Concord Updates

[andy]

At least we were given the chance to go out on the field. If we weren't we would always never have known. So I'm happier with that. These lads will show what they are made of now, I'm sure.

[lutleyyeltz]

Wembley. Pfff. FA's Cockney shithole.

I notice that your diplomacy degree has been put to good use!

[Rich]

Well done to the boys for going out and giving it their all today. Not playing a named team like Halifax or Barnet but still a team 2 leagues above us and we matched them for the full 90 mins.
Did seem a strange election today but sure the gaffers had a game plan and some was to nullify Concorde who we dont really know their strengths.

Thanks for taking us on this amazing journey and now lets get down to winning this league and getting up into the next division.
Looking forward to Tuesday and giving the boys some applause for todays efforts

[410viawednesbury]

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it! If that team, Halesowen played in the semi-final were Notts County, and they beat us 4-0 you could, possibly, understand but Concord Rangers.... ..seriously? They just played the long ball, very unattractive in my opinion, and awful. Bitter?........ Not much, but to lose that way to an own goal, really? When Halesowen were allowed to play football on the floor, Concord couldn't cope and that was Halesowen's trademark, especially last season. Concord just played the long ball and at that point do you say they, Concord, had done their homework and stopped Halesowen from playing? I'll leave that to you but there is no doubt Halesowen didn't deserve to go out like that! Anyway, Paul, backroom staff, all the squad, chairmen/lady and all the volunteers..........
T H A N K Y O U!!!!

[andy]

Gutted doesn't begin to cover it! If that team, Halesowen played in the semi-final were Notts County, and they beat us 4-0 you could, possibly, understand but Concord Rangers.... ..seriously? They just played the long ball, very unattractive in my opinion, and awful. Bitter?........ Not much, but to lose that way to an own goal, really? When Halesowen were allowed to play football on the floor, Concord couldn't cope and that was Halesowen's trademark, especially last season. Concord just played the long ball and at that point do you say they, Concord, had done their homework and stopped Halesowen from playing? I'll leave that to you but there is no doubt Halesowen didn't deserve to go out like that! Anyway, Paul, backroom staff, all the squad, chairmen/lady and all the volunteers..........
T H A N K Y O U!!!!

Sorry, can't agree. We never played our usual game either. I don't think they stopped us, it just didn't happen. We obviously set out to play a certain way, as we had done in previous Trophy games but today it didn't pay off. Concord were no big shakes but they did enough to win on the day. We played a lot of long ball too, they just did it a bit better than we did. Let's not take their moment away from them, it means as much to them as it would have done for us. I've enjoyed this run too much to be bitter, but far, far more I want this season's title.

[lutleyyeltz]

The unemotional view - and the right one.
The League title is ALL that matters.
I'm interested in nothing else!
We lost it by force of circumstance last season.
Let's do it in style this time.

[dazzlingdazza]

The unemotional view - and the right one.
The League title is ALL that matters.
I'm interested in nothing else!
We lost it by force of circumstance last season.
Let's do it in style this time.

We talked about this a few months ago didn’t we ?
This season we need to make sure we are promoted, I would take no cup runs at all for promotion (though the trophy run has been exciting) there will be plenty of time to play teams higher up in a few seasons time if we achieve what the Senior Management’s aspirations for the club.

[dalevillain]

Still heartbroken and gutted from yesterday but at the same time immensely proud of each and every one of the players and every one at the club as to how far we have come to get to this stage and the fact we are gutted at losing to a team 2 leagues above speaks volumes for that.

Feels even more gutting that as mentioned Concord weren’t all that either. Whilst I do not wish to slag off Paul Smith in the slightest, I do feel that his team selection wouldn’t have been my selection, but easy to look back and say that now I guess.

I think had the season carried on as normal we would have beat them easy over two legs. It just wasn’t meant to be for us but it’s been an emotional rollercoaster and away days at Barnet and Halifax will never be forgotten. In theory we shouldn’t have even got this far but the dream was there.

Whilst I fully appreciate the league is more important, yesterday hurts a lot. I’m not old and fortunate enough to have witnessed the Vase years so I just wanted to see us at Wembley and the fact we’re not is truly heartbreaking and will take a bit to get over.

[DJ]

Buildbase FA Trophy Semi-Final – Saturday, 5th September 2020

Concord Rangers 2 Halesowen Town 1

Halesowen’s epic FA Trophy run finally came to a heartbreaking end as National League South Concord Rangers came from behind in an away semi-final played behind closed doors, writes DJ.

The incredible Yeltz journey ended in the 14th game of a Trophy run that began almost a year earlier and was put on ice six months ago when the 2019/20 football season was abruptly curtailed.

Manager Paul Smith’s disappointment at not completing his Wembley ambition was clearly evident, but he remained “full of pride for what they’ve achieved to get this far. I’ve got a lot of dejected boys in there, but it’s important they hold their heads up high.”

The action was watched back on giant screens back at the Grove with just a small group of club officials and media representatives present at a surprisingly spartan Aspect Arena, bereft of the usual excitement and warmth befitting such an occasion.

The visiting Yeltz were first to feature as captain Paul McCone headed back across the Concord goal from Robbie Bunn’s 2nd minute left wing free-kick. At the other end Tosan Popo’s free-kick was collected by Halesowen goalkeeper Brendon Bunn off the head of team-mate Ahmed Ali.

The Yeltz soon made it the perfect start by taking a 7th minute lead after tricky Simeon Cobourne laid the ball off for Richard GREGORY to side-step his marker and drill a well placed low shot past home goalkeeper Chris Haigh into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Halesowen’s good start to the game continued as McKauley Manning struck a 15th minute effort wide down the left and Robbie Bunn played a neat 1-2 only to see his shot blocked.

