Match Preview | Alvechurch (A)
Halesowen have a third away trip in a week as we travel to Lye Meadow to face Alvechurch almost exactly a year since our last visit
Head to Head
This is just the eighth meeting in the 21st century, because the two sides went from 1992 to 2018 without playing each other in all competitions. The Yeltz have lost just two of the seven meetings this century. The most recent meeting was a 2-2 draw at The Grove. A match that started slowly, the only chances in the opening 15 came from a Conor Tee curler over the bar, and a brilliant interception in the box by Jak Hickman to deny Dylan Allen-Hadley, after some link up between Dan Sweeney and Callum Sullivan. A Ryan Wollacott header towards Kieren Donnelly was miraculously blocked by Krystian Pearce, two minutes before the opener from Tee. A Tee shot from a corner, and Todd Parker strike should have doubled the lead in the minutes that followed, just before we did through Donnelly half an hour into the contest. Six minutes after the break, Alvechurch got one back through a Sweeney strike from a Dan Platt error, but it was Ryan Wynter’s 55th minute last man red card that changed the contest for the worst. Ben Cassidy replaced Reece Flanagan to make up the numbers at the back, but just after the hour mark, the equaliser arrived, through a Pearce header from a corner. Despite having 10 men, the Yeltz should have re-taken the lead on multiple occasions, mainly through Donnelly’s strike off the bar, and a brilliant stop by Ronnie Hollingshead from the formers 82nd minute strike. The points were shared.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“We got a good point on Saturday, but I was really disappointed with the goal we conceded. On the plus side we went toe to toe with a side who are probably the favourites in the league with the players brought in. We dealt well with their height, long throws, corners and fully deserved the point. I just feel we could have played a bit better on the day, but not many sides will take points off them at their place this season. We take confidence into Alvechurch tonight, but I believe the game will be tougher than the one we had at the weekend. They just won 3-0, have brought in a lot of high quality players, and like us have confidence. We have to go there and be prepared for what they throw at us, but on our day we have the quality as shown at times against Harborough to be beat anyone and the best.”
Oppostition Preview
New Signings
A nice round 10. That is how many new signings the Church have made over the summer. The first arrival joined on the 7th June. Jonny Ngandu, a recognisable face at Lye Meadow because he featured seven times at the end of last season on loan from Spalding United. The forward also featured for the latter last season 19 times, but in his 26 league appearances across the two clubs, he only scored the once, for Alvechurch at home to AFC Sudbury in March. Three days after Ngandu’s arrival, Tim Flowers made probably his biggest profile signing of the whole summer. Striker Tope Obadeyi signed from Kidderminster Harriers. In his career, the 35 year old has played in the French second tier, the Portuguese top flight, and the Scottish Premiership, and last season scored five National League North goals in 26 games for Kiddie. For the rest of June, Kyle Storer and Jessy Bavanganga signed from Kettering Town and Rushall Olympic respectively, but it was the first signing in July that could prove the most important. At the end of last season, star goalkeeper Ronnie Hollingshead returned to West Bromwich Albion, leaving a gap for a first team keeper. The solution? To sign Redman Evans on loan from Swindon Town. The 19 year old kept six clean sheets and conceded just 19 goals in 16 games for step 5 Westbury United. The rest of July saw defender Will Merrett sign on a two month loan from Forest Green Rovers, striker Elliott Dugan sign from step 4 Frome Town, and defender Nile Timson arrive from Aston Villa. Last month, the Church made their two most recent arrivals, defender Harry Flowers from step 2 Southport, and winger Jose Marquez on a one month loan from Forest Green Rovers. Oh and July summer arrival Kyle Storer was announced as part of the management team for the campaign.
Summer Departures
Loan departures saw supporters player of the year Ronnie Hollingshead, midfielder Fin Howell, Taylor Dodd, and Isaac Goodwin depart back to their parent clubs. In terms of permanent departures, young defender who won their Chairman’s player of the year last season, Amman Dyer joined National League North AFC Telford United. While another young defender Archie Crowther who was the only Church player to feature in every league game last season departed for Kings Lynn Town, but later joined Kettering Town on loan. The two other departures this summer for the Worcestershire side, were Erik Savkin who joined step 6 Redditch Borough, and young striker Brad Stretton who joined Stratford Town.
Team Overview
Between the sticks, Redman Evans has started all six league games this campaign, while his two centre halves have been mainly been Krystian Pearce and Will Merrett, who have started five league games a piece. In the full back spots, Ethan Septhon has started four league games at left back, while right back Jessy Bavanganga has started all six league games, and scored once. In the midfield, Callum Sullivan and Kyle Storer have started all six league games, while Josh Dugmore has started five, including an appearance off the bench. The forward line has chopped and changed so far for the Church in the league. Jonny Ngandu has been the most prominent forward player too date, featuring in all six games, of which four were starts, scoring once. Kieran Wakefield and Elliott Dugan who can both play at centre forward have started two games each, but both appeared four times off the bench as well. Another centre forward in the way of Shay Willock has started two games in his four appearances so far, but did get sent off against Barwell a few weeks back. The most in-form Church forward is no doubt Jose Marquez. The wide man on loan from Forest Green Rovers has started just three games so far since joining on the 22nd August, but has scored twice already. Newman and experienced striker Tope Obadeyi has failed to make an impact at his new club, and too date has started just the one league game in six.
Statistical Insight
Alvechurch
- Only Bishop’s Stortford & Harborough Town (1) have conceded fewer first half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than Alvechurch’s 2.
- Only Bishop’s Stortford (166) and Quorn (133) have led for more minutes at home this season in the Southern Premier Central than Alvechurch, who have been ahead at Lye Meadow for 130 minutes.
- Only Harborough & Quorn (9) have had more goalscorers this season in the Southern Premier Central than Alvechurch, who have had 8.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have scored more goals from defenders than Alvechurch’s 4, tied with Bishop’s Stortford & Stourbridge.
Halesowen
- Only Bishop’s Stortford (9), Harborough Town (8), and Spalding United (7) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 6.
- Only Bishop’s Stortford, Quorn & St Ives Town (3) have scored more goals this season in the Southern Premier Central in the 15 minute period after half-time than our 2 goals.
- Only Kettering Town (6) have won more points from losing positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 4.
- Only Kettering Town (4), Real Bedford (6), Quorn (11), and Alvechurch (27) have spent fewer minutes losing away from home this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 29 minutes.