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| MATCH
REPORT - BY DAVID JOHNSON |
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| gloucester city
2-2 halesowen town |
Gloucester
City: Bath; L. Smith, Jenkins (Wilkinson
44), Griffiths, Jefferies, Thompson (Burns 76),
Webb, Cox, Knight (Harris 76), Hoskins, Mustoe. Unused
Subs: Hemming, C. Jones.
Halesowen Town: Lowe; Colwell,
Charlton, N. Smith, D. Jones, Baker, Hollis,
Ashby (Mitchell 80), Holmes, Spencer, Kavanagh
(Small 84). Unused Subs: Steane,
Hallam, Skidmore.
Referee: C. Banks (Bicester) Attendance:
386
Booked: L. Smith (43), Mustoe (89)
A fast and furious encounter ended all-square in
an exciting "game of two halves" that
saw Gloucester hang on for a draw after taking an
early two-goal lead.
Lee Smith crossed for Jimmy Cox to head just high
for the home side in the 6th minute before
Halesowen earned two corners in the 8th minute
that came to nothing. Asa Charlton then burst
through from midfield in the 10th minute but his
shot was blocked by home goalkeeper Matt Bath. A
minute later Richard Kavanaghs drive was
unfortunately blocked by his team-mate and
captain Lewis Baker in front of goal.
Gloucester took a 12th minute lead when
goalkeeper Matt Lowe failed to gather a left-wing
corner and full-back LEE SMITH drove into the net
from 20-yards out. Lowe then did well to punch
out an Andy Hoskins header from the top corner
following Keith Knights 14th minute corner.
Fancy footwork from Jason Ashby gave Halesowen an
18th minute free-kick but the home side managed
to clear a splendid delivery from Richard
Kavanagh and a minute later Simon Hollis drove
just wide in another excellent Yeltz move.
Lowe collected a 20th minute shot from Lee Smith
but could not prevent the home side from
increasing their lead in the 27th minute with COX
side-footing home on the overlap from 10-yards.
Lowe then made a 28th minute save from Cox and
produced a fingertip save to deny a Neil
Griffiths top-corner effort on the half-hour.
With Halesowen blowing away their early cobwebs,
Andy Spencer just missed his kick in front of
goal on 36 minutes and a Kavanagh corner flew
across goal in the 37th minute. Spencer then
back-heeled for Kavanagh to hit a deep cross that
rebounded off the cross-bar in the 40th minute
and just before the break a rebound fell for
Kavanagh in front of goal but Bath blocked his
volley.
Halesowen won a corner immediately after the
restart and remained well on top for the whole of
the second half although Lowe saved a Hoskins
header in the 46th minute. However, all hope
looked lost when the referee pointed to the
penalty spot in the 49th minute when Cox was
sandwiched between Neil Smith and Charlton, but
then noticed that the assistant referee had
already flagged for offside. The Yeltz then took
the game by the scruff of the neck and won two
corners in the 55th minute with Ashby heading
high before Ashby latched onto a loose ball in
the 58th minute but Kavanagh eventually struck
high.
The Yeltz pulled a goal back on the hour when a
fine pass from midfield found Hollis on the right
and he squared the ball across goal for ASHBY to
rush in and tap home from close range. Goalkeeper
Bath then saved a 15-yard effort from Ashby on 73
minutes and at the other end Lowe grabbed a cross
low down at the second attempt from diminutive
substitute winger Adie Harris.
With Gloucester pegged back Halesowen levelled
the scores in the 83rd minute when Bath saved a
shot from David Holmes who was free on the right
but the ball looped towards goal and GRIFFITHS
put the ball into his own net on his goal-line
under pressure from substitute Leon Mitchell.
With the Tigers happy to hold out for a draw Bath
then tipped over a clever 15-yard chip from
Holmes five minutes from time. |
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