SUPER, SMASHING AND PRETTY GREAT

Yeltz 1 Merthyr 1

In I guess what should be called an eventful game, the mighty Yeltz ended up with their fourth draw in as many games after a late Merthyr equaliser.

Sam Bowen looks a feisty sort of a chap , and was at the centre of most of the controversial incidents. He had a running battle with their tiny number 7 which resulted in at least a couple of punches being swapped (although the ref didn't remember this was a sending-off offence); he managed to incite the Merthyr fans by throwing the ball at them (although I'm assuming he was provoked); he also got the faintest of touches on a Les Hines free kick in the second-half for our goal. I like him.

The referee was abysmal , missing several blatant handballs from both sides. How he decided their number 7 shouldn't be sent off after walking up to Bowen and elbowing him right in front of hime I'll never know.

Next game: the rearranged League Cup tie against Moor Green at The Grove on Tuesday .

Match Report from Greg Evans

Eventful game. Another draw, another lost lead and another shocking referee.

Team: Quy, Comyn, Owen, Wood, Lloyd (Crisp), Collins, Smith, Cartwright (Ford), Hines, Bowen (Sutton), Payne

The 'star' of the show was undoubtedly the referee. He began brightly by disallowing a stunning Merthyr free kick inside 10 minutes. Both sides were baffled by decision after decision, culminating in Stuart Payne being tripped on the edge of the six yard box when about to pull the trigger. Penalty? No chance! Minutes later a punched clearance by a Merthyr defender was also missed.

Debutante Sam Bowen opened the scoring against his former club, getting the faintest of touches to an inswinging free kick. Merthyr equalised against the run of play five minutes from time. More points thrown away.

Bowen made an impressive debut, physical and threatening throughout. Merthyr were very physical and often ill disciplined. Bowen twice found himself on the wrong end of Welsh right hooks.

But one can't help thinking that four drawn home games in which we've lost leads could prove costly come May.

OFF AGAIN

DMC Yeltz P Moor Green P

The seemingly non-stop rain meant another game was called off - the League Cup tie against Moor Green has now been rearranged for next Tuesday (December 19th) .

Another match that will have to be rearranged is the game at home to Weymouth on January 13th , as they're still in the Trophy (thanks to Darren Marklew for pointing that one out).

More transfer news: we've signed Stuart Corns from Unibond side Droylesden, a 22 year old utility player.

On Saturday our old friends Merthyr visit The Grove. It looks like the annual supporters game won't be taking place - I think the Jolly Boys are feeling their age a bit nowadays - but I'm sure we'll have a few drinks together before and after the game.

News Story

Havant P Yeltz P

As half expected, the recent awful weather meant that the trip down to Havant and Waterloovile was called off due to a waterlogged pitch . At least they had an early inspection to save people making the long trip. Although Tamworth beat Margate, we're still in 17th place .

Tuesday brings surprisingly high-flying Moor Green to The Grove for a second round League Cup tie . We've never really done anything in this competition, and seeing as it's the only cup we're left in it would be nice to get a result.

Then on Saturday our old friends Merthyr are our visitors. It looks like the annual supporters game might not be taking place - I think the Jolly Boys are feeling their age a bit nowadays - but I'm sure we'll have a few drinks together before and after the game.

VERY PREDICTABLE

Welling 2 Yeltz 2

They'd drawn the previous four games and we'd drawn the last two before today, so the result shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise.

We took the lead halfway through the second half with a goal from The Gas Man , and after going behind not long after, got a late equaliser from the unstoppable Ross Collins . All this means we're still hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th place .

The latest transfer news is we've signed Sam Bowen from Evesham. I'll quote DJ here:"

Next game is another long trip south to Havant and Waterlooville next Saturday.

