Rushing to the Grove

[Johnny Bud]

MOTM and surely the only choice for player of the season.... Asa Charlton

[andy]

ATT 467

[Spooky]

Final game of season and at long last we tried to play some football. Only 45 games too late, but hey theres hope for next season.

Struggling to see the wisdom of the last substitution though. Seemed a token gesture rather than a message of intent?

Had the management given up already?

Its done now, so looking forward a more postive 2017-18 both on and off the pitch

[andy]

So the curtain comes down on probably the most depressing season in all my years of coming. Even under the other mad regimes we watched some football, even in relegation years we did as well. Thank God we had Anderson for the first half of the season or I think we'd have challenged Skem for bottom place. Right now I feel like adding myself to the lengthening list of boycotters but I suppose come August habit will kick back in. And that's all it is, habit. Please for the sake of us all can some major changes be made and can we have our club in the headlines for all the RIGHT reasons again.
I'm not holding my breath for any of it though...

[rubens]

First visit to the grove this season although Iv watched Halesowen away ,
It was lovely to meet up with old friends to discuss and have the banter that only non league fans can have .
It's such a shame this club is split from fans to management.
From an outsiders point of view , Halesowen are a massive club that deserve better than their league position, but that's out of the hands of the average supporters.
What I witnessed today was a club with fantastic fan base to pull together.
The match - 2 poor teams that will finish bottom half next season if not bottom 3 unless 6-7-8 players better qualify than the 22 out there today are introduced.
Management- no comment
Good luck Halesowen fans and thank you for your hospitality today .

[HalesowenHarry]

No leaders on or off the pitch. That's all it needs. Someone to somehow bring everyone back together. I'd offer but I can't stand most of you

[DJ]

And finally..
Match Report: Halesowen Town 1 Rushall Olympic 2

Although only local pride was at stake, Halesowen’s final game of the season ended on a disappointing note as Rushall recorded their first win in ten games.

The Yeltz started their third game of the final week in more enterprising mode than of late as former Pics’ man Mo Diop hit wide with an 8th minute snapshot and Ben Clarke shot wide from the edge of the area three minutes later.

But the visitors broke up field from Danny Bragoli’s free-kick and snatched a 15th minute lead when lively Stan MUGISHA shrugged off his last marker and made space to slot past goalkeeper Dan Platt. Lee Chilton’s cross then just escaped Diop but it was the visitors – with six ex-Yeltz players in their squad - who went close again when Lewis Probert crashed a 17th minute shot into the side-netting.

Halesowen responded with a first corner in the 18th minute and Clarke fired wide again two minutes later. Nathan Walker curled a 29th minute free-kick inches over the bar and Chilton put a 37th minute low, quickly taken free-kick just past the post.

The Pics missed a wonderful chance to double their lead in the 40th minute when former Yeltz midfielder Aaron Forde squared the ball only for Mickael Partodikomo to balloon high over the bar from just six yards out after Partodikomo had originally started the counter-attack.

Halesowen’s Andre JOHNSON punished the Pics profligacy by levelling on the stroke of halftime with a fine 45th minute finish past Jose Veiga to claim both his first goal and Halesowen’s first goal in six outings.

At the start of the second period, Craig Bannister hit over the bar for the visitors. Jay Denny then lost out in the 64th minute, allowing Mugisha to break away and set up substitute Marcus Jackson to strike the top of the home crossbar. But the Pics soon regained their lead with a 69th minute winner after Partodikomo laid the ball off for BANNISTER to drill home in space from the edge of the area.

As the Yeltz looked for another late equaliser, Diop fired hit high and mightily over the bar in the 78th minute and substitute Yasin Al-Massry crossed just wide of the post in the 84th minute. However, after Lewis Probert shot past the post with four minutes remaining, Rushall ran down the clock with ease to end their volatile season on a high.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Cameron Steele, Bradley Lewis, Jay Denny (c), Asa Charlton, Nathan Walker (Cameron Milne 90), Ben Clarke, Danny Bragoli, Mo Diop, Andre Johnson (Yasin Al-Massry 72), Lee Chilton. Subs Not Used: Adam Skeldon, Jay Stead, Jack O’Day.

Rushall Olympic: Jose Veiga; Joe Hull, Lewis Probert, Aaron Forde (c), Henry Eze, Sam Whittall (Marcus Jackson HT), Mickael Partodikromo (Mel Joss-Brown 78), Lee Smith (Brian Smikle 64), Stan Mugisha, Craig Bannister, Luke Bottomer. Subs Not Used: George Bowerman, Isaac Cooper.

Referee: James Oldham Attendance: 467
Booked: Forde (62)
‘Tulleys Print’ HTFC Man of the Match selected by The Grove Trust: Asa Charlton