5 WINS ON THE TROT
FAC Yeltz 2 Staveley MW 0
15 September 2001
And another. After last year's troubles, it's fantastic to be able to report 5 wins on the trot by the once again mighty Yeltz :-)
OK, the opposition hasn't been too strong so far but we can only keep winning. Goals from Leroy May and Kerry Giddings have taken us into the 2nd Qualifying Round, where we'll travel to Moor Green a week on Saturday. That should be an interesting comparison to how much we've improved from last year.
Next Saturday takes us down to Weston-CanUSeeThe-Mare. They've had a reasonable start to the season, but let's hope we can keep this excellent run going.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Clarke; Colwell, Burnham, N. Smith, L. Collins, R. Collins (Skidmore 84), Spencer, Jones, May (Giddings 45), Taylor, Hines. Subs: Hall, G. Smith, Garvey
Staveley MW: Hone; Brodie, East, Schofield, Morris, Pell, Thomson, Sharman, Chambers (Bally 63), P. Smith, Bettney. Subs: Cowlishaw, Webb, Wilcockson, Holland
Referee: S. Winton (Willenhall) Attendance: 358 Booked: None
Halesowen avoided slipping up in the potential banana-skin tie against Staveley Miners' Welfare of the Northern Counties East league and made a comfortable passage into the next round against Moor Green. Inevitably it was higher league Halesowen who piled on the pressure, although they could only maintain a slender lead until late on.
Ross Collins and Mark Taylor sent early attempts wide before Leroy May latched onto a long goal kick from Tim Clarke to lob opposing goalkeeper Andy Hone for a 12th minute lead. However, any hope of a goal avalanche were denied by some determined defending from the visitors.
Les Hines had a 16th minute shot from 20 yards blocked and five minutes later Andy Jones flicked just wide from Richard Colwell's cross. Staveley won a 26th minute freekick when Ross Collins gave the ball away in midfield, but the defensive wall held firm.
Andy Jones turned and squirted another shot wide in the 28th minute and Ross Collins had a shot cleared off the line. Paul Sharman then bravely headed away a fierce Taylor shot in a packed Staveley penalty area. Goalkeeper Hone played his part, saving from Andy Jones in the 38th minute and May's overhead kick fell just wide moments before the interval.
The injured May was replaced by Kerry Giddings at half-time but Halesowen went close again in the 51st minute when Hone saved from Jones after Les Hines took a quick freekick.
With just one goal in it, Staveley remained in the hunt and had their best spell midway through the second half. In the 57th minute Dave Thomson supplied Dave Chambers with a great opportunity but his shot rolled agonisingly past Clarke's post.
Halesowen came back strongly towards the end, forcing three successive corners in the 68th minute and causing defender Julian Morris to make two desperate clearances across his own goal before finally wrapping up the tie. Substitute Kerry Giddings, who has developed taste for scoring spectacular goals, bagged another by converting a Les Hines corner with an overhead kick in the 83rd minute. The margin was almost increased in the final minutes, but Welfare's defence did just enough to distract Jones as he raced clear and Hone went on to make another reflex save from a Lee Collins header.