Match Report from DJ

Welling United: Knight; Chapman, Farley, Hone, Watts, Budden (Saunders 67), Riviere, Whitmarsh (Side 82), Canoville, Rowe, Glover. Unused Sub: Porter

Halesowen Town: Quy; Comyn, Owen (Ford 82), Wood, W. Lloyd, Collins, Cartwright (Crisp 74), Sutton, Payne, Smith, Hines. Unused Sub: P. Lloyd

Booked: Cartwright (49), Owen (69), Hone (80), Saunders (81) Referee: J. Bottomer (Chislehurst)

Halesowen had rising star Ross Collins to thank for claiming a late point at their first ever meeting at ex-Conference outfit Welling despite controlling most of an exciting end-to-end encounter.

The visitors had the better of a goal-less first half with Welling goalkeeper Glen Knight saving well from Les Hines in the 10th minute and Neil Cartwright in the 16th minute. As Welling gradually came into the game, Wayne Lloyd cleared the danger in the 24th minute by heading Dean Canoville's cross over his own bar. Andy Quy then gathered a 20 yard effort from Canoville just before the interval.

Stuart Payne put the Yeltz ahead in the 64th minute when he inadvertently blocked a shot from Wayne Lloyd but he was able to latch onto the rebounding ball to beat Knight from close range. Halesowen then had several chances to increase their lead with Knight tipping a 25 yard effort from Les Hines over the bar and Peter Sutton blasting wide after the ball was laid into his path by Hines.

However, Halesowen then suffered a mini-collapse and found themselves trailing within the space of a minute. Quy could only parry a long drive from Lew Watts in the 70th minute and Zeke Rowe pounced to convert the rebound. Straight from the kick-off Welling scored again when Simon Glover's left wing cross was thumped home by Anthony Riviere. To their credit, Halesowen regrouped and were rewarded with a deserved equaliser three minutes from time when in-form Collins drove home from the edge of the box following more good work by Les Hines.

ANOTHER DRAW

Yeltz 1 Clevedon 1

FOUR GOALS AND WE STILL CAN'T WIN

Yeltz 4 Folkestone 4

You'd have thought it would've been enough. Two goals apiece from Sutton and Payne took us into a 4-1 lead, but unbelieveably fellow strugglers Folkestone came back to earn what could be a vital point.

Some more squad changes - Scott Darroch has been released after never really looking up to playing at this level, and with Ralphy Crisp and Craig Mansell almost back to full fitness.

Tuesday's game at Burton has been called off because stupidly the league arranged a representative fixture in the same week as a full list of fixtures. Doh!

This means the next game is another important home league game - this time against Clevedon , who we've already beaten 4-1 this season. Come on.

Another interesting snippet of news - to quote Dave Johnson on the Mailing List :" Halesowen legends Paul and Lee Joinson have signed for Causeway Utd. (Halesowen's tenants) at the age of 40. Lee played yesterday at Shawbury and both could feature against top of the table Warley Rangers on Wednesday evening at The Grove."However Kev Crook says: "Sorry to have to inform you that all is not has it seems. Both Paul and Lee played for Causeway veterans on Saturday against a Tamworth side in some annual cup competition. I do not believe that this team play on a regular basis and also do not believe that the twins have any desire to make a come back although they where asked to sign for Causeway after finishing with Sandwell. I would doubt that they would be making an appearance in their 1st team on Wednesday as they probably won't be able to walk until Thursday."

HOTSHOT COLLINS PUTS US THROUGH

DMC Bromsgrove 0 Yeltz 2

Oh yes - we've actually won a cup tie! Two first half goals from the prolific Ross Collins against fallen "giants" Bromsgrove put us through to the next round of the League Cup. Hurrah!

Saturday brings fellow strugglers Folkestone to The Grove in another important league game. However, next Tuesday's game against Burton MAY (not confirmed yet) be called off as they have players in the League representative team. More news on this as soon as I hear for certain either way.

Match Report from DJ

Bromsgrove Rovers: Gabbidon; Southwick (Beard 59), Ulfig, Townsend, Frost, Turpin, Benbow, Burgess, Pountney, Burrow, Biddle (Cameron 87). Subs: Philpot

Halesowen Town: Quy; Comyn, Ford, Owen, W. Lloyd, Collins (P. Lloyd 77), Cartwright, Sutton (Aldridge 60), Payne (Williams 67), N. Smith, Hines

Goals: Collins 44, 45 Booked: None Referee: S. Bratt (Walsall) Attendance: 233

Phil Wood was serving a one-match suspension, so there was just one change to Saturday's line-up and it resulted in another satisfying clean sheet victory for Halesowen on a chilly Bromsgrove evening.

