ALL SET TO GO
Friendly Boldmere 2 Yeltz 4
06 August 2005
The mighty Yeltz completed their pre-season friendlies with another win, but the week was overshadowed by the sad and untimely death of Steve Parkes. There have lots of kind comments on YeltzTalk , but I just want to repeat how much Steve will be missed on this site and down The Grove.
On to happier thoughts. Our pre-season preparations appear to have gone well, and from the other end of the country I think the squad has definitely been strengthened over the summer. Forinton will hopefully become the regular goal scorer we've been missing for a while, and Farmer seems a good signing at the back. I'm very confident we can make the play-offs at least, although I always am confident this time of year.
I've cleverly arranged my summer holidays for the first week of the season, so updates after next Saturday may be slightly slower than usual and I won't see you all at the Hitchin game. Let's hope for a good start to the season and three points to get our challenge on its' way.
Match Report from Darren
BOLDMERE ST MICHAELS team:- Anstiss (Clarke 85); Curtin, Brough, Price (Fisher 70), Mark Smith, Steve Smith, Grosvenor (Thomas 70), Seward, Beckley (Tyrrell H/T), Charley (Packer 75), Kirk Smith
HALESOWEN TOWN team:- Taylor; Cowley (Skidmore H/T), Maguire, Preston, Pope (Johnson 66), Farmer (Pierpoint 59); Smith, Amos, Cooper; Lamey (Hay H/T), Forinton (Lamey 66)
Halesowen completed a fine pre-season with their 5th consecutive win against a very competitive and sometimes physical Midland Alliance team.
It was the opposition who had the first chance on 10 minutes when Mykel Beckley blazed over after good work on the edge of the penalty area.
A minute later and the Yeltz took the lead. Boldmere appealed in vain for the offside flag as NATHAN LAMEY broke clear from a Cooper through ball and slotted home left footed into the corner of former Redditch goalkeeper Richard Anstiss' net.
Beckley was again a threat on 16 minutes, but was brought down by Preston as he broke through from midfield. The resulting free kick was well saved by Taylor.
Halesowen won a free kick on 22 minutes, and from it Nathan Lamey set up NICK SMITH who guided the ball into the back of the net with a glancing header to put Halesowen 2-0 up.
Boldmere were given a lifeline on 24 minutes as the referee awarded a penalty for a Pope challenge. KEVIN CHARLEY slotted home. A minute later and the Mikes were level as MYKEL BECKLEY broke free and slotted home past Taylor.
After conceding two goals in the space of a minute, Halesowen tried to recover as Steve Pope struck tamely wide from a free kick.
A deep corner on 37 minutes from Alex Cowley was missed by everyone in the area. However 2 minutes later HOWARD FORINTON capped a great personal pre-season as he lobbed over the goalkeeper from the edge of the penalty area to restore Halesowen's lead.
The second half began with Pope attempting an audacious lob from a free kick on the half way line that went just wide. The game sparked into life on 51 minutes as Farmer was left on the ground after an off the ball incident with substitue Justin Tyrrell. After consulting his assistant, the referee had no option but to show the red card.
Halesowen controlled the rest of the game with their man advantage and went further into the lead on 59 minutes as a Pope free kick was initially saved by the keeper only for NICK AMOS to score from the rebound.
Lamey nearly added to his tally when a short corner to Cooper was played back to him and hit a shot just wide. Nick Smith also hit just over on 73 minutes after good work in midfield.