Express & Star

Barwell 2 Halesowen Town 0 - Report

Russ Penn's first game in charge ended in defeat at Barwell as the hosts got a goal in each half.

Published

Penn took charge of the first team at The Grove in the week, with Paul Smith moving upstairs in an advisory role.

A quiet start to the game saw Barwell take the lead from a penalty when McKauley Manning fouled Beck Ray-Onoru in the box on 23 minutes and Brady Hickey stepped forward to score.

Jack Holmes saw a shot saved by home goalkeeper Will Brook on 39 minutes as Halesowen tried to hit back.

And Miracle Okafor almost equalised a minute before the break when he rounded Brook but Ruben Freeman brilliantly saved on the line.

But four minutes after the break Halesowen's task got harder when Onoru neatly slotted home to make it 2-0.

Onoru brought a good save out of Dan Platt as the striker looked for his second and Barwell's third.

But Halesowen rallied, Nathan Hayward firing over from a corner for Halesowen on 61 minutes and Luke Redfern also putting a shot over from a free kick. And substitute Ryan Boothe got on the end of a Ryan Wynter header across goal but it went wide.

Fellow substitute Rhys Hilton saw a shot saved by Brook's feet as The Yeltz couldn't find a way into the game.