Needham Updates

[andy]

No complaints. That was much more like the performance we know we can put in. Granted we didn't get many shots away, but they defended very well. We finally stopped the long ball game and had much more possession as a result. Playing this way against lesser teams will win us far more games than we'll lose. A good shift put in by all the lads, we just came up against a team today that have that winning mentality at the moment. But they will know they've had to fight for that 3 points today.

[DJ]

Southern League Premier Central – Saturday, 13th January 2024

Halesowen Town 0 Needham Market 1

High-flying Needham snatched a late victory after their frugal defence soaked up all Halesowen’s pressure, writes DJ.

Yeltz manager Paul Smith reflected on a bitter pill to swallow. “I feel for the players, we dominated from start to finish. It was a fantastic performance and we won all the personal battles but they’ve done a smash and grab. It’s a tough one to take, but I’m very pleased with the performance. We didn’t get what we deserved but it’s important to take the positives.”

Prior to the kick-off, an impeccably observed one-minute silence was held in remembrance of former manager Paddy Page, who passed away recently, aged 83. Paddy made over 100 appearances as a Yeltz player and became Yeltz manager for over 570 games between 1978 and 1988. He will be forever remembered as the iconic manager who put Halesowen Town on the map by assembling a revered squad that won four consecutive West Midland Premier League titles and appeared three times at Wembley in FA Vase finals, lifting the trophy twice, between 1983 and 1986.

Halesowen made a lively start and Needham goalkeeper Marcus Garnham was forced to clear with his foot when Kieren Donnelly burst forward after just 20 seconds. Nathan Hayward’s 2nd minute shot was then deflected over the bar for a corner and Todd Parker’s effort was blocked a minute later. As the early pressure continued, Josh Ezewele played an excellent forward ball for McKauley Manning to set up Richard Gregory in the 7th minute.

Needham’s first chance saw Jacob Lay fire over the bar in the 10th minute. But the Yeltz continued to enjoy a good first half as Jack Holmes weaved through and threaded the ball for Gregory to strike over the bar after 15 minutes. Holmes made another fine run forward in the 32nd minute, only for his low shot to drift just wide of Garnham’s post as the Yeltz tried to break through the best defence in the league.

The well organised Marketmen ventured forward towards the interval but goalkeeper Dan Platt rushed out to make a great 40th minute blocking save to deny Tevan Allen. The visitors came close in the 43rd minute when Allen delivered a free-kick near the corner flag and the ball fell to Nico Valentine in front of goal but Tom Taylor made an excellent goal-line clearance.

Halesowen continued to construct some excellent approach play in the second half but just could not find the vital breakthrough as the Marketmen’s well organised, frugal defence continued to absorb everything the Yeltz threw at them.

Ezewele turned near the post in the 46th minute but Gregory couldn’t find the net and Holmes did well to earn a 59th minute corner. Another chance went begging in the 80th minute when Donnelly crossed for substitute Miracle Okafor and goalkeeper Garnham gratefully collected from Okafor in the 85th minute after Holmes made a lightning break forward straight from a Needham corner.

But Needham delivered their sucker punch to win the game in the 86th minute when Allen’s corner was flicked on by Luke Ingram for Dan MORPHEW to nod home from close range to break Halesowen’s hearts.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt (c); Josh Ezewele, Reece Mitchell, Todd Parker, Ryan Wynter, Thomas Taylor, Jack Holmes, Nathan Hayward (Simeon Cobourne 88), Kieren Donnelly, Richard Gregory (Miracle Okafor 65), McKauley Manning (Caine Elliott 75). Subs Not Used: Rob Evans, Isaac Adegoke.

Needham Market: Marcus Garnham; Jake Dye, Thomas Smith, Kyle Hammond, Keiran Morphew, Daniel Morphew, Luke Ingram, Jacob Lay, Jamie McGrath (Seth Carroll-Chambers 75), Nico Valentine (Dylan Williams 75), Tevan Allen. Subs Not Used: Callum Page, Emmanuel Okunowo.

Referee: Thomas Staten Attendance: 809
Booked: Holmes (67), McGrath (71), Allen (90)
Tulleys Print HTFC Man of the Match selected by Paul Keasey and guests: Ryan Wynter
Non-League Paper Man of the Match: Keiran Morphew (Needham)

[drummyb]

Didnt go. Disappointing result but by all accounts a good show. As a point to consider, was the pressure off because we were the underdogs for a change?

[andy]

Didnt go. Disappointing result but by all accounts a good show. As a point to consider, was the pressure off because we were the underdogs for a change?

