Unofficial Halesowen Town FC Forum

andy wrote: ↑

19 Sep 2020, 19:50

Agreed.
Also I'm going to stick my neck out and say this season is between us and Wantage.

I hope that post doesn't come and bite you in the arse in 8 months time!!

Match report: https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/f ... -1-report/

Rich wrote: ↑

19 Sep 2020, 19:55

andy wrote: ↑

19 Sep 2020, 19:50

Agreed.
Also I'm going to stick my neck out and say this season is between us and Wantage.

I hope that post doesn't come and bite you in the arse in 8 months time!!

As long as we pip them bring it on!

juanillo wrote: ↑

19 Sep 2020, 18:26

Interesting to see the attendances at other games. Elsewhere, only Corby reached the maximum of 400..but they lost.

The other crowds in the division didn’t seem to be much of an increase on their usual levels, which is maybe a bit surprising. Wantage only got 90, but they beat Welwyn 2-0!

Interesting that other crowds were not up with hardly any support allowed in the top seven divisions.

andy wrote: ↑

19 Sep 2020, 21:00

[quote=juanillo post_id=44690 time=<a href="tel:1600536372">1600536372</a> user_id=81]
Interesting to see the attendances at other games. Elsewhere, only Corby reached the maximum of 400..but they lost.

The other crowds in the division didn’t seem to be much of an increase on their usual levels, which is maybe a bit surprising. Wantage only got 90, but they beat Welwyn 2-0!

Interesting that other crowds were not up with hardly any support allowed in the top seven divisions.
[/quote]
Yes, I would have expected more people to have attended given the lack of live sport afforded to so many for such a long time.

We played alright.

Simply an awesome day yesterday, good to be back for a proper league game. With what is going on in the world though not sure how long for but best to make the most of it whilst we still can.

Comes to something when you win 7-1 yet slightly disappointed that it wasn’t even more such was our dominance but having said that Yaxley were by no means a poor side and won’t be the worst team we play I’m sure, but we were just so much better than them.

As mentioned again the strange team selection with Ali at centre half and the inclusion of Manning at left back again ahead of Bowen, especially as Bows was pretty much one of first names on team sheet last season but hasn’t featured much recently. Having said that though Manning has played decent of late and scored a great goal yesterday too so more than deserves his place.

Having watched Paul Smith’s interview this morning, I read into it he’s not happy with a couple of players (I presume Bowen and Ashmore) who are not in the squad and their attitudes at present.

dalevillain wrote: ↑

20 Sep 2020, 10:13

Simply an awesome day yesterday, good to be back for a proper league game. With what is going on in the world though not sure how long for but best to make the most of it whilst we still can.

Comes to something when you win 7-1 yet slightly disappointed that it wasn’t even more such was our dominance but having said that Yaxley were by no means a poor side and won’t be the worst team we play I’m sure, but we were just so much better than them.

As mentioned again the strange team selection with Ali at centre half and the inclusion of Manning at left back again ahead of Bowen, especially as Bows was pretty much one of first names on team sheet last season but hasn’t featured much recently. Having said that though Manning has played decent of late and scored a great goal yesterday too so more than deserves his place.

Having watched Paul Smith’s interview this morning, I read into it he’s not happy with a couple of players (I presume Bowen and Ashmore) who are not in the squad and their attitudes at present.

Good Post, I pretty much agree with this. Although I'm more 'disappointed' (I need a better word than disappointed!) in our defensive play. We do look capable of giving silly goals away, through basic errors, at a moments notice. For all our dominance in the first half, we allowed Yaxley back in the game. Obviously we moved up a gear and regained a 2 goal lead, but It could cost us in the future, when we don't click offensively. But then again, does it matter how you defend when you score 7, and could have (should have) scored 7 more?

That's me being pedantic, but like I mentioned in a previous match thread, it's something to keep an eye on.

I'd love to know the reasons why Paul Smith played Ali at centre half, and if Dan reads this, I'd like him to ask Smith about selections in future interviews, I genuinely find the reasoning interesting. I do understand that there's probably many reasons why players are left out, which relates to private behind the scenes issues, which can't be made public, but I'd still like to know the reasoning in selections or tactics, if possible.

My guess is that Smith possibly felt we needed more of a ball player at the back to build attacks. Given we're at home and favorites we could afford to do this. That's me just guessing, though. I could be completely wrong, I'm no manager!

