No9 Derby

[andy]

Deserved a point. Not a great game but for 20 odd minutes in the second half we were much the better side. They were better in the 1st half but in all honesty I struggle to see how they are second. Still, that's their good fortune and we must keep looking over our shoulders at the bottom.

[HalesowenHarry]

I know according to this forum we all hate the club and set up and management........ But I'm really proud of the side tonight. Another night and we might have won. Still 2127 buys two decent players to keep us in this division and pays lots of bills and maybe makes you think maybe I should sell up.......ha ha I'm just high on a loss which is odd for me!
Well done boys. Same effort again Saturday but maybe Delaney up instead of Dunkley who was woeful

[lutleyyeltz]

Andy- my insider information is 'the new bloke has been signed from somewhere!' Lol

I bet somewhere is 3 leagues below us....

From Corby, apparently.

[piearce9]

Very little threat early on but the second half was a different tale. The direct approach really unsettled Stour and there were several decent half chances to share the honours. The players should take a lot of heart from tonight, can't fault their effort and endeavour.

Stour probably deserved it on balance but were wobbling at the back. I gather they've lost a few bodies since the cup run ended, and I think they'll need to tighten up if they want to succeed in the playoffs.

[DJ]

For those who've asked today, here's DJ's Match Report:

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/non ... glassboys/

..and the longer version:

Evo-Stik League Northern Premier Division – Tuesday, 7th March 2017, created 23:30 on 07/03/17

Halesowen Town 0 Stourbr*dge 1

Halesowen were left empty-handed after Luke Benbow’s early goal earned Stourbr*dge a narrow victory in the eagerly awaited local derby, watched by a bumper 2,127 midweek attendance.

With the rival teams needing points at the opposite ends of the table, it was second-placed Stourbr*dge who started brightly in a predictably competitive opening to the game. A trademark Tom Tonks throw-in was nodded wide by Dan Preston in the 5th minute and a Brad Birch shot looped away for the first corner of the game for the visitors two minutes later. The Glassboys soon turned their early possession into an ideal start when BENBOW rose to convert his 30th goal of the season with a close range header from another Tonks corner in the 8th minute.

Yet Stourbr*dge failed to build on their early momentum as Halesowen gradually worked their way back into the game. The hosts went close when Nathan Walker, on his full debut, saw his 15th minute shot blocked from Lee Chilton’s corner and Stourbr*dge goalkeeper Matt Gould was then able to gather Chilton’s 18th minute header. Bradley Lewis nodded Chilton’s deep 26th minute cross at Gould and Tristian Dunkley turned to fire wide two minutes later.

But it was home goalkeeper Dan Platt who made a superb fingertip save to prevent Ethan Jones from doubling Stourbr*dge’s lead with a fine shot from the edge of the area in the 33rd minute.

Before the interval, Chilton struck a corner across the face of the Stourbr*dge goal after 38 minutes and Benbow shot waywardly wide as the Glassboys broke away up field straight from a Yeltz corner. As first half came to an end, Walker’s long range free-kick was easily saved by Gould.

After a scrappy start to the second period, Halesowen upped the pressure and a 61st minute cross from Dunkley was turned away for a corner, with Gould grabbing the ball at the second attempt. Two consecutive corners soon followed in the 63rd minute as the visitors visibly lost their grip in midfield. An equalising opportunity felt imminent and it duly arrived after 65 minutes, although Chilton was found guilty of missing Halesowen’s best chance of the game when he struck the crossbar from just five yards out after latching onto Liam Slade’s long throw-in. With the Glassboys forced to camp in their own half, Dunkley turned to fire inches wide of the Stourbr*dge post three minutes later. A 69th minute shot from half-time substitute Andre Johnson -a recent new signing from Corby Town - was then blocked for another corner as the Yeltz continued to tighten the screw midway through the second half.

But Stourbr*dge managed to weather the storm and regained some composure in the latter stages as a fierce 79th minute shot from substitute Luke Rodgers was blocked in a crowded goalmouth. Rogers and Birch hit further late chances past the home post and Jordan Archer also flashed wide in the 88th minute. Halesowen’s hopes of salvaging a draw ended when a last minute home corner was beaten away by Gould as the Glassboys clung on to grind out a vital three points.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Kyle Morrison, Bradley Lewis (Rob Taylor 80), Jay Denny (c), Liam Slade, Asa Charlton, Nathan Walker (Andre Johnson HT), Danny Bragoli, Tristian Dunkley (Ethan Delaney 72), Ben Clarke, Lee Chilton. Subs Not Used: James Bennett-Tindall, Kartel O’Neill-Martin.

Stourbr*dge: Matthew Gould; Chris Knight, Darryl Westlake, Tom Tonks (c), Daniel Preston, Richard Sho-Silva, Ethan Jones (Luke Rodgers 66), Leon Broadhurst, Luke Benbow, Jordan Archer, Brad Birch. Subs Not Used: Kieren Westwood, Joshua Green, Drew Canavan, Chris Lait.

Referee: Matthew Smith Attendance: 2,127
Booked: Denny (41)
‘Tulleys Print’ HTFC Man of the Match selected by Tommy Langford: Ben Clarke