Post
by DJ » 05 Feb 2022, 22:12
Northern Premier League Midlands - Saturday, 5th February 2022
Halesowen Town 0 Spalding United 1
Spalding's Gregg Smith smashed home a 75th minute winner to spring a
surprise and end Halesowen's long unbeaten run, writes DJ.
Despite being injury-depleted, honest Halesowen manager Paul Smith made no
excuses at all. "It was very flat and after a good week we didn't see that
coming. We lost all the individual battles on the pitch and it was not a
performance to win leagues."
Halesowen earned two early corners but it was otherwise a scrappy start to
the game. The Tulips gradually eased into action and leading striker Jordan
Macleod hit a good chance high over the bar after Toby Scott was
dispossessed in the 18th minute.
The Yeltz found it difficult to create chances and had to wait until the
25th minute when goalkeeper Michael Duggan collected Kyle Finn's looping
effort. McKauley Manning's 32nd minute free-kick then drifted straight
through the Spalding penalty area.
Mid-table Spalding created the best chance to date in the 35th minute when
the ball was threaded straight through the centre to Macleod, but home
goalkeeper Dan Platt raced out to make a superb blocking save.
With the Yeltz continuing to struggle, two more home corners came to nothing
and already booked Stefan Broccoli was possibly fortunate to stay on the
pitch for Spalding after a challenge on Toby Scott. Halesowen's best chance
of their disjointed first half came when Chris Lait's 42nd minute curling
effort was tipped away by goalkeeper Duggan.
The second period continued in a flat manner from the home side's
perspective as Spalding's Macleod beat Josh Ezewele in the 51st minute,
leaving Paul McCone to make a great block to concede a corner. Three minutes
later, Finn ran down the centre but his low shot was easily saved by Duggan
as Halesowen struggled to find a breakthrough. Duggan then made a good 63rd
minute save after substitute Richard Gregory laid the ball off to fellow
substitute Simeon Cobourne.
Macleod forged two more chances for the visitors before the Tulips hit their
75th minute winner when the ball was played across the front edge of the
penalty area for experienced ex-King's Lynn and Boston striker SMITH
to unleash an unstoppable shot down the centre of goal.
Platt made another 80th minute low save near his post from Spalding
substitute Ben Seymour-Stove, but the visitors continued to defend well for
the final ten minutes with Duggan grabbing the ball under his bar after
Cobourne played the ball to Finn. Cobourne was then denied in the last
minute with the ball held deep in Spalding's penalty area.
Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Josh Ezewele, McKauley Manning, Toby Scott, Paul
McCone (c), Nat Kelly, Chris Lait (Simeon Cobourne 61), Brad Birch (Ahmed
Ali 74), Richard Smith, Jack Holmes (Richard Gregory 61), Kyle Finn. Subs
Not Used: Dan Brookes, Joe Palmer.
Spalding United: Michael Duggan; Scott Floyd, Gianiuca Bucci, Liam Marshall,
Nathan Stanfield, Sam Cartwright, Archie Jones, Stefan Broccoli, Gregg
Smith, Jordan Macleod (Chris Ward 89), Ben Starkie (Ben Seymour-Shove 68).
Subs Not Used: Abdul Korma, Ryan Flitton.
Referee: Luis Martin Attendance: 1076
Booked: Stanfield (22), Broccoli (31), Scott (38), Jones (57), Birch (73), Cartwright (88)
'Tulleys Print' HTFC Man of the Match selected by Lewis Barmforth: McKauley Manning