BETTER
Chesham 0 Yeltz 2
21 January 2006
The mighty Yeltz got back to winning ways with a convincing and necessary win against struggling Chesham. Goals from The Pope and Fozzy kept us within striking distance of the playoff zone, even though we're still down in 13th place .
Next week we play another struggling team, this time local rivals Evesham at The Grove on Saturday. Another three points are required if we are going to have any chance of promotion, but it still is all to play for, and as usual I am confident we can do it. 69 points was good enough for a playoff spot last year, which would be another 33 points in our remaining 18 games (10 wins, 3 draws, 5 losses doesn't seem unattainable to me).
Match Report from DJ
Chesham United: McCarthy; Stamp, Ulasi, Bowden-Haase, Bixby (Callender), Miller, Baker, Taiwo (McGowen 70), Goodrhan, Bacon, Higgins (Oatley 70). Unused Subs: Brown, Bailey
Halesowen Town: Coleman; Johnson, Haywood, Hadland (Teraud 90), Pope, Pierpoint, Cowley (Cooper 68), Lamey, C.Smith (Skidmore 78), Amos, Forsdick. Unused Sub: N.Smith
Referee: S. Atwell Attendance: 308 Booked: Bixby, Pope, Bowden-Haase
Halesowen ran out comfortable winners at strugglers Chesham thanks to first-half goals from captain Steven Pope and Simon Forsdick.
The visitors took the lead on 26 minutes when Paul McCarthy failed to hold onto a Pope header. Although Pope rose highest to connect with a well-delivered Nathan Lamey free-kick, his header lacked power and the keeper should have stopped it crossing the line. Halesowen doubled their lead ten minutes later when Forsdick found himself unmarked inside the box and slammed home a shot that McCarthy could do nothing about.
The Yeltz looked thoroughly in control of a game in which they were never forced to hit top gear and could easily have scored more as chances went begging in both halves. Lamey sent another free-kick wide of the post and Forsdick was unlucky not to get a second when his curling shot was headed off the line.
To their credit Chesham battled hard throughout the game, even after falling two goals behind. They certainly started the better of the two sides, and were unfortunate not to be awarded an early penalty, but mistakes cost them dear. The relegation threatened side failed to create many clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities and their best chance came early in the second-half when Matt Miller hit the post following a well-worked corner.
Things got even worse for the home side late on when the unfortunate McCarthy was stretchered off and having used all three substitutions they were forced to put centre-forward John Bacon in goal for the remainder of the match.