|
|
| MATCH
REPORT - BY DAVID JOHNSON |
| |
| clevedon town 2-0
halesowen town |
Clevedon
Town: Weaver; Price, Lester, Zabek,
Scott, Bryant, Richards (Hobbs 76), Vickerman,
Weisburg, Haldane, Appleton (Fey 85).
Unused Subs: Walsh, A. Smith.
Halesowen Town: Gayle; Colwell,
Charlton, Grocutt, N. Smith, Baker, Hollis,
Ashby, Hallam (Mitchell 87), Spencer (Skidmore
87), March. Unused Subs: Wray,
Phillips, Kavanagh.
Referee: S. Cook (Lydney) Attendance:
241
Halesowen had an opening day to forget starting
with picking up a fine for arriving late and
ending by conceding two goals in the dying
seconds and having goalkeeper Mark Gayle sent
off.
M5 traffic congestion following an accident meant
the team coach did not arrive until ten minutes
past three for a delayed 3.45pm kick-off, but
hope remained high as Halesowen had not lost to
Clevedon in the previous six outings
although this proved to be pay-back time in
abundance.
The late start created tension between the two
camps throughout the game but the Yeltz started
brightly with man-of-the match Simon Hollis
winning a 2nd minute corner for Jason Ashby to
hit an overhead kick over the bar. At the other
end Fidel Richards set up Arthur Appleton to
screw a 6th minute shot just wide. On 8 minutes a
fine run and cross from Hollis allowed Andy
Spencer to fire inches wide and on 16 minutes a
Richard Colwell pile-driver was blocked for a
corner after a long throw-in from Hollis.
Halesowen missed the best chance of the half
after 20 minutes when Hollis crossed from the
right but Ashby missed the ball at the near post
and Lewis Baker then scuffed his shot wide from 3
yards at the far post. A minute later Clevedons
Ryan Weisburg beat Mark Gayle to the ball but his
chip fell inches wide from the edge of the area.
On the half-hour Clevedon were almost caught out
when Olly Prices weak back-header allowed
Ashby to nip in but he lobbed over the bar. Baker
then headed wide from a Hollis corner in the 39th
minute.
In the second half Clevedon continually played
long balls forward for their young strikers to
chase and the tactic paid handsomely against the
Halesowen central defence. In the 48th minute
Weisburg beat Neil Smith to the ball but Gayle
made a fine blocking save with his feet and James
Zabek then thundered a 20-yard drive just wide of
Gayles post. On 57 minutes Gayle parried
the ball away when Lewis Haldane latched onto a
long ball that beat Colwell. Gayle then raced off
his line again after 67 minutes to beat Haldane
to the ball and made another save from Haldane on
the left a minute later. Eight minutes from time
Hollis sent in a deflected 25-yard shot but
goalkeeper Steve Weaver did well to turn the ball
away.
A point seemed in the bag at 5.30pm but Clevedon
had other ideas and stole the three points in the
last minute. Shane Hobbs again beat the Halesowen
defence to a long through ball but this time
guided the ball home from 15 yards with 90
minutes on the clock. Still stunned by the late
goal Colwell let in Haldane seconds later and
although Gayle raced out to the rescue he was
unluckily sent off for handling the ball just
inches outside his area. Makeshift goalkeeper Asa
Charlton managed to parry the free-kick smashed
in from 18 yards but couldnt prevent
Haldane hitting home the rebound for a flattering
second goal.
|
| images |
Jason
Ashby (1)
Jason Ashby (2)
Jason Ashby (3)
Jason Ashby (4)
Mark Hallam (1)
Mark Hallam (2) |
|
|