LATE AGAIN
Yeltz 1 Solihull 0
07 February 2004
The mighty Yeltz gained another important three points when they snatched a late victory over rivals Solihull Borough through an 88th minute own goal. Full details in Dave's match report .
Tuesday brings Walsall to The Grove in the Birmingham Senior Cup Quarter Finals, before on Saturday we finish our epic run of eight home games on the trot when Gloucester are the visitors.
Match Report from DJ
Halesowen Town: Sheils; Colwell, Charlton, Hoyle, Jones, Spencer, Foy, Ashby, Ball (Baker 86), Steane, Hollis. Unused Subs: Skidmore, Forsdick, Grocutt, Vaughan
Solihull Borough: Gayle, Faulds, Haywood, Preston, A. Cooper, Hier, I. Cooper, Titterton, Hunter, Amos (Hawker 77), Mitchell. Unused Subs: Hamilton, Swan, Barry
Referee: C. Williams (Cheltenham) Attendance: 433 Booked: I. Cooper (43), Haywood (44), Charlton (44), Mitchell (90) Sponsors' Man of the Match: David Foy
Halesowen deserved their slender victory but had to wait for an own-goal two minutes from time in order to break the stalemate. With experienced central defender Colin Hoyle making his debut the Yeltz looked far more composed at the back than of late with Solihull proving to be ineffective in attack.
In early exchanges Mark Sheils clawed away an 8 minute corner from Dave Haywood and two minutes later Andy Spencer volleyed just over Mark Gayle's crossbar at the other end. Jason Ashby then chipped a loose ball over the Solihull bar after Richard Ball charged down a 16 minute clearance. th th
Former Yeltz goalkeeper Gayle saved an 18 minute snapshot from Andy Spencer and Ball then wasted a good pass down the right from full-back Richard Colwell a minute later with Halesowen making the most of playing with a gusty wind behind them in the first half. th
Asa Charlton rattled the stanchion behind the goal with a 28 minute free-kick after Spencer was brought down on the edge of the Solihull area. Simon Hollis then hit a 30-yard free-kick against the Solihull defensive wall and in the 39 minute Gayle made a fine save to deny Hollis after he picked up a pass from Colwell before side-stepping his marker to shoot. th th
Five minutes before the break Solihull's best chance of the game fell to Paul Hunter when he flew past centre-half Dan Jones and cut-in from the left but he blasted high from just 8 yards out. Jones then headed another Charlton free-kick just wide for the hosts a few seconds before the interval.
Morton Titteron curled just wide for Solihull at the start of the second half but it was Halesowen who continued to create most chances in the second half. Ball broke free on the right but lashed high on 67 minutes and David Foy hit a speculative 25-yard shot wide of the mark a minute later. Ben Steane produced a moment of midfield magic in the 70 minute allowing Spencer to cross but the Solihull defence scrambled clear from Ashby in front of goal. Ashby then latched onto a long ball from defence in the 71 minute but then lost control before Ball crashed a shot wide. th st
Hunter headed a 76 minute free-kick from Haywood into the arms of Sheils before Halesowen's Steane made another surging run but shot directly at Gayle with five minutes remaining. th
With the game heading for deadlock Halesowen claimed a winner with just two minutes remaining. Steane cleverly side-stepped the ball in midfield allowing Foy to play the ball out to Hollis and when he volleyed across goal Martin HIER turned the ball into his own net from close range as he attempted to clear.