START!

Yeltz 3 Aylesbury 1

It's good to be back to real action, and also good to start off with a win. Goals from Jason (2) and Steve Pope means it was our best first day result since we beat Gresley 3-0 a few seasons ago. More details in Dave's match report.

Some interesting results in other games - Chips and Ham won 6-0 and King's Lynn and Solihull both scored 5. It's going to take a while to figure out the relative strengths of the different teams, but it wasn't a good start for a few teams (including Team Bath - hurrah!)

Our opponents in next week's games both lost today as well. On Monday we visit long time opponents Hednesford , before on Saturday we make what I think is our first visit to Histon . Let's hope our good form continues and we can make a decent start to the season for once!

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Charlton, Cowley (Forsdick 59), Moore (Burgess 77), Haarhoff, Baker, Steane (Strachan 71). Unused Subs: Jones, Grocutt

Aylesbury United: Rashid; Powells, Mead, Lamb, Hayward, Smeathers, Champelovier (Ridley 77), Cracknell, Cole (Gould 67), Gutzmore, Edgeworth. Unused Subs: Winter, Wiffin

Referee: S. Barrow (Tamworth) Booked: Lamb (21), Charlton (50), Baker (88), Ridley (88) Attendance: 422

The Yeltz were given a standing ovation after an exciting display in their first game of the new season brought a comfortable victory in the first league meeting against former Ryman League Aylesbury United.

The Yeltz started confidently and won a first minute corner after visiting goalkeeper Jack Rashid flapped at the ball. Last season's leading goal-scorer Jason MOORE made it a perfect start for Halesowen with an 8th minute opening goal when he beat the offside-trap and side-stepped goalkeeper Rashid before placing a pin-point chip beyond the final two defenders into the top corner from the edge of the area. Alex Cowley then skipped free down the right to win a 21st minute corner and a 25th minute cross from Cowley was cleared off the toe of Jimmy Haarhoff.

In a better spell for the Ducks, Paul Lamb tamely side-footed a good chance past the post in the 27th minute and Dean Cracknell lobbed over the bar three minutes later. Halesowen's Haarhoff cut in from the left in the 32nd minute but his shot rebounded off the left-hand post into the arms of goalkeeper Rashid. The lively Meshach Cole then beat Yeltz central defender Nicky Preston for pace down the right but shot straight at goalkeeper Mark Sheils in the 38th minute instead of crossing to the unmarked Danny Mead. Sheils had a confident afternoon and collected a number of Aylesbury crosses and corners cleanly.

With the hosts searching for more goals, Lewis Baker was unfortunate to see his header rebound clear off the underside of the bar in the 41st minute from Cowley's cross. On the stroke of half-time Dave Haywood's corner crept through to Baker and then onto Steve Pope but Mead managed to clear off the line.

After a quiet opening few minutes to the second period, Haarhoff battled to win the ball in the 53rd minute and linked up with Ben Steane to set up Moore to swivel and fire at Rashid from 10 yards. Haywood then blasted a 25-yard free-kick at Rashid three minutes later.

Halesowen wrapped up the points with two goals in four minutes with Aylesbury's defence looking shaky under the pacy onslaught. POPE smashed home into the roof of the net on 60 minutes from 8 yards after Aylesbury failed to clear a free-kick from the right. MOORE then hit his second in the 64th minute by latching onto a long ball forward from Pope and beat goalkeeper Rashid to the ball before rolling the ball past the final defender and into an empty net. With Aylesbury under continued pressure, Haarhoff was just wide with a 69th minute diving header and Baker's 75th minute overhead kick fell inches wide of the left-hand post. Substitute Richard Burgess then set up Haarhoff to burst clear in the 80th minute but Rashid made a fine blocking save.

Aylesbury notched an injury-time consolation goal with virtually the last kick of the game when Paul EDGEWORTH cut through the centre of Halesowen's defence and hit into the corner of the net from 20 yards.

RARING TO GO

Friendlies Chasetown 1 Yeltz 2 - Boldmere 1 Yeltz 6

The mighty Yeltz go into the start of the new season on the back of some promising pre-season performances, and two wins against lower-league opposition.

