Halesowen 1 Gloucester 2

Three more home debuts makes an incredible total of 47 players turning out in Yeltz colours this term.

The hosts took a 12th minute lead when goalkeeper Nick Bussey's long clearance bounced straight through for Aaron Cornwall to cleverly lob goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer from 15 yards.

Davion Hamilton missed a golden opportunity to double the lead when his centrally struck 18th minute penalty was clawed away by Sawyer, after Matt Rose had impeded Cornwall.

The save proved pivotal and Halesowen paid the price when the Tigers equalised in the 24th minute through their own well-taken spot-kick from Alex Sykes, after the same player was brought down by Dennis Pearce.

The Tigers grabbed a 2-1 lead on 39 minutes, when Will Morford's cross from the right found Sykes unmarked to slot home his second goal off the inside of the post.

Halesowen laboured in a disappointing second half, despite Gloucester being reduced to ten men in the 56th minute when Tom Hamblin was dismissed for fouling Hamilton.

In the dying minutes the visitors defended efforts from Nathan Peprah-Annan and substitute Ruben Gouveia.

Gloucester stalwart assistant manager Adie Harris admitted that the two penalties turned the game.

He said: "If we'd gone 2-0 down, it was all over for us. After taking the lead we defended exceptionally well with 10 men for 35 minutes, as Halesowen created little."

Halesowen: Bussey; Peprah-Annan, Hamilton (Gouveia 59), Canoville, Pearce, Lindholm, Cornwall, Caskey (Murray 70), Shittu, Rowe (Allward 11), Ngody.

Unused Sub: Paul.

Gloucester: Sawyer; Sykes (J. Harris 59), Marshall, Mustoe, Hamblin, Rose, Ballinger, Webb, Pitcher, Morford (Keveren 76), Richards.

Unused Subs: A. Harris, Twyman, Brett.

Attendance: 434