St Neots Updates

[PKeasey]

Thanks to Ewan and Josh for the invite - appreciated

MOTM - Roberts, although it should have been Bragoli! (Hope that was a tactical change and not injury)
- Honestly thought it should have been Platty, but who am i to judge?

Josh - Happy 30th for tomorrow. Cheers!

[piearce9]

Yeltz didn’t get out of bed for the first half hour. It was sloppy, particularly at the back, and we were fortunate not to concede early.

Funnily enough we looked more secure playing a back four, with the removal of an error-prone Bragoli making quite a difference.

I think the style is too conservative, and it’s disappointing that new (and old) fans are being turned off by the performances. Matlock is doubly important and a bad result may spell the end for the management duo.

[Sanmiguel]

Terrible things need changing get rid of him

FFS get rid of these 2 clowns now ! Out of there depth.

[AwayDayYeltz]

Terrible things need changing get rid of him

FFS get rid of these 2 clowns now ! Out of there depth.

At least clowns are funny. These two aren't. And frankly I feel they know they're not good enough and they're taking Halesowen for every single penny they get.

Dignified men would've quit by now.

[Yeltz27]

Dignified men would've quit by now.

Yes. And anybody that genuinely cares about Halesowen Town could not possibly say that John Hill is the best manager that the Yeltz have had in 20 years

[lutleyyeltz]

Probably the worst home performance (?) that I've had to endure for a long, long time.
Tactically inept, no cohesion and a coaching duo who think the best way to encourage players is to shout, swear and generally abuse players.
What a difference from the St Neots coach who praised his players, even after a mistake.
If body language is a pointer to a player's feelings then both Roberts and Hughes ain't happy people!
The rumour is that both Roberts and Hurst are the subjects of a seven day notice from two clubs. I wouldn't blame them if they choose to PLAY FOOTBALL in pastures new.
In addition I hear that Ekongo doesn't fit in to our style of play. Is there one?
We've had a complete change behind the scenes and would appear to be on a very sound footing.
Why is that we continue with a patently out of date coaching duo when the chance is there to bring in a new broom to sweep away the dross that we still have in charge of the playing side? Change now, please, before it is too late!

[Yeltz27]

and a coaching duo who think the best way to encourage players is to about, swear and generally abuse players.

That has always been their style and has been something that has upset me for the last five years. You’re right, it’s disgusting

[AwayDayYeltz]

and a coaching duo who think the best way to encourage players is to about, swear and generally abuse players.

That has always been their style and has been something that has upset me for the last five years. You’re right, it’s disgusting

I'd like to echo the above posts. It's little wonder why the players constantly underperform when they're constantly abused from the touchline. What about encouraging the team and being positive? That may work? Frankly the attitude stinks.

A classic example was heard last week, against Biggleswade at home. Roberts had the ball and Kelly was making a good run forward, a rarity as he's usually shackled and not allowed past the half way line. Anyway, I heard John Hill absolutely bollock Kelly for not shouting at Roberts to pass him the ball. Why not encourage Roberts to pass out wide? I.e why not be positive rather than negative?

It's small things like that, that could make a huge difference to team morale and peformance.

I know Colin, Karen and Keith were all there yesterday, and I'd be surprised and very disappointed if they watched that (and the other five matches) and thought that peformance was acceptable.

I don't mean this to sound condensing to any other fans, but I've attended all six games thus far and every single peformance has been unacceptable, negative, boring, inept and not good enough. And I'd echo the previous point, if Colin, Karen or Keith have at any point so far this season, thought that any of the poor performances I've witnessed in all games, acceptable, I would be very disappointed.

Change is a necessity to progress forward. I would love to follow a positive and progressive football side. Please do not leave it too late. But I fear Hill is ubsackable, I very much hope I'm wrong.

You can throw around all the excuses you like, they do not wash. I'm all for patience but Hill has had ample chance. It is time for change. We will be knocked out the cup to Matlock and will lose a decent amount of money, unless we have a positive manager in charge by Saturday. Please don't leave it too late.

[nathanr999]

My thoughts - not one for sacking managers willy nilly without an adequate replacement already lined up so....

Was prepared to give benefit of doubt last season to management and coaching team with things unsettled behind closed doors and started season with expectations of mid table but we seem to be offering more of same.