On Thursday we beat Chasetown 2-1, before putting six past Boldmere on Saturday in an excellent finish to the summer preliminaries. More details in the various match reports.

We kick off the new league season with the visit of Aylesbury to The Grove on Saturday. They finished tailed off at the bottom of the Ryman Premier last year, but as with several teams this year it's going to be hard to judge how well we're going to do. However we must be pretty confident we can start off with three points.

For all those who are still playing, don't forget this is the first game of the new Fantasy Island so don't forget to enter your predictions before the kickoff - there are no excuses!

NOT LONG NOW

Friendly Yeltz 1 Bromsgrove 1

Just two weeks to go now, and another friendly passes with a 1-1 draw against Bromsgrove - our goal was an early strike from Jason. Full details in Dave's match report .

The last two games before the season proper are this week, away at Chasetown on Thursday and then at Boldmere on Saturday.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Charlton, Cowley, Moore, Burgess, Baker, Strachan. Used Subs: Jones, Haarhoff, Forsdick, Skidmore, Steane, Williams (GK)

Bromsgrove Rovers: Lowe; Benbow, Hillman, Douglin, Benton, Mahon, Daniels, Erraji, Bellingham, Appleton, Lennon. Subs: Frost, Hateley (GK), Palmer, McGrath, Churchill, Gandy (GK)

Referee: W. Barrett (Cradley) Attendance: 230

Bromsgrove started brightly in a keenly contested friendly with Mark Benbow heading a John Daniels corner just over the bar in the 4th minute. Mark Bellingham was brought down on the edge of the penalty area in the 5th minute and home goalkeeper Mark Sheils gathered a 10th minute strike from Ryan Mahon.

Halesowen took an 8th minute lead when Jason MOORE gratefully accepted a bad pass out of defence in the Bromsgrove area and eventually beat former Yeltz goalkeeper Matt Lowe from 6 yards out. Alex Cowley continued to look exciting on the ball and won the first of two corners in the 38th minute after winning the ball in midfield and surging forward. Two minutes after half-time Cowley's right-wing cross clipped the top of the crossbar and Cowley then struck wide on 51 minutes following a neat interchange with Moore.

The visitors levelled the scores in the 52nd minute with BELLINGHAM converting a cross at the far post after Danny Lennon broke free on the left. Visiting goalkeeper Lowe dived to save at the feet of Cowley on 66 minutes before saving from Jimmy Haarhoff three minutes later and Dave Haywood drove across goal in the 70th minute.

The Yeltz applied further pressure late on in the game but were unable to break down Joe Jackson's well-organised Bromsgrove, who must surely start as firm favourites to capture the Southern League Division One West championship.

FEISTY

Friendly Yeltz 1 Walsall 1

The mighty Yeltz continued our promising pre-season build up with a 1-1 draw against Walsall. We took the lead in the first half through Alex Cowley, although the break came early when Walsall walked off in a huff after some tough tackling from Lewis Baker. They equalised after the teams came back out, but all in all it sounds like another excellent performance.

Only two weeks to go before the start of the season proper, and we continue our preparations against Bromsgrove on Saturday at The Grove.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Forsdick, Charlton, Pope, Jones, Cowley, Moore, Haarhoff, Baker, Steane. Used Subs: Preston, Haywood, Skidmore, Colwell, Burgess, R. Williams(GK)

Walsall: Coleman; Platt, L. Bradley, Wheeler, Harkness, M. Bradley, Hughes, Jameson, Atiendo, L. Williams, Penny. Subs: Lake, McDermott, Deakin, Leaver, Tilt

Referee: A. Marriner (Coventry)

A keenly contested friendly was cut short by five minutes at the end of the first-half when Mick Halsall led his team into the dressing room after a confrontation between Lewis Baker and Leroy Williams in front of the Walsall dug-out.

