper Paul Edwards. Edwards then collected a 25-yard free-kick from Haywood on the half-hour.
At the other end Antony Lynch scuffed his shot from a Dicks cross on 33 minutes and a minute later Taunton were unfortunate to see a 22-yard shot from Callinan beat Sheils but the ball rebounded off the inside of the post in the best chance of the half. Taunton won three corners in the final minutes of the first-half and a Jason Moore flick gave the Yeltz a 38th minute corner.
Gary Fisher hit a loose ball over the bar from 12-yards for the hosts playing up the slope in the 4th minute of the second period. Halesowen then grabbed the lead in the 53rd minute when Steane skipped past two defenders into the area and squared the ball for MOORE to hit the roof of the net from 15 yards to record his first league goal since January
Taunton attempted to reply when Lynch latched onto a pass from Andy Raybould in the 57th minute but could only hit the side-netting from 10-yards under challenge from the hard-working Stuart Skidmore. Lynch then hit a 22-yard free-kick inches over the bar but Halesowen continued to control play with their neat passing approach.
Taunton captain Alex Watson received a yellow-card in the 75th minute for spectacularly up-ending Skidmore although play had already been stopped for an earlier infringement. Halesowen substitute Alfie Carter then raced down the left wing in the 86th minute but his cross was cleared.
The Peacocks snatched their 89th minute equaliser when a corner from substitute Danny Allen bounced awkwardly and left unmarked Adrian FOSTER with the simple task of nodding home from close range.
In six minutes of added time Strachan hit over the Taunton bar from substitute Antonio Gallieri's free-kick and Sheils collected a shot from Harris in the Halesowen goal.