VERY DISAPPOINTING
Swindon Supermarine 4 Yeltz 2
18 October 2003
Maybe it's my expectations that are too high, but I can't help being a little shocked and disappointed after losing to Supermarine 4-2, especially as we only made the score a little more respectable with two late goals from Baker and Hallam. Still it's still early days and even though we're only 12th the table we've played less games than everyone above us.
On Tuesday old rivals Gresley Rovers visit The Grove in another League game. They've got over a poor start to rise up to 5th place so it's not going to be easy, but we need to get back to winning ways as quickly as we can.
Match Report from DJ
Swindon Supermarine: King; Copp, Terry, Bennett, Grainge, Davies, Harris, Slattery (Matthews 54), Toomey, Miller (Carter 76), Futcher (Gee 62). Unused Subs: Hodson, Gill
Halesowen Town: Lowe; Colwell, Charlton, Grocutt, Jones, Baker, Hollis (Steane 53), Ashby (Mitchell 62), Holmes, Spencer, Kavanagh (Hallam HT). Unused Subs: Smith, Small
Referee: B. McClaren (Woking) Attendance: 187 Booked: Spencer (88) Sent Off: Gee (82)
Halesowen's hopes of moving up the table were sunk in a dire display that saw Swindon stroll into an embarrassing four-goal lead within 50 minutes.
The Yeltz missed a couple of early chances with Simon Hollis slicing wide of an empty net in the 13th minute when goalkeeper Tom King fumbled the ball and two minutes later a Hollis cross found on-loan striker David Holmes but he volleyed over from 6 yards.
Despite being in limbo following the resignation of manager Ray Baverstock earlier in the week Swindon swung into action to take a 17th minute lead with full-back Chris COPP steering Sean Terry's cross into the bottom corner of Matt Lowe's net. The visiting defence was split open again five minutes later by Justin Miller's pass from midfield and Dave TOOMEY easily beat Lowe from just inside the penalty area.
Hapless Halesowen also failed to fire at the other end of the pitch although a 24th minute header from Hollis produced a flying fingertip save from goalkeeper King. A minute later Richard Kavanagh's poor corner evaded the home defence but the ball drifted across the goal-line and Holmes headed another Kavanagh corner wide in the 31st minute.
Further casual defending gifted Swindon a third goal in the 40th minute when MILLER touched home on the goal-line after Simon Futcher found himself in yards of space to beat Lowe's despairing dive.
The Yeltz leaked their 11th goal in four games to give Swindon a fourth goal just four minutes into the second half when Dan Jones failed to head clear Futcher's cross and Lowe pushed the ball out for MILLER to lash home all alone from 6 yards.
Jason Ashby picked up a rebound from substitute Ben Steane's shot on the hour but King made a fine blocking save. Jones then headed a Holmes corner weakly at King and in the 63rd minute substitute Leon Mitchell headed a Holmes cross over from five yards out.
Lewis BAKER eventually grabbed a consolation goal for Halesowen in the 77th minute by heading home on the goal-line following a frantic goal-mouth scramble. Substitute Dave Gee then received a red card for handling a goal-bound effort on the Swindon line and Mark HALLAM crashed home the resulting penalty in the 83rd minute to make the score more respectable. Swindon survived a series of late corners and King saved from Mitchell on the turn but it was all far too little, too late for Halesowen.