Nope, we just reverted to playing the football we know we are capable of.

[drummyb]

Hopefully it gives them the confidence for the next game then.

[Josh1873]

It's difficult to put into words how I feel. Warning - this post will be so contradictory. Our current league position is good. We're sitting 9th and a manageable (at this stage) 7 points outside the play-off places. I'd have taken that before we kicked a ball! If luck fell our way yesterday we'd have been 8th and 4 points away. That would have been an excellent position to be in. But, if my nan had wheels, she'd be a bike!

Yesterday's performance was, in general, brilliant, it was as good as we've played for a short while, perhaps since Mickleover. But for poor finishing (again) and poor defending from a set piece (again) we'd have earned an excellent and deserved win. We dominated the game in terms of possession, created a number of very good chances, limited Needham to nothing, and we returned to playing the ball on the ground, rather than constant long balls. It was almost a complete performance. We were by far the better team, in-between the two boxes. Unfortunately, football is played across the whole pitch, and this is where we struggled, and have struggled all season. How often have we been left frustrated as we miss chances galore, only to be burned by a sloppy defensive error?

Take a snapshot of where we are and the season so far, I'm happy. But when you look a little deeper...(I can hear you all saying 'and here comes Mr Negative'!) we're falling down the league table. Performances, in general, have mostly been poor during this difficult run of results. We're making the same basic errors and dropping points & losing games in the exact same way, time and time again. How often has yesterday's match repeated itself this season? How many goals are we conceding from set pieces? Conceding sloppy goals from our own errors has been a theme all season, even when we were winning and on form. It has not been addressed. That's concerning and where my negativity comes from. The squad is much better than the recent run of form and results suggests.

Since the first defeat of the season, and the end of our superb start, we have taken 18 points from a possible 48 (5 wins from 16 games, 3 of which were against sides in the bottom 4). That's just slightly better than relegation form (1.2 points per game). I can't be the only fan concerned at the extended run we're on?

That being said, put performances in like we did yesterday, and work on defending set pieces, I'm sure we could see a return to the early season form. I'm so frustrated - we're not a million miles away from being a very good team. We really aren't.

For clarification, I do not expect us to be in the play-offs. My expectation are, and have always been, to be flirting around the play-offs but ultimately missing out. And as such we're currently par for the course. We are far better than just treading water and surviving at this level, that should never be the sole aim of the season.

I'll end by saying this - I cannot fault the effort of the players. They're giving their all, it's just not clicking, for whatever reason. Hopefully that changes.

[Simons]

Yes I agree, and concerningly we have lost 3 out of the last 4 home games and scored 2 goals and our home form has always been our strength. We have a tremendous amount of away games left, and so far have only managed 2 away wins, which is something that needs to change.

[Scribbler]

Agree Josh… totally… didn’t make the game yesterday, so won’t comment on the match… but said to a mate of mine who went that I’d be very surprised if we score!!! There’s no goals in the team, and that needs to change ASAP … or we’ll lose a lot more games than we’ll win this season…. How long do you let this problem go on for ? No use in bringing in a great striker at Easter… I see Leroy lita has just left Nuneaton!! Just a thought….

[RobYeltz]

Lots of 'ifs and but's' yesterday for me. We started really well, like a train and had it not been for a few last ditch excellent blocks from their defenders we might have found ourselves ahead with an early lead. If you think of how little their keeper had to do, I would imagine he would have been buying the beers for his central defenders who time after time made great blocks in front of him. I thought our tempo was good and we showed lots of urgency, KD certainly sets the tone for this this, Manning too works so hard going back and forth and Jack also was really busy trying to get on the ball and make things happen. It was noticeable yesterday too I thought, that for once we weren't playing against a team of players all bigger and stronger than us. Taylor has been a fabulous addition, he's big and strong but he's also got some of those leadership qualities that I think we've needed. We looked lots better at defending set pieces yesterday until the 87th minute or whenever it was. Football is a strange old game, I thought we played better this week and lost than we did last week when we won against that lot. Matches unfortunately are won and lost in what you do in and around both penalty areas, we just need to be better at both areas at the same time.

[RobYeltz]

Agree Josh… totally… didn’t make the game yesterday, so won’t comment on the match… but said to a mate of mine who went that I’d be very surprised if we score!!! There’s no goals in the team, and that needs to change ASAP … or we’ll lose a lot more games than we’ll win this season…. How long do you let this problem go on for ? No use in bringing in a great striker at Easter… I see Leroy lita has just left Nuneaton!! Just a thought….

Lita has gone to Coalville.