Match Photos
Gresley Rovers vs Halesowen Town
Yeltz too strong for Rovers
To
be honest Gresley were beaten by the best side to visit the Moat Ground this
season. They were solid at the back, strong in midfield and deadly up front.
On this performance Halesowen will win the title at a stroll and it will only
be the runners-up spot that will be up for grabs by the following pack.
For the first half hour Gresley seemed up for the challenge but after Halesowen
scored on 34 minutes there was only one team in it for the rest of the match
and it was a case of hoping the score would not be embarrassing.
Gresley opened brightly enough with Chris Parkins putting a shot high and wide
on 3 minutes and then Yeltz keeper Tim Clarke had to make a good save from a
Ryan Ford free kick on 6 minutes.
Andy Bourne also went close after Parkins had cleverly dummied Barry Woolley's
pass but the striker smashed his shot wide.
On 23 minutes Halesowen were forced to make their first substitution as Lee
Ross limped off to be replaced by Matty Hall.
The match was quite close up until this point and then Rovers made a substitution
to replace Ian Bluck, who had aggravated an ankle injury, with Mark Peters on
32 minutes.
This
change seemed to unsettle Gresley for a while and 2 minutes after the change
Halesowen grabbed the lead.
Jason Burnham laid the ball back across the box and with James Lindley stranded
Andy Spencer had the simplest of tasks to tap in the first goal for the visitors.
Halesowen have the meanest of defences in the Dr Marten's Western Division
and whether it was this fact that played on the Gresley minds but after the
break there was only one side who looked as if they were going to score; the
visitors.
On 59 minutes Halesowen scored their second of the match. Les Hines forced
Lindley into a fine finger tip save but unfortunately the ball fell kindly for
the Yeltz and Hall had another easy job of tapping home.
Lindley was called into action on 64 minutes when he superbly blocked Spencer's
effort after a free kick.
Gresley
had created nothing resembling a goal scoring chance for over an hour and their
misery was completed when Peters handed Halesowen a gift that was only missing
the wrapping paper and ribbon.
He carelessly put a pass into the stride of Hall who then slipped the ball
to Hines who gave Lindley no chance as he put his shot low down into the corner
of the net.
It was only a last minute clearance off the line by Jake Fairbrother that kept
the score at 3-0.
Alan's assessment of the game
"It looked as if this was going to be a good even game but at the end of 90
minutes it showed that they were more up for it than we were.
"The first goal was a good tap in but we had left him totally unmarked. Before
that we had a couple of chances but the same old story, couldn't put them away.
We know were the problem is and we are trying to address it. You just can't
change it over night. We have put seven days in for people and hopefully we
will have someone in over the Christmas period.
"When you look at the game as a whole we let ourselves down individually. In
the first half Halesowen ran the midfield, we could have put have put another
man in to stop their no7 who was lying deep and causing us lots of trouble.
"After half time we felt we could get at them with a bit of luck and get back
into the game but unfortunately they got another goal which we gave to them
again. The ball came across the box and James Lindley did well to get a hand
to it, but he couldn't hold it and they had two players lined up to tuck it
away.
"The third goal was a silly one to give away. Mark Peters lost the ball in
midfield when under no pressure, he set them up and they finished it well. It
was an early Christmas present for them today.
"They are a good side and to be honest I don't think we competed enough. We
didn't put them under pressure. They played us out of midfield and we were hitting
to many long balls over the top and not getting on the end of them.
"We did not trouble the keeper, perhaps only once when he saved well from a
Ryan Ford free kick on 6 minutes. Some of the players were trying to do too
much and they went too far and they were struggling for their fitness towards
the end.
"To be fair to the players we haven't done much training with all the matches
we've had but we will be training next week.
"All the players are disappointed that we've lost and I know the supporters
will be but, we have lost to a better team. We gave them their goals and I don't
think there was a good one among them but they were the better team on the day.
"We must not be too down hearted because we lost against the top of the league.
They've only lost a couple or three games so far this season and they have some
quality players and are an experienced side. Most of the players stayed with
the team when they were relegated last season and the ones they've brought in
are quality players.
"John Allcock got man of the match but he is not fit you could see at times
he was struggling and with our back players pushing forward it left us exposed
at the back.
"Chris Gray came off with a bit of double vision after his clash of heads.
Ian Bluck aggravated a knock he'd picked up on Tuesday so he had to come off.
Chris Parkins had a bit of calf trouble so we will be a bit thin on the ground
for next week's game. We will probably be without Parkins because of work commitments
and Carl Middleton and Mark Peters are both suspended.
"We are hoping to have Stuart Evans back for the Solihull game so we will be
without him for the next two games to give his injury time to recover.
"What more can I say I'm disappointed and the players are disappointed but
it's not the end of the road I just hope the supporters continue to get behind
the lads after all we have only lost twice in 17 games.
"We have a game against Gloucester City next week and hope we can get back
to winning ways.
"I'd like to wish the supporters a happy Christmas and hope that in the New
Year we can pick up and continue to do well and move up the league."
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Halesowen Town (1) 3
Scorers: Spencer 34, Hall 59, Hines 77.
Gresley Rovers: Lindley, Bluck (Peters 32), Cheetham, Allcock, Woolley,
Wardle, Bourne, Fairbrother, Ford, Parkins (Moran 85), Gray (Westwood 57).
Halesowen Town: Clarke, Colwell, Burnham, N Smith, Collins, Skidmore,
Spencer, Ross (Hall 23), May, Taylor, Hines. Subs not used: Crawford, G Smith.
Rovers
Star Man: John Allcock - tried hard in midfield.
Referee: C Dawes (Willenhall).
Attendance: 496
