SOMETHING CHANGED
Yeltz 3 Tiverton 1
30 August 2004
After this disappointment of the weekend, the mighty Yeltz once again put in an excellent home performance in beating Tiverton 3-1 at The Grove. Early goals from Strachan and Burgess put us in control, and although they got one back we clinched all three points with a third from Lewis. More details as usual in Dave's match report.
We're now back up to third in the table, and interestingly enough we're playing the two teams currently above us in our next two games. On Saturday we travel down to Cirencester, who despite finishing above us last year we managed to lose to us twice. Then next Tuesday our friends from Chips and Ham bring will be bring their usual hundreds of fans up to The Grove (don't worry it won't be all-ticket).
I'm off with several of the other Jolly Boys on Poolio's stag weekend this weekend, so updates to the site may be even slower than usual I'm afraid.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Taylor; Strachan, Haywood (Cooper 62), Jones, Pope, Charlton, Cowley, Burgess, Haarhoff, Baker, Forsdick. Unused Subs: Steane, Grocutt, Preston, Danks.
Tiverton Town: Ovendale; Winter, Vinnicombe, Hallett (Lock 65), Milsom, Cousins, Wills, Harvey, Stocco, Steele (Densham 83), Mudge. Unused Subs: Edwards, Booth, Gough
Referee: S. Cook (Lydney, Glos.) Attendance: 458 Bookings: Jones (57), Forsdick (68)
Halesowen returned to winning ways at the Grove and stunned impressive Tiverton with two goals in the first eight minutes of a thrilling encounter.
Craig STRACHAN made it an ideal start in the 3rd minute when he was allowed to run into the penalty area with the defence backing off and floated the ball over goalkeeper Mark Ovendale into the top corner of the net. Shell-shocked Tiverton fell two goals behind in the 8th minute when Strachan then delivered a deep right-wing cross and Richard BURGESS was lurking unmarked at the far post to strike home from close range.
With the visitors eventually settling, the talented Jamie Mudge picked up a clearance from a right-wing free-kick but home goalkeeper Chris Taylor made an excellent 21st minute save at the foot of the post on his debut. Taylor then punched a deep right-wing cross clear and saved at the feet of David Steele on 32 minutes after more good work by Mudge.
MUDGE deservedly pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 37th minute with a fine strike into the bottom corner from the edge of the area after the ball was worked into his path from the left-wing.
Tom Stocco then hit high over the bar from Steve Winter's free-kick but a minute before the interval Dave Haywood's corner flashed across the face of the Tiverton goal after Ovendale failed to gather.
Tiverton were caught cold again at the start of the second-half when Strachan won a right-wing corner and Lewis BAKER rose to powerfully head home Haywood's 48th minute corner.
With the visitors continuing to look lively Taylor pushed the ball over the bar from Winter's 20-yard free-kick on the hour. Baker hit a fierce overhead kick over the bar in the 65th minute but Taylor was on hand to collect a 71st minute effort from Iain Harvey and then juggled a corner from Chris Vinnicombe four minutes later. Jimmy Haarhoff worked hard up front for Halesowen and did well on the break in the 76th minute to set up substitute Ian Cooper but his shot was blocked.
The referee awarded Tiverton an 81st minute free-kick just ten yards from goal when he spotted Taylor collecting a back-pass from Asa Charlton but Mudge's shot was turned away for a corner as Halesowen continued to contain the attacking threat.