I rate Bowen highly, he offers so much going forward, it's almost like having two wingers on the pitch. I wouldn't leave him out, and he'd be one of the first names on my team sheet (However, I could say that about 6 players...), but as you say, Manning has been excellent, and was excellent yesterday, and fully deserves to be in the side. It just shows how strong the squad is - Bowen was left out, and he would certainly walk into every side in this league, and a good many in the league above. Incredible depth.

I loved the gaffers comments regarding how he plans to keep everyone happy. It's how he should be. When the likes of Ashmore and Bowen are given a chance, they need to play outstanding just to keep their place in the squad.

I really want to see us start with a front 3 of Cobourne, Yates and Holmes. I wouldn't envy the back line of the opposition should we see that!

Yesterday was an excellent start to the season, some of the football on show was sublime. It really is a joy to watch. It's games like yesterday that create a high expectation, so when we're under par, like last Saturday, it's frustrating, as we know how good this squad is. I was probably overly harsh last week, but this week (including the Kiddy friendly) has been completely different, and more of what I expect to see from us.

Southern League Division One Central – Saturday, 19th September 2020

Halesowen Town 7 Yaxley 1

Richard Gregory completed a hat-trick within ten first-half minutes on his league debut as Halesowen started the new season in seventh heaven, writes DJ.

Manager Paul Smith kept his feet firmly on the ground in his analysis. “I’m pleased we’ve made a good start to the season and won the game well. I was impressed with the number of good chances we created, somewhere like 20 or 25 in total and we could’ve scored more. We still have plenty of good options available to us in the squad.”

The business-like Yeltz created a host of promising first half opportunities and lively Simeon Cobourne set the tone by hitting the inside of the post in the third minute. Ahmed Ali then headed Josh Hawker’s left-wing cross onto the top of the net and Gregory curled just wide. Yaxley briefly threatened as Dan Cotton fired into the side-netting to earn an early corner.

As chances came thick and fast for the Yeltz, Rob Evans was set free on goal by a quickly taken 19th minute free-kick and selflessly squared the ball for Cobourne to rattle the crossbar in front of an open goal. Five minutes later, Gregory forced Yaxley goalkeeper Aaron Butcher into an excellent save after a short corner was played to Evans.

GREGORY finally bagged Halesowen’s first goal when he powered home a 26th minute header from a super right-wing cross by Jack Holmes. GREGORY soon added his second goal just five minutes later with a clever overhead kick after Cobourne’s shot was blocked.

As the excitement continued, the Cuckoos pulled a goal back when centre-forward Charley SANDERS headed home directly from Joe Butterworth’s 33rd minute corner. But GREGORY flicked home Cobourne’s left wing cross to complete his excellent hat-trick in the 36th minute.

McKauley MANNING scored a fine individual goal to make it 4-1 in the 53rd minute after dribbling through six Yaxley players on a mazy run to beat goalkeeper Butcher from the left and COBOURNE stepped up to bang home Halesowen’s fifth goal from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the 57th minute.

Robbie Bunn’s 70th minute free-kick somehow squirmed free of goal thanks to the post and Butcher’s save but further goals soon followed as Halesowen ran riot. Evans was put clean through and once again selflessly put the ball on a plate for substitute Luke YATES to add a sixth goal in the 76th minute. Yates was denied when free on goal by Butcher diving to claim the ball and it was left for substitute Dan WESTWOOD to beat Butcher with an exquisite 78th minute chip to complete the scoring at 7-1.

Halesowen Town: Brendon Bunn; Rob Evans, McKauley Manning, Josh Hawker, Paul McCone (c), Ahmed Ali, Reece Hewitt (George Forsyth 67), Robbie Bunn, Simeon Cobourne, Richard Gregory (Dan Westwood 62), Jack Holmes (Luke Yates 73). Subs Not Used: Ash Carter, Bradley Catlow (GK).

Yaxley: Aaron Butcher; Harvey Steel, Jack Dickerson, Joe Butterworth, Charlie Johnson, Ryan Bailey, Cameron Gow (Taylor Horne 75), Kyle Nolan, Charley Sanders (Sam Bennett 62), Daniel Cotton (c), Jordan Macleod. Subs Not Used: Thomas Waumsley.

Referee: Jake Allsopp Attendance: 400
Booked: Cotton (40)

Rumours on the terraces yesterday that the notable omissions were on the naughty step for playing Sunday Football.
I suspect the days of Stourbr*dge Rolling Mills and £50 in you boots haven’t entirely stopped.