Halesowen Town 2 Hednesford Town 2

Zamaretto League Premier Division

Saturday, 7^th November 2009.

 

Halesowen Town 2 Hednesford Town 2 

 

Halesowen preserved their unbeaten home record but were forced to share the points after Tyrone Barnett twice responded to two more goals from Stefan Moore in lethal finishing by both centre forwards.

 

In a fast and furious encounter, home goalkeeper Nick Bussey held onto Elliott Durrell’s 5^th minute shot from the right at the second attempt. But the Yeltz could have wrapped up the game in an early onslaught and the hosts made an ideal start by taking a 6^th minute lead when MOORE waltzed past three defenders in the penalty area to find space to loft the ball into the top corner beyond goalkeeper Gavin Ward.

 

Seconds later, Moore’s strike partner David Blenkinsopp found himself clean through on goal but stumbled when rounding goalkeeper Ward and could only poke wide. Moore netted once again in the 11^th minute but this time was ruled offside.

 

But whereas in the past Halesowen have increasingly over-powered their opposition, the Pitmen dug deep to chase and hustle and didn’t allow Halesowen any time on the ball.

 

As Hednesford gradually settled, Ross Dyer’s 21^st minute cross was juggled by Bussey. Midway through the half, Barnett’s shot was turned away and Ben Bailey rushed in to glance just wide from Durrell’s resulting corner.

 

BARNETT then equalised in the 27^th minute when the giant forward rose high to nod home after beating Bussey to Durrell’s deep cross. Shortly before the interval Steve Jagielka missed a good opportunity in front of goal, allowing Halesowen defender Henry Eze and Bussey to tidy up.

 

At the start of an end-to-end second half Blenkinsopp steered wide from Moore’s cross. Halesowen manager Matt Clarke made a double substitution in the 57^th minute but it was Durrell who crossed along the home goal after an hour with Bailey then taking advantage of Bussey’s indecision to force a corner with Bailey heading high over the bar.

 

With the Pitmen continuing to press, Bussey made a fine 65^th minute reflex save to keep out Sam Aiston’s 20-yard drive at the foot of the post and Dyer’s follow up was blocked by the home defence. At the other end home substitute Roland Agbor just failed to connect in front of goal with 68 minutes on the clock.

 

Prolific MOORE restored Halesowen’s lead in the 76^th minute with a magnificent 18^th goal of the season when he collected a long clearance out of defence and dispatched a precision finish to beat Ward into the corner of the net under pressure from the last defender.

 

But battling Hednesford levelled again within a minute when BARNETT clinically finished a low cross from the right to crack home a low, hard drive from the edge of the area down the centre of goal.

 

Chances fell at both ends as both teams chased a late winner. Agbor stabbed wide in the 82^nd minute and Ward collected Halesowen’s 83^rd minute corner. Hednesford’s Durrell struck wide from a good position in the 88^th minute and Halesowen kept out a couple of injury time corners with the Pitmen sensing Halesowen’s citadel must fall under such pressure.

 

Halesowen Town: Bussey; Smith (Connor 71), Morley, Eze, Hood, Breward (Griffiths 57), Johnson, Denny, Moore, Blenkinsopp (Agbor 57), Rickards. Unused Subs: O’Brien, Pearce.

 

Hednesford Town: Ward; Platt, Martin, Jagielka, Bailey, Goodhead, Durrell, Aiston, Barnett, Dyer, Horrocks. Unused Subs: Nisbett, Carvey, Chapman, Walker, Flynn. 

 

Referee: Carl Dunn (Newcastle-under-Lyme)       

Attendance: 504

Booked: Breward (18), Aiston (37), Durrell (55), Horrocks (69), Denny (78)