As the Beach Boys gradually settled, Brendon Bunn collected a header from Aron Pollock before cutting out Lamar Reynolds’ 17th minute cross. Temi Babalola was denied by Ash Carter’s fine 19th minute challenge and then headed Concord’s first corner over the bar a minute later.

Chances became few late in an even first half, although Lamar Reynolds’ 30th minute low snapshot fell inches wide for Concord and Cobourne flashed a shot wide on a swift Yeltz break.

Having already disposed of Gateshead, Bradford PA, Maidenhead, Halifax and Barnet from the National League and with little evidence of any league difference one again, there was now a growing sense that another shock was on the cards if Halesowen could fulfill their potential.

But just as it appeared the visitors were on course for a half-time lead, the scores were levelled by a cruel own goal when hugely unlucky Yeltz defender Rob EVANS could only turn Nathan Carlyle’s right-wing cross past his own goalkeeper Brendon Bunn after 37 minutes.

Confident Halesowen started the second period on the front foot again as Gregory looped a clever ball for Reece Hewitt to drag a 51st minute shot just wide after a spell of neat football. But the second half then continued the balanced pattern with the Beach Boys going close when Babalola planted a 60th minute free header on top of the crossbar from Alex Wall’s cross. Chances became scarce as the nervy game wore on, although Halesowen’s Robbie Bunn struck a 25 yard free-kick at goalkeeper Haigh after 68 minutes.

Concord finally found their winner with eleven minutes remaining when WALL – one of Concord’s new signings - managed to nip in ahead of Paul McCone and clipped the ball over Brendon Bunn into an empty net.

The Yeltz pushed forward for an equaliser and were almost exposed in the 86th minute whilst stretched at the back but Brendon Bunn saved with his legs from substitute George Alexander. Halesowen’s first corner from Robbie Bunn drifted across the area in the 88th minute and Concord defended their lead through five minutes of added time by clearing crosses from Robbie Bunn and McCone to celebrate their visit to Wembley at the final whistle.

The gut-wrenching hurt of a hugely disappointing outcome will no doubt prove a short-term test of Halesowen’s spirit and resolve ahead of the new 2020/21 season, with not least a feeling of what might have been over two legs at a different stage of the season. But the over-riding long-term legacy will surely recall a highly successful 2019-20 league and cup campaign, laying the foundations for further progress and an ambitious and exciting future.

Concord Rangers: Chris Haigh; Nathan Carlyle, Tosan Popo, Billy Roast, Aron Pollock, Tyrone Sterling (c), Lamar Reynolds, Sam Blackman, Alex Wall, James Blanchfield (Odei Martin 67), Temi Babalola (George Alexander 78). Subs Not Used: Danny Green, Chris Millar, Alex Hernandez, Archie McFadden, Lee Minshull.

Halesowen Town: Brendon Bunn; Rob Evans, McKauley Manning (Jamie Molyneux 58), Ash Carter, Paul McCone (c), George Forsyth (Dan Westwood 82), Ahmed Ali, Robbie Bunn, Simeon Cobourne (Josh Hawker 74), Richard Gregory, Reece Hewitt. Subs Not Used: Andy Parsons, Jamie Ashmore, James Bowen, Bradley Catlow (GK).

Referee: Sam Purkiss Attendance: No spectators
Booked: Blackman (45), Ali (71), Forsyth (75)

[AwayDayYeltz]

Still heartbroken and gutted from yesterday but at the same time immensely proud of each and every one of the players and every one at the club as to how far we have come to get to this stage and the fact we are gutted at losing to a team 2 leagues above speaks volumes for that.

Feels even more gutting that as mentioned Concord weren’t all that either. Whilst I do not wish to slag off Paul Smith in the slightest, I do feel that his team selection wouldn’t have been my selection, but easy to look back and say that now I guess.

I think had the season carried on as normal we would have beat them easy over two legs. It just wasn’t meant to be for us but it’s been an emotional rollercoaster and away days at Barnet and Halifax will never be forgotten. In theory we shouldn’t have even got this far but the dream was there.

Whilst I fully appreciate the league is more important, yesterday hurts a lot. I’m not old and fortunate enough to have witnessed the Vase years so I just wanted to see us at Wembley and the fact we’re not is truly heartbreaking and will take a bit to get over.

Agree with most of that.

I feel like we lost the match, rather than Concord winning it. Like has been said in other posts, they weren't that good, and they were there for the taking. I don't think we were at our best, like we were for the Halifax and Barnet victories. Overall, I have an immense feeling of disappointment, as I more than believed we could have beaten Concord, and gone on to actually win the competition.

I guess the fact I'm disappointed, gutted, and frankly, upset, that we narrowly lost to a team two divisions above us, speaks volumes about the job Paul Smith has done here. To even have a realistic chance at Wembley is incredible, given where we were when Smith walked through the door.

Tactic wise, I think Paul was right to try and go more direct. Cobourne had the beating of their back four time and time again. We looked threatening every time we went forward. Ultimately two sloppy goals cost us the tie.

The dream is over, for now, we can concentrate on this season, and winning the league. Which is a must. I believe we would have won the league last season, but it wouldn't have been easy, with Berko pushing us. In all honesty, I expect us to run away with the league this time around. I know that may come across as arrogant, but this squad is better than last seasons squad. I really do believe we will storm it this season.

What an incredible journey the Trophy run has been, I am immensely proud of the efforts and hard work that Smith, the players, staff and volunteers have given the Yeltz. My pride and enjoyment in following this club has been restored, after the abysmal Lynch era. That is worth more than any Wembley appearance. I hope Paul Smith, Karen, Keith and the players are made aware of what they have brought this club. It really is fantastic.

Thank you.