BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Hemel Hempstead 0 Yeltz 2

20 November 2004

The indomitable Yeltz gained a welcome three points on Saturday with a very welcome win away to Hemel Hempstead. Goals from recent signings Nick Amos and Nathan Lamey took us back up to 2nd place with a game in hand over leaders Merthyr. Full details in Dave's match report.

On Tuesday we travel to Bedworth in the Birmingham Senior Cup, before yet another away trip to Banbury on Saturday for the rearranged league game.

Match Report from DJ

Hemel Hempstead Town: Lovell; Neill, Leach, Allen, Jackson, Corbould, Kelly, Cook, Fowler, Hammatt, Harding. Subs: Bent, Buss, Perrin.

Halesowen Town: Taylor; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Jones (Haarhoff 71), Cowley, Lamey, Forsdick (Skidmore 85), Moore (Burgess 79), Amos. Unused Subs: Steane, Grocutt.

Referee: G. Horwood (Luton) Attendance: 220

Halesowen produced an assured performance to finally banish their FA Cup blues and provide real hope of ensuring at least a play-off league position at the end of the season.

Hemel had won their last three games but determined Town looked to put some indifferent recent form behind them and come away from the south east with at least a point for the first time this season. The visitors were without suspended and injured midfielder Lewis Baker but Alex Cowley recovered from a knock to make the starting line-up.

The hosts applied the early pressure and George Fowler should have done better when he struck the side netting on 21 minutes and Chris Taylor then parried away Chris Hammatt's dangerous 26th minute cross. Halesowen's first chance fell to new-signing Nathan Lamey just before the half hour when he picked up the ball from a goal kick but his low shot was well saved by home keeper David Lovell.

Nick AMOS gave the Yeltz the lead on 30 minutes to notch his first goal for the club with a looping shot from the edge of the area after a spell of pressure on the home goal.

Predictably, Halesowen soaked up home pressure early in the second half with Taylor on hand again to save a 49th minute Matt Corbould header. But the Yeltz always looked capable of a goal on the break with Dave Haywood seeing a low shot well saved before setting up the second goal in the 64th minute. Haywood's long ball led to goalkeeper Lovell and his defence making a hash of a clearance and LAMEY on the chase took advantage to loft the ball into the net.

Although Halesowen had further defending to do the introduction of substitute Jimmy Haarhoff was a masterstroke which almost paid off with two more goals. Firstly Haarhoff set up Haywood to hit the post on 86 minutes before hitting the woodwork himself with a low drive in the final minute.