Halesowen continued to look lively in their pre-season preparations and in the 12th minute Alex Cowley's corner was flicked on by Asa Charlton for Lewis Baker to head over the bar. Walsall's Leroy Williams beat Dan Jones and cut in from the left in the 19th minute but Mark Sheils saved low down. Cowley then cleverly side-stepped his defender in the 21st minute and beat goalkeeper Dean Coleman but his shot hit the roof of the net from a tight angle. Cowley's 26th minute cross was then met by a firm header from Baker but Coleman made a superb reflex save. A minute late Halesowen goalkeeper Mark Sheils made a fine save from Leroy Williams on a Walsall breakaway.

Exciting Cowley started and finished Halesowen's 33rd minute goal when he ran at the Walsall defence and put live-wire Jimmy Haarhoff free on the right and he crossed for COWLEY to side-foot home from 10 yards out. The crowd was then left bemused on 40 minutes after a tough tackle by Baker on Leroy Williams led to a minor skirmish and the Walsall players were led back to the dressing room en masse.

Walsall levelled the scores four minutes into the second half when substitute David McDERMOTT swept home a right-wing cross from close range after Mark Bradley beat Dave Haywood down the right wing.

Cowley hit wide from the edge of the area on 50 minutes and the alert Haarhoff won the first of two 57th minute corners when he beat the Walsall defence to the ball. Substitute Nicky Preston then turned in the area in the 72nd minute and hit just wide from 8 yards from Haywood's right-wing free-kick. On 78 minutes Richard Burgess set up Jason Moore to hit at the goalkeeper and three minutes later Moore set up Stuart Skidmore to drive wide of the mark.

MORE PROMISE

Friendly Yeltz 3 Worcester 1

Well we finally scored some goals - three in fact - and once again things look reasonably promising for the new seaosn ahead. Goals from Haarhoff, Pope and Jason lead to a good victory against a full strength Worcester team. Full details in Dave's match report .

On Wednesday Walsall are the visitors at The Grove, and then next Saturday we play Bromsgrove, also at home.

If you're interested, there's a new vote below asking for how you think we'll get on this season.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Skidmore, Haywood, Preston, Jones, Pope, Cowley, Haarhoff, Burgess, Baker, Steane. Used Subs: J. Moore, Charlton, Forsdick, Colwell, Williams (GK).

Worcester City: McDonnell; Warner, Davies, Heeley (Parker 71), Woolley, McDonald (Hobbs 78), Colley (J. Skyers 71), Stanley, Webster (Atkinson 58), C. Moore (Owen 49), Khan. Unused Subs: L. Skyers, Reynolds, Smith

Referee: L. Sinclair (Brierley Hill) Attendance: 213

The Yeltz notched their first pre-season victory in style with a comfortable win over a full strength Worcester City from the newly formed Conference North.

In a lively Halesowen opening, Alex Cowley made a trademark weaving run into the Worcester half in the 3rd minute and a minute later Rob Warner headed behind his own goal for a corner.

Jimmy HAARHOFF put the Yeltz ahead from the penalty spot with Halesowen's first pre-season goal in the 7th minute after the referee spotted a push on Lewis Baker, much to the surprise of the Worcester defence. Slack defending almost gifted Halesowen a second goal in the 14th minute when Richard Burgess was left unmarked but he volleyed over the bar from Ben Steane's corner.

Steve Pope made a saving tackle on Shabir Khan in the 20th minute before Adam Webster set up Jai STANLEY to level the scores on 27 minutes by driving past goalkeeper Mark Sheils from the edge of the area. Barry Woolley then headed a Webster cross just wide three minutes before the interval.

The Yeltz killed the game as a meaningful contest with two goals early in the second half. Steve Pope headed against the underside of the crossbar in the 53rd minute and Danny McDonnell scrambled away the rebound but POPE poked home the ball at the third attempt from close range. Hard-working Jimmy Haarhoff then hit over the bar in the 55th minute from Jason Moore's lay-off.

Jason MOORE added a third goal in the 61st minute by calmly chipping over McDonnell from 20 yards after latching onto a long ball out of defence and shrugging off a challenge from Carl Heeley. Worcester made little impression on the lead and it was home striker Burgess who blasted against the side-netting with nine minutes remaining.