Ebanks Blake is a waste of a shirt - I don't bag players personally but in his current state he is immobile and unfit and at any level of football this is unacceptable regardless of previous achievement. He is 32 and is struggling to even match the pace of a game even after 5mins - if we are going to knock long balls he isn't going to be capable of chasing and it plainly shows - If you swap hughes out for a new player that player has to offer better - why not play Derek as impact player for 20 mins (even if he cant train reliably - he is at least fit enough to run!) Enock should be in the team but I understand he may need to move for personal reasons so I respect this but it will be a shame to lose a promising player.

Bragoli is not a defender and it shows and we seem to have resorted to bypassing midfield again and hitting ball in hope forward with little impact or support with the midfield failing to press on behind any long pass. When we do pass it around we are often very productive and the players in most parts seem able to do this quite well and seem to be enjoying the game more when they do. Defence, with so many changes in any side, will take time to arrange themselves and settle and bed in but we have players from higher leagues that should know how to do this. Platty got us out of jail again with good saves and he is worth a number of points per season to us but the defenders should be keeping danny protected and in a perfect world unemployed....

Sneekes, although he may not be a long term solution, I watched how he spoke to players during the warm up at Stourbr*dge and its very much more positive in his demeanour and language and I think we should be looking to utilise him as at least caretaker role - I am at the point that I think that clarke and hill should go and not persist with some of the dross until christmas when we could be dragged into a fight to stay in league again.

Anyway thats my thoughts - things wont change until we are brave enough to call time on Hill and Clarke.

Up the yeltz.

N

[DJ]

Halesowen Town 1 St Neots Town 1

Asa Charlton rescued a point for Halesowen in the final seconds of injury time with a last-gasp headed equaliser in a game lacking invention. The conclusion was harsh on lowly St Neots who dominated for long spells on their first ever league visit to the Grove.

Luke Knight’s free-kick was helped away for a 5th minute corner and Gary Wharton almost capitalised on confusion between Matt Baker and his goalkeeper Dan Platt two minutes later. Claudio Ofuso went close with an 8th minute shot and Charlton cleared off the line in the 10th minute at the end of a move started by Ofuso down the left again. Another 13th minute corner was scrambled clear after the ball pinged around in a packed home defence and an 18th minute low shot from Dion Semble-Ferris was kept out by Platt’s good save.

But the Saints, with the lowest “goals scored” tally in the division, somehow failed to take advantage of Halesowen’s spluttering and often disjointed first half display in which only one real home chance was created.

Captain Danny Bragoli was substituted after half an hour and Halesowen went close to opening the scoring on a rare 33rd minute break when Hughes worked free down the left and his shot was sliced against his own cross-bar by Harry O’Malley with Ahmed Ali blazing the rebound high over the bar. Towards half-time, Wharton’s shot was easily collected by home goalkeeper Platt and Platt beat away Sembie-Ferris’s shot at the start of the second half.

The Saints finally took a well-deserved 1-0 lead after 58 minutes when OFUSO’s left-wing cross sailed straight into the top corner of Platt’s net.

Hughes and substitute Aaron Gilpin beat the visiting offside trap in the 66th minute but Gilpin could only strike his weak shot at goalkeeper Finlay Iron. Just a minute later Hughes turned the ball home from Kelly’s cross but his effort was ruled out for offside. But the response from the Yeltz was generally muted and St Neots continued to create the better chances with three corners in quick succession after 70 minutes.

The game seemed to be drifting inexorably towards a grim home defeat after home striker James Roberts struck the angle of bar and post from the left after 80 minutes. But with the clock just about to enter the sixth minute of added time, CHARLTON rose highest at the far post to head home an unlikely equaliser from James Hurst’s left-wing corner.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Danny Bragoli (c) (Jordan Goddard 30), Jack Kelly, Ahmed Ali, Matt Baker, Asa Charlton, James Hurst, Jack Rea, Lee Hughes (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 72), James Roberts, Ivor Lawton (Aaron Gilpin 64). Subs Not Used: Louis Ezewele, Sam Tonks.

St Neots Town: Finlay Iron; Matt Miles, Johnny Herd, Luke Knight (c), Tom Wood, Taylor Parr, Dion Semble-Ferris, Harry O’Malley, Gary Wharton (Jack Keeble 86), James Peters, Claudio Ofuso. Subs Not Used: Dan O’Laniran, Kasey Douglas.

Referee: Richie Watkins Attendance: 358
Booked: Hughes (29), Ofuso (58), Roberts (90)
‘Tulleys Print’ HTFC Man of the Match selected by Josh Roberts: James Roberts
Non-League Paper Match Rating: 2-star
Non-League Paper Man of the Match: Claudio Ofuso (St Neots)