Halesowen Town 4 Lancaster City 3 - Report

A low key first half played in windy conditions gave little sign of the six-goal second half that lay ahead. After very few early chances, Halesowen snatched a 38th minute lead when Jack Kelly's corner sailed along the penalty area and was scrambled home by captain Asa Charlton near the far post.

Man of the match McAtee provided the final touch to beat visiting goalkeeper Joshua Powell to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute from Kelly's wind-assisted free-kick.

McAtee then smashed home his second goal from a wide angle in the 57th minute to give Halesowen a three-goal cushion after Matthew Barnes-Homer's flicked the ball forward in his debut game.

But Lancaster had other ideas and staged a dramatic recovery with three late goals.

The visitors made it 3-1 in the 77th minute as Steve Williams latched onto substitute Billy Akrigg's corner and his close range shot deflected into the net.

Dan Platt made a great save from substitute Thomas Kilifin in the 80th minute but Melle Meulensteen was on hand to turn home the rebound and reduce the arrears further at 3-2.

Home substitute Mo Diop seemed to have calmed the late nerves when he slotted Halesowen's fourth goal past Powell in the final minute from McAtee's defence-splitting pass.

But there was still time for Meulensteen to head home Akrigg's cross to make it 4-3 in the fourth minute of added time.

Teams

Halesowen Town: Platt; Ekongo, Kelly, Poscha, Morrison, Charlton (c), Goddard, Finney, Barnes-Homer (Diop 76), McAtee (Al-Massry 90), Woodhouse. Subs Not Used: Richards, Lewis, Parsons.

Lancaster City: Powell; Henry (Hudson 10), Dugdale, Hibbert, Williams, Mercer (c), Winder (Akrigg 72), Meulensteen, Wood, Carney, Harries (Kilifin 58). Subs Not Used: C. Bailey, S. Bailey.

Referee: Richard Gardner

Attendance: 612