NO GOALS BUT PROMISING

Friendly Yeltz 0 WBA 2

Despite going down 2-0 to an early and a late goal, the mighty Yeltz put on a promising display in our annual friendly against the Albion. Full details in Dave's match report .

On Saturday Worcester are the visitors to The Grove before we host Walsall next week.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Haywood, Preston, Pope, Charlton, Cowley, Skidmore, Steane, Moore, Burgess. Used Subs: D. Jones, Baker, Haarhoff, Forsdick, Colwell, Williams(GK).

West Bromwich Albion: M. Jones; Midworth, Holmes, A. Chambers, Berthe, J. Chambers, Julian, Wallwork, Nicholson, Hughes, Kelleher. Used Subs: Patterson, Tomlinson, Paszkowec, Barnett, Clarke, Smikle, Forsyth, Pringle, Humphrey, Hodgkiss, Daniels (GK).

Referee: A. Hendley (Dudley) Attendance: 866 Sponsors' Man of the Match: Alex Cowley

Halesowen were beaten by two goals in the opening and dying minutes and were left still searching for their first goal of the pre-season campaign despite producing some attractive football.

Lee HUGHES caught Halesowen cold by lifting the ball over Mark Sheils for the first Albion goal in the second minute.

The home side then settled into some neat play with Philip Midworth turning away Jason Moore's cross on 8 minutes. Ben Steane's 18th minute corner was cleared off Nicky Preston's head and Alex Cowley's shot forced the second of three consecutive corner kicks. Goalkeeper Matthew Jones then grabbed a deep Dave Haywood free-kick in the 23rd minute. Clever footwork out of defence by home man-of-the-match Cowley inspired a lightning 26th minute break with Moore's cross inches from conversion by Richard Burgess.

Late in the first half Mark Sheils touched a 20-yard Hughes drive over the crossbar and then made a superb point-blank save from Stuart Nicholson's header after a Hughes cross.

Halesowen's best chance of the game fell three minutes into the second half with Simon Forsdick heading against the underside off the Baggies' crossbar from Haywood's right-wing free-kick. Tom Barnett then headed over his own goal under pressure from Moore as the Yeltz forced two 62nd minute corners against a totally changed second half line-up from the visitors. The hosts employed rolling substitutions and Burgess hit wide in the 68th minute from a Moore break.

With 9 minutes remaining Brain Smikle headed inches wide of substitute goalkeeper Richard Williams but SMIKLE wrapped up the game in the final minute by chipping over the goalkeeper from the edge of the area.

JUST WARMING UP

Friendly Evesham 1 Yeltz 0

Just four weeks to go until the start of what is going to be a very interesting season, with lots of new opponents due to the long overdue reorganisation of the football pyramid.

The fixture list is out now, starting with a home game against Aylesbury and ending with an away trip to Hitchin.

We started the friendly season yesterday with a 1-0 loss to Evesham. More news if I receive any, or see Chris's comment in YeltzTalk .

We play our regular friendly against the Albion on Wednesday at The Grove, before hosting Worcester City on Saturday.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Cooper, Forsdick, Charlton, Pope, Preston, Haarhoff, Steane, Cowley, Baker, Burgess. Subs: Jones, Moore, Colwell. Unavailable: Grocutt, Haywood, Skidmore, Strachan, Danks

Gavin O'Toole notched the only goal for lower league Evesham with a first-half free-kick from 20 yards minutes after Lewis Baker struck the post for Halesowen.

The visitors battled away after the break amidst numerous substitutions from both sides but former Yeltz 'keeper Tim Clarke kept a clean sheet.

IT'S STARTING AGAIN

After a few weeks off watching the usual disappointing England display, thoughts come around once again to the new season. It's just a couple of weeks until the friendlies start - fixtures now added - and then the excitement of a few new places to visit following the pyramid reorganisation and our entry into the revamped Premier Division. More details when the fixture list comes out.

It's been reasonably quiet so far on the transfer front, with the most notable signing that of Richard Burgess, a striker from Redditch. Again, all will become a bit clearer after the usual round of triallists playing in the pre-season games.

