.

.

6.2.2010

Blekinsopp 11, Turner 28

.

Next Game

Bernard McNally and his new side picked up a useful point in their quest to climb the table this afternoon, as they chalked up their second 2-2 draw of the season against a dangerous Halesowen side at Keys Park

McNally, made permanent manager last week, immediately stamped his mark on the side with a number of changes to the side from the one that had beaten Evesham United two weeks previously. Aaron Gibson returned to left back in place of Zak Martin, who moved into midfield ahead of Elliott Durrell. Decio Gomes made his first start for the Pitmen this season in place of Grant Goodhead, whilst Darren Alexander filled in at number eight after the departure of Steve Jagielka. Sean Platt was given the captain's armband by McNally after relieving Ross Dyer of his duties

The away side, backed by a good away following, started much the brighter, keen to extend their unbeaten recent run. On ten minutes, David Blekinsopp picked up a loose ball that had been spilled by Stuart Brock, setting up Scott Rickards, who saw his shot cleared off the line acrobatically by Decio Gomes

Blekinsopp was involved again a minute later, with the Yeltz taking a deserved lead in the game. Brock again made a hash of the shot, this time from former Hednesford captain Carl Palmer, allowing Blekinsopp to force the ball home from close range after arriving before the Hednesford defenders

Palmer again managed to get in a shot on nineteen minutes, hitting a shot from the edge of the area that Brock this time managed to field well

The Pitmen responded with Gibson firing straight at Halesowen keeper Nick Bussey after Tyrone Barnett had unselfishly laid the ball into his path on twenty minutes

Hednesford almost grabbed the equaliser on twenty four minutes, with Barnett setting up Martin, but Bussey was equal to the youngster's angled drive and managed to keep the ball out before Jimmy Turner hacked the ball away

A minute later, the hosts finally got back on level terms; Martin's throw into the area caused panic in the Halesowen ranks, allowing Barnett to stab the ball past Bussey from inside the six yard box for goal number ten of the season

In a topsy-turvy first half, the Pitmen were only on level terms for three minutes, as the in-form Yeltz went back in front on twenty eight minutes. A free kick from Stephen Morley found Turner lurking at the far post, with the new signing from AFC Telford firing home on his debut to put Halesowen 2-1 up

Rickards almost put Halesowen out of sight on thirty two minutes, hitting a swerving free kick that Brock held at the second attempt

Barnett went within a matter of inches of giving Hednesford a second goal three minutes later, but somehow managed to miss Sam Adkins' corner kick as he rose to meet it unmarked

McNally's half time pep talk galvanised the Pitmen, as they forced Halesowen back into their own half in search of a leveller. Barnett was the home side's chief threat, especially in the air, as he headed an early chance wide of goal after being set up by Gibson

Alexander, making his first start since his return to Keys Park, was also guilty of heading wide of goal on fifty minutes, getting up highest to meet Martin's cross but failed to test Bussey

The Yeltz were content to catch the Pitmen on the counter attack, using their dangerous front men as targets. Liam Daly combined with Morley on the hour to help the ball into the path of Palmer, but the burly midfielder missed with a wild shot that flew high over the crossbar

Martin's involvement in the game pretty much ended there, as McNally threw on his ace in the pack Durrell in an attempt to force an equaliser

Durrell was straight into the action, taking the ball twenty yards into the Halesowen half before firing wide of goal with a typically fierce strike

Dyer, clearly in need of a goal to boost his confidence after a difficult spell in front of goal, nearly got the strike he craved on sixty four minutes, driving into the Halesowen area with typical gusto, but fired a couple of yards wide of the near post

it was end to end stuff in the final twenty minutes, with Rickards crossing for the league's top scorer Stefan Moore, who had been kept quiet all afternoon by the outstanding Cheyenne Dunkley. On this occasion, however, he failed to make contact with the ball, allowing it to drop harmlessly out of play

Veteran striker Tony Thorpe almost sealed it for the away side sixty seconds later, improvising with a lob over Brock that dipped a yard wide of Brock's post

For the Pitmen, Durrell looked the most likely threat in the latter stages with his dangerous set-pieces. One particular free kick had Bussey scrambling across his goal, but fortunately for the Yeltz stopper, it was wide of goal

In a frantic final couple of minutes, the Pitmen went all out in search of a winner, winning a free kick twenty yards out. Durrell's shot was half cleared, dropping to Adkins on the edge of the area. His low shot took at least two big deflections before beating Bussey and sealing a hard-earned point for the home side in the final minute of the game  cds

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Durrell

.

.

.

.

1

Proffitt

.

.

1

.

33

Martin

Dyer

.15

.

.16

.

.17

.

..

.

..

Images / Information (unless accredited), are © Copyright Pitmenweb 1999-2010                                                                                                         Fixtures & Results 2009-2010