KEEP THE HOME FIRES BURNING
Yeltz 1 Cirencester 1
05 November 2005
The mighty Yeltz gained a point at The Grove against Cirencester with a 1-1 draw. It sounds from Dave's match report that a few fireworks went off during the match, with both teams having a man sent off. I couldn't figure out any more Bonfire Night related puns so you should just read the report (and I'll give myself a rocket for writing so poorly).
On Saturday we play Aylesbury at home in the Trophy. They're on a terrible run (2 draws and 5 losses) and we're due a decent run in the competition - so I'm trying not to expect the worse. Let's hope we can get through to the 3rd Round for the first time in 3 years (the year we lost at Alfreton).
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Coleman; Cooper, Harkness (N. Smith HT), Preston, Pope, Steane, Cowley, Lamey, Forinton, Amos, Forsdick. Unused Subs: C. Smith, Skidmore, Pierpoint, Johnson.
Cirencester Town: Book; Arndale, Fullam, Jackson, Horgan, Viveash, Robison, Richards, Hopkins, Cowe, Halliday. Unused Subs: L. Smith, Stanley, Fraser, Griffin.
Referee: M. Murphy (Coventry) Attendance: 367 Booked: Horgan (29), Pope (90) Sent Off: Horgan (59), Forsdick (90)
Halesowen had to settle for a draw despite the Centurions being reduced to ten men for most of the second half.
Gary Horgan was dismissed in the 59th minute for fouling Nicki Preston with his second offence of the afternoon. Halesowen were themselves reduced to ten men deep in injury time when goalscorer Simon Forsdick responded to a taunt by raising his hand to Craig Fullum's face and harshly received a straight red card.
With the visitors lacking confidence after a poor run of results, Horgan hit over Halesowen's bar in the second minute and in the 5th minute Gareth Hopkins found himself free on the left but the out-of-form striker blasted high.
Alex Cowley's 9th minute drive was easily collected by visiting goalkeeper Steve Book and in the 18th minute league-leading goal-scorer Nathan Lamey flashed a shot across the Cirencester goal.
Cirencester enjoyed the better of play in the first period and a 23rd minute Mark Richards shot earned a corner with the home defence exposed before Horgan's 33rd minute attempt drifted just wide.
Halesowen found it tough to break down a well organised defence marshalled by Adi Viveash although Ian Cooper delivered a couple of dangerous crosses late in the half.
Kevin HALLIDAY gave the visitors the lead with a soft goal in first half injury time when his seemingly poorly hit 30-yard free-kick trundled through the defensive wall and rolled on to creep beyond Preston and under unsighted goalkeeper Dean Coleman.
The Yeltz produced a better second-half performance with Cowley proving to be a constant menace down the right wing. On 50 minutes Cowley's good turn and cross was cleared by Viveash and five minutes later Howard Forinton fired wide after being set up by Lamey.
Halesowen stepped up the pressure after Horgan's dismissal with Darren Robison heading over his own bar from another dangerous Cowley cross in the 64th minute.
FORSDICK levelled the score in the 67th minute by converting Cowley's deep right-wing cross despite Book almost saving the close range shot.
But the Centurions should have regained the lead three minutes later when Coleman spilled Neil Arndale's cross and Hopkins blazed the loose ball over the bar from just three yards.
Halesowen could not find enough extra flair to create a second goal against ten-man Cirencester with Forsdick shooting high in the 71st minute and Lamey rolling just wide from Steve Pope's 77th minute cross. Forsdick's 82nd minute header looped onto the roof of the net after Preston's cross was headed back across goal. Steve Cowe curled just wide with five minutes remaining at the other end.
Pope was booked for complaining about Forsdick's last-gasp sending-off seconds before the final whistle and both players will now receive suspensions later in November.