SATISFACTORY

Yeltz 1 Team Bath 0

We've finally reached the end of a pretty uneventful season (on the pitch at least!) by achieving the minimum necessary - finishing in the top seven to get into the Southern Premier next season. It was looking a bit dicey at one stage, so well done to Paul Holleran and the players for turning things around, and we go into what should be a very interesting season with some hope that we can challenge for promotion.

We clinched fourth place with another victory over Team Bath, this time 1-0 through a first-half Forsdick goal. Elsewhere, Redditch clinched the title with a 3-0 victory at Cirencester, and go on to play King's Lynn and then possibly Merthyr in the playoffs.

The actual makeup of whatever league we'll end up in should be sorted out by next Sunday (May 9th). I'll post here as soon as I know anything, but I can also recommend Tony Kempster's excellent site for in-depth coverage of the whole subject.

Asa Charlton has won both the official and the website player of the season, so congratulations to him on both accounts!

I'd just like to wish everyone an excellent summer, and let's hope next season we can recapture some of that old spirit of Halesowen that has been a little lacking at times recently.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Grocutt, Haywood, Strachan, Jones, Skidmore, Steane (Hollis 72), Moore (Haarhoff 78), Lamey (Carter 89), Baker, Forsdick. Unused Sub: Colwell

Team Bath: Hines (Chitty 72); Otto (Smith 71), Watson, Nichols, Ball, Tisdale, Saunders, Lock, Stocco, Lewis, Dembicki (Keen HT). Unused Subs: Tilson, Parkin

Referee: M. J. Gooding (Bristol) Attendance: 401 Booked: Nichols (80), Grocutt (80). Sponsors' Man of the Match: Simon Forsdick

Halesowen secured fourth spot in the league table as they continued their run of form with a narrow win over sixth placed Team Bath.

Head Coach Paul Tisdale took charge of Team Bath and they opened brightly with skipper Kevin Watson firing over the bar in the 3rd minute and Watson's free-kick was grabbed by home goalkeeper Mark Sheils five minutes later. Neil Saunders then fed Chris Lewis in the 12th minute but defender Dave Haywood made a timely challenge to intercept.

Halesowen gradually settled and started to dominate with Nathan Lamey breaking free down the left in the 16th minute to strike the side-netting. Haywood hit a hopeful 35-yard drive in the 19th minute and a minute later goalkeeper Ali Hines raced out of his goal to head clear. Lewis Baker's 22nd minute header from a Haywood corner was hooked clear and on 27 minutes a slip from Peter Tisdale let in Lamey but Hines clawed away his chip and Alex Ball cleared off the line as Jason Moore followed up from the rebound. Hines then raced off his line again on the half-hour to beat Moore to the ball.

The Yeltz hit the decisive winning goal in the 31st minute when the ball fell kindly from a midfield challenge on Lamey for man-of-the-match Simon FORSDICK to calmly take on the ball from 30 yards out and finish well from 15 yards with a side-foot past Hines.

A long effort from Forsdick almost caught out Hines after he slipped at the start of an evenly matched second half but then a dreadful error from home goalkeeper Sheils presented substitute Doug Keen with a golden 49th minute chance but he tamely shot at Sheils when clear on goal. Tisdale cleared off the Team Bath line in the 49th minute from Lamey's cross with Moore racing in and at the other end Sheils raced off his line on 54 minutes to deny Tom Stocco after his clever flick.

With Team Bath searching for an equaliser Lewis just failed to connect with Keen's cross along the face of goal in the 62nd minute and two minutes later Sheils acrobatically clutched another 10-yard Keen effort.

Moore almost connected with a 69th minute chip from Ben Steane at the far post and in the 74th minute Stuart Skidmore put Moore clear but substitute goalkeeper Darren Chitty was quickly off his line to save. A minute later Dan Jones sliced a cross from substitute Dean Smith for a corner but then cleared Watson's cross.

Although the game petered out there was still a hint of the intense rivalry from the FA Trophy clashes between the two sides earlier in the season as Jon Nichols and Darren Grocutt received yellow cards for clashing and squaring up to each other with 10 minutes remaining.

