BACK TO REALITY
Histon 3 Yeltz 1
21 August 2004
It was never going to last, but our unbeaten run came to an end in a battling but ultimately pointless defeat at Histon.
The were big and well-organised, difficult to break down and they took their chances very well. They took the lead in the first-half, although we were unlucky not to be level with their keeper making a fantastic save from Jimmy and Jason missing from close range at the far post.
When they scored a pretty good second goal early in the second half it looked all over, but we got one back through an excellent Asa free kick but couldn't find the equaliser and they clinched it in the last minute with a third.
On Tuesday Banbury visit The Grove in another league game. They just got one point so far, so if we can keep up our current good form I'd hope we can get three more points.
Match Report from DJ
Histon: Barber; Haniver, Farrington, Hipperson, Vowden, A. Cambridge, Nightingale, Andrews, Kennedy, I. Cambridge, Barker. Subs: Munns, Abbs, Goddard, Beck, Coburn.
Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Haywood (Burgess 72), Preston, Pope, Charlton, Cowley, Moore, Haarhoff, Baker (Skidmore 23), Steane (Forsdick 65). Unused Subs: Jones, Strachan.
Attendance: 371
Halesowen tasted defeat for the first time this season and were second-best for much of the afternoon against the strong runners-up from last season's Eastern Division.
Lively Histon boast an impressive recent record with several players and the management team showing evidence of past links to neighbours Cambridge City.
Haniver missed an early open goal after just 30 seconds for the hosts and on 14 minutes Ian Cambridge's shot struck a visiting defender. Jimmy Haarhoff then saw his shot parried onto the Histon post by goalkeeper Paul Barber. The home side took the lead on 31 minutes when Halesowen's defence fail to clear as Neil Kennedy cushioned a header for Neil ANDREWS to smash home low-down past Mark Sheils. Just before the break, Jason Moore headed a good chance into the side-netting.
In one-way traffic, IAN CAMBRIDGE increased the lead by racing free on 61 minutes and he cut into the box beating Steve Pope to place the ball skilfully past Sheils. Asa CHARLTON reduced the deficit by curling home directly from a 71st minute free-kick.
Despite some late Yeltz pressure Histon deservedly added a third in injury time through KENNEDY who was set up by Peter Munns.