3 WINS ON THE TROT
Merthyr 2 Yeltz 3
02 January 2006
The mighty Yeltz continued our impressive form with a third win over the holidays, this time a very good win away at Merthyr. We twice came from behind through goals from Fozzy, before a rare Skidder goal clinched the victory to keep us right in touch with the play-off positions. Just what we needed.
On Saturday we travel to Hitchin in what won't be an easy game, but let's hope we can keep our excellent run going.
Match Report from DJ
Merthyr Tydfil: Idzi; Robison, Keddle, Needs, Elliott, Griffiths, Fowler, D. Williams, Welsh (Steins 24 (S. Williams 62)), Shephard, Dorrian (Titcombe 75). Unused Subs: Jones, Eckhardt
Halesowen Town: Coleman; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Knight, Cowley (Johnson 80), Lamey (C. Smith 84), Forinton, Amos (Skidmore 66), Forsdick. Unused Subs: Pierpoint, Teraud
Referee: R. Greenwood (Plymouth) Attendance: 512 Booked: Preston (12), Dorrian (42), Forinton (42), Fowler (53), Pope (76), Robison (86)
Happy Halesowen maintained their 100% festive sequence after coming from behind with two goals from Simon Forsdick completing a hat-trick of holiday wins.
But the Yeltz suffered an early 3rd minute hangover when Merthyr captain Mike FOWLER easily beat their defensive wall and stranded goalkeeper Dean Coleman to convert a direct free-kick after Gary Knight handled on the edge of the area. Knight then cleared after Coleman failed to grasp Fowler's 8th minute corner.
Young reserve home goalkeeper Lee Idzi collected Simon Forsdick's 14th minute cross but FORSDICK then levelled in the 15th minute by touching the ball past Idzi in the 6-yard box after Nick Amos climbed to head on Steve Pope's cross. On 23 minutes Idzi misjudged Dave Haywood's deep cross but Paul Keddle headed away for a corner.
Merthyr regained the lead in the 34th minute when Garry Shephard's shot deflected off Alex Cowley to deceive Coleman and allow Dane WILLIAMS to nod home. Just before the interval Cowley played a neat one-two with Amos but placed his 18-yard shot wide of the mark.
Halesowen made a positive start to the second period and Darren Robison cleared away Nathan Lamey's 47th minute header from Cowley's free-kick. Two minutes later, Cowley's cross was headed out from underneath his own crossbar by Gareth Elliott.
FORSDICK equalised again after 50 minutes by poking home his second goal from close range after good work on the right set up Lamey to shoot from 12-yards. A 58th minute cross from Cowley then beat Idzi but the ball fell just beyond Forsdick.
Halesowen grabbed a scrappy 70th minute winner when Forsdick challenged and poked the ball through the centre for substitute Stuart SKIDMORE to prod home a rare goal just past Idzi under pressure just four minutes after arriving on the field.
For the home side Steve Williams drove just wide on 71 minutes and Dale Griffiths nodded a Fowler corner over the bar after 77 minutes. Two minutes later Steve Williams then headed a cross from substitute Lee Titcombe over the bar.
But Halesowen defended their lead solidly to condemn Merthyr to their fifth straight home defeat and almost struck again in the 84th minute when Lamey hit a good chance just wide from 18 yards on the break.