Halesowen Town 2 Stourbridge 1
Zamaretto League Premier Division
Saturday, 26th December 2009.
Halesowen Town 2 Stourbridge 1
Watch the Match Highlights
Halesowen preserved their twelve game unbeaten league run and surged into fifth place in the league table after bouncing back from behind in an exciting local derby.
It was the first Boxing Day meeting between the near neighbours for twenty years, but in a repeat of the earlier league fixture in August, it was the Glassboys who bossed the first period to take a half-time lead in front of a bumper crowd. The game survived a late pitch inspection, although the late thaw resulted in a tricky playing surface with the visitors without both Craig Slater and Drew Canavan.
Halesowen were restricted to just two chances from Scott Rickards in the opening half with Rickards going closest in the 27th minute when his top corner bound 20-yard free-kick was pushed away for a corner by Stourbridge goalkeeper Lewis Solly.
In a full-blooded affair with six bookings, Stourbridge make several incisive early breaks and in the 8th minute Sam Rock caught out the hosts to set up Aaron Drake to cut inside but he dragged a good chance wide from 15 yards. Drake's 11th minute corner was then headed over the bar by Jamie Oliver. Home goalkeeper Nick Bussey set hearts fluttering when he dribbled the ball out of his own area in the 15th minute and in the 23rd minute Carl Palmer played on with the aid of a head bandage following an injury. In another lightning break Leon Broadhurst found Ryan Rowe in the 28th minute but his low drive was collected by Bussey with Drake unmarked on the far side of the penalty area.
With the Glassboys on top, skipper Nathan Bennett nodded wide from a good position in the penalty area after half an hour and Ben Billingham's fierce 35th minute shot was diverted away for a corner by Aaron Griffiths. Billingham then struck a 37th minute free-kick straight at goalkeeper Bussey and Bussey collected Drake's 44th minute corner at the second attempt.
Stourbridge's first half pressure finally paid off when Rock crossed from the left for BROADHURST to nod home the opening goal into the bottom corner in the second minute of first half injury time. A minute into the second period Drake struck just wide of the post from a wide angle.
But Halesowen are a far more resilient outfit this season and fought their way back into the game after manager Matt Clarke made a tactical double substitution at the interval.
The Yeltz levelled in the 49th minute when good work down the right from substitute Craig Connor enabled him to cross for Danny EDWARDS to glance home a header from eight yards.
As the lively pace hotted up even more, defender Henry Eze drove wide and a dangerous 67th minute left wing cross from Edwards was hacked clear by the Stourbridge defence. Goalkeeper Solly then raced out of his area to deny Simon Johnson in the 72nd minute.
Not for the first time, it was David Blenkinsopp who saved Halesowen's day just six minutes after being introduced to the action. Substitute BLENKINSOPP timed his run perfectly to slide in and convert the 79th winner in front of Stourbridge's goal after Edwards delivered an excellent low cross from the left as he controlled a fine pass from Rickards. Late on, the relatively quiet leading Halesowen goalscorer Stefan Moore headed at Solly and then struck the side-netting in the 88th minute.
After the game, man-of-the-match Edwards explained that "Stourbridge were much stronger than us in the first half and manager Matt Clarke let us know at half-time that we were nowhere near good enough. But we are unbeaten in the league here and we came out to put it right in the second-half. I'm really enjoying my time here and was delighted to score one and set up the winner."
Halesowen Town: Bussey; J. Smith (Connor 45), Griffiths (Hood 45), Eze, Daly, Denny, Johnson (Blenkinsopp 73), Palmer, Moore, Rickards, Edwards. Unused Subs: Thorpe, Morley.
Stourbridge: Solly; Rock (Jarrett 68), Mahon, S. Smith, Oliver (Stevenson 82), Bennett, Drake, Broadhurst, Rowe, Billingham, Jones. Unused Subs: Collins, Henderson.
Referee: C. Rushton (Stone, Staffs.) Attendance: 761
Booked: Mahon (26), Palmer (29), Denny (36), S. Smith (53), Rickards (54), Moore (90)