Honours even as Yeltz and Khalsa slug it out
Halesowen’s Richard Gregory scored early and late to share the points with Sporting Khalsa in a robust New Year’s holiday game.
Yeltz took the lead in the Northern One Midlands clash when Simeon Cobourne played the ball in for Gregory to side-step goalkeeper Arnold and fire into the net. Kieren Donnelly then burst forward in the 14th minute to drill the ball just wide. Khalsa stunned the bumper home crowd of 1,247 to take the lead with two similar goals late in the first half, with the home defence was found wanting.
Miracle Okafor was left free in the area down the right after 40 minutes and although Platt initially kept him out, James McGrady turned the loose ball home. The Yeltz were exposed again down the right just two minutes later with Okafor left free again to set up Josh McKenzie to put Khalsa ahead.
Halesowen rescued a point when Gregory blasted home a 77th minute penalty after Josh Ezewele was bundled over in the penalty area at the end of a fine run. Late on, Cobourne’s fierce shot was turned away for an 83rd minute corner after being set up by substitute Ash Sammons and in injury time home captain Rob Evans headed Quaynor’s cross wide.
Khalsa manager Ian Rowe claimed: “We should’ve won and been 3-1 or 4-1 up in the second half. We bounced back with two good goals on the counter-attack and then missed two clear-cut chances. I’m proud.”
Yeltz joint-manager Martin Sockett added: “It was a fair result. We had a good few chances in the first half, but they are a good unit and work hard.
“But we kept going and the second half felt a bit like a cup tie.
“There’s a long way to go in the season yet.”
