ALL OVER?
Yate 2 Yeltz 1
18 February 2006
Another disappointing defeat has left us 12 points off the playoffs and a long way off any chance of promotion. We were 2-0 down at half-time, and despite a late Pope goal it doesn't sound like we deserved anything more. Full details in Dave's match report.
On Tuesday we play Sutton Coldfield in the Worcester Senior Cup semi-final at The Grove. It took a replay to beat them in the Trophy earlier this season, but let's hope we can get into the final to have at least something to look forward to for the rest of the season.
Match Report from DJ
Yate Town: Court; Sims, Elsey, Brice, Jefferies, Wyatt, Wood, Chenoweth, Edwards, Metheringham, Campbell. Unused Subs: Cox, Sylvester, Vickerman, Bridson, Barlass
Halesowen Town: Coleman; Cooper (N. Smith 75), Amos (Skidmore 75), Preston, Pope, Pierpoint, Cowley, Lamey, Forinton, Hadland (Haywood HT), Forsdick. Unused Subs: C. Smith, Johnson
Referee: P. Brown (Taunton) Attendance: 270 Booked: Forinton (30), Pope (36), Pierpoint (54).
Yate gained full revenge for their 7-2 defeat at The Grove in October to draw level with Halesowen in the table and leave their play-off hopes as just a distant dream.
In-form Yate have now won their last five home games and were quick off the blocks on a heavy pitch by dominating the early stages as the Yeltz put in another poor first-half performance.
Paul Metheringham volleyed over the bar in the 4th minute and five minutes later Scott Brice headed wide under pressure from Nick Amos as Yate forced two corners.
Nathan Lamey fired high over the bar in the 5th minute and on 12 minutes Stuart Pierpoint's cross led to a penalty appeal for handball.
The Bluebells went ahead on 14 minutes when Alex Cowley failed to clear and Paul CHENOWETH was given time to wait for the ball to drop before firing a 22-yard half volley inside the post to beat Dean Coleman with his first goal of the season. The hosts should have increased the lead after 21 minutes when the ball fell kindly to Mike Wyatt just six yards out but he struck straight at Coleman with the goal at his mercy. Two minutes later Darren Edwards volleyed over the bar from a corner kick.
Yate pressure made it 2-0 after 26 minutes when Cowley made a horrible hash of clearing a corner on the edge of the six-yard box and sliced the ball for EDWARDS to nip in and slot home from close range. Just before the interval, Steve Pope slammed a direct 20-yard free-kick just past the post and Scott Hadland hit high over the bar.
The Yeltz changed formation after the break and enjoyed a much better second half despite lacking a cutting edge. Simon Forsdick missed an ideal opportunity to put his team back into the game in his 100th game for the club after being fed by Lamey on 46 minutes but he chipped well over the bar with only goalkeeper Tony Court to beat.
Jason Wood flashed a 49th effort just wide but then cleared a good Forsdick cross a minute later at the other end with Cowley advancing. Metheringham was given plenty of time in front of goal in the 56th minute but Coleman saved for a corner and in the 64th minute Edwards headed down for Adam Sims to blaze over the bar.
Lamey saw his curling 65th minute free-kick from the edge of the area blocked and another loud Halesowen appeal for a penalty for handball was denied in the 68th minute. Pierpoint's 69th minute cross was completely missed by jittery home goalkeeper Court but Brice tidied up the loose ball in front of goal. Pierpoint then cleared Brice's shot after 72 minutes in the Yeltz defence.
Halesowen had a 79th minute let off when a terrible Coleman kick fell straight to Edwards and he lobbed the young goalkeeper only to see the ball strike the crossbar with Coleman recovering to make a good save from Metheringham's header from the rebound.
Court easily collected an 80th minute header from Howard Forinton that unbelievably proved to be Halesowen's first attempt directly on target. POPE touched home a simple consolation goal for the Yeltz in the 86th minute when a deep cross from Dave Haywood was again lost by goalkeeper Court.
In the remaining time, Forsdick made a couple of excellent runs down the left wing before crossing but Lamey hit high over the bar and a shot from substitute Nick Smith was deflected inches wide as Yate held on for a deserved win.
The 10th booking of the season for Pope and the 5th for Pierpoint mean a two-match and one-match suspension respectively with both central defenders likely to miss the forthcoming match at league-leaders Salisbury.