Unofficial Halesowen Town FC Forum

Southern League Division One Central – Saturday, 26th September 2020

Halesowen Town 1 Barton Rovers 1

Halesowen had to be content with a draw after failing to overcome battling Barton, writes DJ.

The visitors came to the Grove with their team largely unchanged from their February visit and just as then proved a predictably tough nut to crack in a game refereed by Harry Warner, the son of Yeltz 1980s centre-half Kevin.

Paul McCone made an excellent last-gasp goal-line clearance to keep out Dean Dummett’s 4th minute shot with home goalkeeper Brendon Bunn beaten before McKauley Manning fired a rasping 6th minute drive over Barton’s bar.

The Yeltz went on to take a 15th minute lead when Simeon Cobourne was hauled down by Lewis Thomas and COBOURNE stepped up to smash the resulting penalty kick into the corner of Niall Cooper’s net.

However, the visitors soon pulled level with a superb 21st minute goal when Nathan TSHIKUNA side-stepped his marker on the edge of the home penalty area and his 20 yard shot beat goalkeeper Brendon Bunn to find the top corner. Barton continued to press and chase as Brendon Bunn gathered from Charlie Smith’s dangerous free-kick and from Victor Osobu, who caused danger by twisting in the penalty area. Jay Palmer also found space in the Halesowen area after 38 minutes to fire over the bar as Barton edged the better of the first-half chances.

Towards the interval Josh Hawker delivered a free-kick straight at goalkeeper Cooper and Robbie Bunn drove a corner across the Barton penalty area after Jack Holmes’ effort was deflected away. Early in the second half Manning’s cross almost squirmed free from goalkeeper’s Cooper grasp.

Halesowen dominated the second half, playing three up-front, but Barton made it difficult and their stubborn defence proved hard to break down.

But it was Barton who went mighty close to going ahead on the break after 63 minutes when Tshikuna set up Osobu and his shot came back off the underside of the crossbar with Brendon Bunn well beaten. Dangerous Osobu then muscled out Ash Carter only to see his shot clawed away by Brendon Bunn for a 72nd minute corner.

The late home pressure continued to build in search of a winner as Cooper grabbed Manning’s 74th minute free-kick and snatched Paul McCone’s cross five minutes later. Cooper then pulled off a tremendous 80th minute diving save to keep out substitute Jamie Molyneux’s header from substitute George Forsyth’s cross. Halesowen forced five late corners but Barton’s resolute defence held out with Molyneux heading wide and Carter’s injury time long-range shot turned away.

Halesowen Town: Brendon Bunn; Rob Evans (George Forsyth 61), Ash Carter, Josh Hawker, Paul McCone (c), Ahmed Ali, Reece Hewitt (Dan Westwood 67), Robbie Bunn, Simeon Cobourne, Jack Holmes (Jamie Molyneux 67), McKauley Manning. Subs Not Used: Andy Parsons, Bradley Catlow (GK).

Barton Rovers: Niall Cooper; Jerome Jibodu, Ty Ward, Charlie Smith (c), Kai Phelan, Lewis Thomas, Victor Osobu (c), Dean Dummett, Connor Vincent, Nathan Tshikuna (Martel Powell 90), Jay Palmer (Christopher Regis 71). Subs Not Used: Jermaine Hall, Paul Andrews.

Referee: Harry Warner Attendance: 400
Booked: Cooper (74)

The squad is just going through a bit of evolution I think. We probably needed to freshen things up a little, even though this has meant we’ve lost some very capable players.

Mentally, it’s got to be tough for the players - and the gaffer. They not only did what was expected of them last year but they completely overachieved, reaching levels nobody EVER expected us to get to. And yet they have to start all over again. It’s the footballing equivalent of writing a novel and then your computer crashing on the final chapter.

Even if we’d have tried to go again with exactly the same squad of players from last season, same formation, same system, then I’m convinced we’d still be off the pace a little, as everyone is in a different headspace to February.

I can completely understand the need to make a few changes and I’m sure it’ll help us move forward in the long run.

Would there be an alternative match report from yesterday, from our "resident alternate reporter"?
I would like to know his take on the "goings on" from yesterday. Just asking............

Meh. I wasn’t going to bother, but I did have a delicious pun about how we were hoping to dick Barton.

https://youtu.be/jgbFzl3F-ts

YeltzDoc wrote: ↑

27 Sep 2020, 16:51

Meh. I wasn’t going to bother, but I did have a delicious pun about how we were hoping to dick Barton.

https://youtu.be/jgbFzl3F-ts

Excellent, worth the admission fee from yesterday to get to this point

Halesowen Town 1 - 1 Barton Rovers
26/09/2020

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0v6lelfeT8
MANAGER INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCUhS_9uUT0

YeltzTV wrote: ↑

27 Sep 2020, 18:05

Halesowen Town 1 - 1 Barton Rovers
26/09/2020

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0v6lelfeT8
MANAGER INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCUhS_9uUT0

Fantastic coverage as always. Thank you. I posted during the match about the Banksesque save from their keeper and watching it back clarifies it. What a save.

Can we all please note the phenomenal Sky Sports-esque graphics for the Halesowen line-up. Yeltz TV is on another level!

Absolutely.

andy wrote: ↑

27 Sep 2020, 18:55

YeltzTV wrote: ↑

27 Sep 2020, 18:05

Halesowen Town 1 - 1 Barton Rovers
26/09/2020

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0v6lelfeT8
MANAGER INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCUhS_9uUT0

Fantastic coverage as always. Thank you. I posted during the match about the Banksesque save from their keeper and watching it back clarifies it. What a save.

Agree that save was absolute quality. Free header though 6 yards out , centre of goal, keeper should never have stood a prayer.
As much as a great save, terrible miss.