Halesowen Town 2 Boldmere St Michaels 3 - Report

Joint-manager Martin Sockett’s reaction summed up the Halesowen mood. “I’m gutted, it’s the first home defeat of the season after being 2-0 up and in the driving seat. It’s massively disappointing, we were lack-lustre and sloppy at times although Boldmere worked very hard for it. But there are still 21 points to play for and we’ll be fighting for all of them.”

Boldmere’s Kieren Westwood put a low dangerous 3rd minute ball along the home goal and Curvin Sanderson-Ellis fired a loose 5th minute ball wide. As Halesowen featured, a 6th minute corner from Ash Sammons was headed over his own bar by Aris Christophorou.

The Yeltz took a 10th minute lead when Kieren Donnelly made a brilliant run into the area to beat several defenders before he was finally pulled down by Pedro Lima, allowing Richard GREGORY to smash home the resulting penalty down the centre of goal.

But the Mikes responded and were already showing their ability to quickly get players forward to cause Halesowen plenty of problems at the back. James Bowen curled a 12th minute free-kick over the bar and Nat Kelly came to the rescue in the 19th minute after Kieren Westwood crossed to Jack Burgess in front of goal. For Halesowen, Simeon Cobourne fired past goal from a wide angle.

The Yeltz doubled their lead after 21 minutes following hard graft from Donnelly and Cobourne with the ball finally crossed from the right by Josh Ezewele for the impressive DONNELLY to flick the ball home over goalkeeper Kieran Harrison. Donnelly made another brilliant run into the Boldmere area to be just thwarted after 24 minutes.

In end-to-end action home captain Rob Evans cleared off the line in the 27th minute after a throw-in was headed on and Nathan Hayward played a good 33rd minute forward ball only for visiting goalkeeper Harrison to rush out smartly to gather ahead of Ezewele.

The Mikes deservedly pulled a goal back in the 35th minute when the ball was threaded through to put Michael TAIT-MORAN in the clear to just beat goalkeeper Dan Platt. With the visitors continuing to press and threaten, Platt made a good 42nd minute blocking save and Sanderson-Ellis flashed a shot wide just before the interval.

Halesowen made a tactical change but Boldmere still drew level after an hour when Yeltz substitute Kieran Morris was penalised for his challenge on Andre Brown just seconds after arriving on the pitch and SANDERSON-ELLIS slotted home from the penalty spot. Platt then collected a 68th minute overhead kick from Tait-Moran.

The comeback was completed by Boldmere’s third goal in the 70th minute when a deep cross from former Yeltz full-back Bowen found TAIT-MORAN free to slide the ball home at the back post. From then, Boldmere defended competently and deeply to protect their vital lead although goalkeeper Harrison beat away a great 86th minute drive from Sammons.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt (c); Josh Ezewele, Josh Quaynor (Kieran Morris 58), Ash Sammons, Rob Evans (c), Nat Kelly, Kieren Donnelly, Nathan Hayward, Simeon Cobourne (Jamie Insall 73), Richard Gregory, Greg Mills (Robbie Bunn 73). Subs Not Used: Jac Redhead, Tom Turton.

Boldmere St. Michaels: Kieran Harrison; Aris Christophorou, James Bowen (c), Pedro Lima, Harry Craven, Jack Burgess, Kieren Westwood, Owen Parry, Andre Brown, Curvin Sanderson-Ellis (Oliver Brown 80), Michael Tait-Moran (Robert Thompson-Brown 73). Sub Not Used: Stephen Palmer, Kyle Byrne, Lewis Allison.

Referee: Daniel Pattison Attendance: 1,067

Booked: Craven (29), Parry (53), Morris (59), Ezewele (86)