Bromsgrove were keen to start putting their off-the-pitch troubles behind them but failed to deliver in front of goal. Andy Quy saved well from Richard Burgess in the 34th minute and Mark Benbow headed the following corner over when well placed. Quy then saved well at Craig Pountney's feet before Halesowen tied up the game in a two-minute spell just on half-time. Jason Owen saw a dipping shot turned away for a corner by Nore Gabbidon and although the corner was cleared, Ross Collins drove the ball into the corner of the net. With Collins growing in stature with each game, he made it 2-0 in first half injury time by heading home a Les Hines corner.

Bromsgrove huffed and puffed in the second half without really creating much danger and it was Halesowen who should have increased their lead as they broke away on several occasions down the slope. Stuart Payne and Peter Sutton both missed opportunities with Hines also going close. Substitutes Ian Aldridge and Mark Williams then combined only to see Gabbidon produce a fine save five minutes from full time.

UP TO 17th

Yeltz 1 Tamworth 0

I know we've been on a terrible run recently, but we're actually the form team in the league right now . 7 points out of the last 9 have moved us up to 17th place in the table and only 6 points behind 7th placed Cambridge. This is all ridiculously optimistic, but it shows there's still all to play for .

A first half goal from Ross Collins led to our first victory at the Grove for many, many years and finally moved us up out of the relegation zone. Hurrah!

Tuesday brings a trip to Bromsgrove in the League Cup, and then fellow strugglers Folkestone visit The Grove on Saturday in another important league game.

Match Report from DJ

Halesowen Town: Quy; Comyn, Owen, Wood, Lloyd, Collins, Cartwright, Sutton, Payne, N. Smith, Hines. Subs: Aldridge, Ford, Williams

Tamworth: Acton; Warner, Mutchell, Clark, Hatton, Gray, Colley, Turner, Hallam, Houghton, Carter. Subs: G. Smith, McKenzie, Kotylo

Booked: Lloyd (35) Referee: M. Gooding (Bristol) Attendance: 504

It may have been flooding in other parts of the UK, but the Shed confirmed that there was a "bright golden haze on the meadow" at The Grove. Indeed, "the corn was as high as an elephant's eye" by 4:45pm as hearty Halesowen notched their first home win of the season and skipped above Tamworth and out of the bottom four.

In the 13th minute, a Rob Warner corner was clawed away by Andy Quy who then saved Richard Clark's follow-up header. The Yeltz took the lead in the 16th when a defensive clearance fell to the inspirational Ross Collins who cracked a 25 yard volley into the corner of the net leaving Darren Acton rooted to his goal-line spot in the Tamworth goal. As Halesowen's confidence built, Neil Cartwright broke quickly from Tamworth's 27th. minute corner and fed Peter Sutton who curled a shot just over. Cartwright supplied Sutton again seven minutes later but he could only shoot weakly at Acton.

A generally disappointing Tamworth looked more lively in the second period and Halesowen had an early escape when Quy pushed away Nicky Carter's cross with Mark Turner unable to use the rebound. Turner then saw his effort turned around the post three minutes later as the Lambs searched for an equaliser. At the other end, Sutton turned well in the 63rd minute but blasted his effort over the goal. In the 71st minute substitute Christie McKenzie tricked his way through the home defence and set up former Yeltz boy Nick Colley, but his shot drifted across the face of goal. Cartwright scuffed a 76th minute effort but as tension rose around the ground, it was left to the Halesowen rearguard, marshalled by man-of-the-match Phil Wood, to secure the vital three points. Ten minutes from time Carter saw a 25 yard drive go agonisingly wide and then two minutes from time a shot from Houghton whipped across goal, but by the final whistle the Yeltz were confidently stroking the ball around down the other end.

LOST FOR WORDS

BSC Yeltz 0 Redditch 1

Another cup, another disappointing defeat.