In the dying moments of a successful but quickly forgettable promotion season Baker headed Strachan's 83rd minute corner high over the bar and a long ball from Jimmy Haarhoff found fellow substitute Simon Hollis but he stumbled in front of goal.

ALMOST OVER

Taunton 1 Yeltz 1

In what's been a pretty uneventful season, the mighty Yeltz gained an unimportant point in the last away game of the season down in Taunton.

It was a beautifully sunny day, and a decent sized band of away supporters took full advantage! We probably had the better of the game, scored a decent goal through Jason, but then they equalised near the end, and probably deserved it. Full match details in Dave's report.

Next week we finish the season with a home game against Team Bath. Neither team really have anything to play for, with us both having clinched a top seven finish, although if we win we'll finish in fourth place, if not we may finish lower. At the top Gloucester beat Redditch to take the title race to the last weekend, but Redditch only need a point (but have to go to Cirencester so it's not going to be easy).

Match Report from DJ

Taunton Town: Edwards; Raybould, Dicks, Russell (Aguido 84), Watson, Harris, Fisher, Callinan (Allen 75), Foster, Douglas, Lynch. Unused Subs: Peckham, Musker, Mogg

Halesowen Town: Sheils; Grocutt, Forsdick (Gallieri 87), Haywood, Jones, Skidmore, Steane (Colwell 77), Moore, Lamey (Carter 84), Baker, Strachan. Unused Sub: Haarhoff

Referee: C. Spence (Newquay) Attendance: 384 Booked: Lamey (58), Callinan (60), Watson (75)

Halesowen seemed on course for victory but had to settle for a draw after conceding a late goal in their final away game of the campaign. The travelling away fans brought the highest attendance of the season to Wordsworth Road in a game where the visitors gave a run-out to a number of their fringe players.

Darren Grocutt headed behind his own goal in the 5th minute and Danny Harris back-headed Martin Douglas's resulting corner at the near post but Dave Haywood cleared off the line. A 9th minute cross from Grantley Dicks then just evaded Tommy Callinan at the back post.

Halesowen eased into their stride and their first corner on 12 minutes saw Ben Steane fire into a crowd of players. Two minutes later Simon Forsdick broke down the left from a long Mark Sheils clearance but Nathan Lamey blasted the ball over the bar. Craig Strachan clipped a ball into Lamey's path on 27 minutes but his effort was cleared after beating goalkeeper Paul Edwards. Edwards then collected a 25-yard free-kick from Haywood on the half-hour.

At the other end Antony Lynch scuffed his shot from a Dicks cross on 33 minutes and a minute later Taunton were unfortunate to see a 22-yard shot from Callinan beat Sheils but the ball rebounded off the inside of the post in the best chance of the half. Taunton won three corners in the final minutes of the first-half and a Jason Moore flick gave the Yeltz a 38th minute corner.

Gary Fisher hit a loose ball over the bar from 12-yards for the hosts playing up the slope in the 4th minute of the second period. Halesowen then grabbed the lead in the 53rd minute when Steane skipped past two defenders into the area and squared the ball for MOORE to hit the roof of the net from 15 yards to record his first league goal since January

Taunton attempted to reply when Lynch latched onto a pass from Andy Raybould in the 57th minute but could only hit the side-netting from 10-yards under challenge from the hard-working Stuart Skidmore. Lynch then hit a 22-yard free-kick inches over the bar but Halesowen continued to control play with their neat passing approach.

Taunton captain Alex Watson received a yellow-card in the 75th minute for spectacularly up-ending Skidmore although play had already been stopped for an earlier infringement. Halesowen substitute Alfie Carter then raced down the left wing in the 86th minute but his cross was cleared.

The Peacocks snatched their 89th minute equaliser when a corner from substitute Danny Allen bounced awkwardly and left unmarked Adrian FOSTER with the simple task of nodding home from close range.

In six minutes of added time Strachan hit over the Taunton bar from substitute Antonio Gallieri's free-kick and Sheils collected a shot from Harris in the Halesowen goal.