DRAW KINGS
Yeltz 0 King's Lynn 0
03 December 2005
Many years agon in the fanzine I made some lame joke about us going top of the league after the rules being changed to 3 points for a draw, 1 for a win. With our 9th draw in 17 league games we'd be comfortably top of that league, but back in the real world we're in 9th just hovering below the play-off zone.
In other news gleaned from the excellent official website , Ben Steane has been released to go to Brackley. In my opinion Ben never quite fulfilled the promise (and the large transfer fee) he undoubtedly had, although obviously he was extremely unlucky with injuries. Let's hope we can afford to replace him with a top midfielder that could make a lot of difference.
Also, the board has been restructured to dratically reduce the number of directors to three. I was out of the country so I couldn't make the EGM, which means I don't really know what this means, but I'm hoping it will help us move forward both on and off the field. More if I hear more from people who were there.
On Tuesday we have an important replay at home to Sutton Coldfield in the Trophy, with the winners meeting FA Cup 2nd Round winners and local rivals Tamworth. A mouth watering clash, and we really need to get through - let's hope for the best!
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Coleman; I. Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Knight, Cowley, Lamey, Forinton, Forsdick (C. Smith 85), Amos (N. Smith 75). Unused Subs: Pierpoint, Johnson, Strachan.
King's Lynn: Higgs; West, A. Smith, Harvey, G. Cooper, Jones, Fell (Defty 50), Anselin (Hammond 66), Camm, Bloomfield, O'Halloran. Unused Sub: McNeil.
Referee: S. Pardoe (Crewe) Attendance: 360 Booked: Lamey (33) Sponsors' Man of the Match: Nathan Lamey
Halesowen were thwarted by a resolute defensive display from the Linnets and could only manage another draw in a game of few chances.
The Yeltz had won each of the previous three meetings between the clubs by a single goal without reply and there never looked to be much different on offer this time in a dreary first half.
Despite the two league-leading marksmen being on display, the Linnets appeared happy to play for a goal-less point and Halesowen lacked the killer punch to prevent them doing so.
Nathan Lamey's 2nd minute shot was blocked from Dave Haywood's free-kick and Howard Forinton crossed over the bar 16 minutes into the scrappy start to the game.
Grant Cooper's 17th minute shot was deflected over the bar for a corner kick but Halesowen gained possession and made a quick break up the field with Forinton finding Cowley but his dangerous cross ran along the six-yard box. Steve Pope then scooped a loose ball over the King's bar from five yards out in the 22nd minute.
The Linnets hardly threatened as an attacking force and goalkeeper Dean Coleman had a largely redundant afternoon after comfortably collecting a cross from Matt O'Halloran in the 25th minute.
Forinton looped a 29th minute header at goalkeeper John Higgs and then almost latched onto the ball in the 35th minute but Higgs raced off his line to save. In between, Danny Bloomfield struck past the Halesowen post from the edge of the area after Halesowen lost the ball in midfield.
Cowley continued to be the outlet creating most danger from the Yeltz and his 40th minute shot from an acute angle was blocked by the packed King's Lynn defence following a decent spell of Halesowen pressure before the interval.
At the start of the second period another Cowley cross went begging in the 48th minute before Bloomfield turned well to fire just wide of Coleman's post five minutes later.
The Linnets seemed increasingly content to play for a draw and continued to defend in depth with Halesowen unable to break the stalemate despite their dominance. Simon Forsdick shot well wide through a mass of defenders after 66 minutes and Cowley cut in from the right following a fine run in the 69th minute but Adam Jones headed away for a corner. Forsdick's 72nd minute header was then turned away and from the resulting corner Nick Amos powered a header just wide.
On the counter-attack substitute Danny Hammond's 76th minute shot struck O'Halloran with Bloomfield unmarked at the far post for King's Lynn.
Lamey wasted an 81st minute free-kick by blasting well wide from 25 yards but then combined well with Forinton to produce Halesowen's clearest chance of the afternoon a minute later but Higgs blocked well when Forinton tried to place his shot.
Despite a couple more late corners, Halesowen could not break the deadlock and had to settle for their 9th league draw of the season.