I know I'm ridiculously positive at times, but I can't remember things looking so grim. We're not quite out of all the cups (thanks for everyone who reminded me about next week's League Cup game at Bromsgrove), and if Fisher had won tonight - their game was thankfully called off - we would have been bottom of the league. The worst of it is, the way we've played in the last few games shows it isn't really a false position.

We've got a couple of home games coming up - starting with Tamworth on Saturday - so let's hope we can get something going. So what if we haven't won a game at Fortress Grove since April, this would be a great time to break that streak.

ROAD TO NOWHERE

FAT Yeltz 1 Bilston 3

In a completely depressing performance, the mighty Yeltz failed to take any steps along the road to wherever the final's going to be this year.

We were outplayed and outclassed by a Bilston team who are currently top of the Midland and West Division. I can't remember their keeper making a single save, with our only threat coming from Jason 'Bobby Charlton' Owen who scored a screamer from 20-odd yards and hit the bar with a lob from about 40.

They took the lead from a misplaced cross that looped into the far corner, before Jason's equaliser. They retook the lead in the second half after an otherwise excellent Andy Quy picked up a backpass and they fired home from close range following the freekick. We never looked like getting back into it after that, and they clinched a well-deserved victory with a late third. It were the worst . There's some photos of the game courtesy of Mark Bowen and James Pearson in the match reports.

Redditch won their Trophy game, so the B'ham Senior Cup tie against them will take place at The Grove on Tuesday .

Match Report from James Pearson

In a hopeful mood I took a camera to the Bilston game expecting to take a few pictures of our strikeforce in action - I'd have been better off trying to catch a train in York at the moment. Jason's two strikes of brilliance (OK so one clipped the bar but at least one went in were too quick for me - unlike the multitude of Bilston attempts).

I can't remember when there was such an absence of hope on both the pitch and amongst the crowd - I've seen more lively wakes! To criticise specific players is just taking easy pot shots - anyone who was there could write a book on the subject. With the exception of a brilliant display in goal (if you overlook positioning for their first goal) and Jason's performance there was a dirth of skill and effort. Collins at least tried but after his first half booking for a clumsy challenge looked restained, but in all fairness he was at the mercy of an unpredictable and whistle happy referee.

I agree that we should always aim to get behind the players, but that is so hard when there is so little feedback from the performance on the pitch. While we all recognise that there are playing shortfalls in the current side they can be forgiven to an extent if those of us who pay over our money at the turnstiles can at least see the players trying. Effort is no substitute for skill and ability but, recognising the financial restrictions of the club, those of us who are realistic fans realise that the side cannot be shoffled like at deck of cards at the whim of the crowd or the manager. Given that, do not leave the dwindling few who are enduring this ongoing heartache whithout the crumb of comfort that effort would give us.

To a degree I feel sorry for Scot Darroch. He appears like a fish out of water and stands out and the weakest link in a poor side. Having said that he is a youngster who needs compaetitive football to improve his skills. In a committed, enthusiastic team his odd errors could be compensated for and his abilities could develop. I am not saying he is the saviour of the side but he is just an example of the malaise within the side.

The people who come to watch the side do not want to be critical. OK I am excluding the moaning few who have always been there and complained that the Joinsons were too slow and Sean Flynn should go back to bricklaying. We want to get behind the side but it is a two way thing. When the side give us a moment to cheer the volume increases, that rubs off on the players and the cycle begins. We are crying out to be inspired but at the moment there is more life in a Balti Chicken Pie than on the pitch. We want to enjoy going to the Grove, we want to cheer the players, we want to look forward to a Saturday afternoon - but at the moment is anyone, honestly, looking forward to next Saturday, without a feeling of dread in the pit of their stomach?

Next Saturday I will drive to the game with a sense of optomism, the sickening feeling of yeasterday afternoon will have become a distant memory. Don't allow those memories to come back - try and you will be supported. In all of this I have not mentioned the management of the club. It was a difficult time to take charge of the club and funds must be limited, however if you give us passion and spirit those watching can forgive and look to future. Is is really too much to expect?