Match Preview | Stratford Town (H)
Halesowen face Stratford for the third time in 24 days as Russ Penn’s side aim to return back to the top 5
Head to Head
The Yeltz have won just two of the last eight league meetings with the Bards. This is the ‘Redditch’ fixture of last season, as despite the competitive season being just over a month old, we have already played Stratford twice. Good practice. The most recent game between the two in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay at The Arden Garages Stadium saw Jason Cowley, Todd Parker and Jak Hickman takes the goals in a 3-0 drubbing.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“We have had two really big wins, one in the cup and one in the league over the last week. Both are good for two reasons. Everyone wants a cup run, as we await Aveley on Saturday which we degress after tonight, and a fantastic win over St Ives which we thoroughly deserved, lacked a bit of quality but we stayed patient and kept our reward. We will welcome back Ryan Wollacott and Jamie Willets for today’s fixture which is a huge bonus. Milan filled in brilliantly while the other two were unavailable, but will pick up his usual role in midfield now. This is our third game in three weeks against Stratford. I believe we will be playing a better side than the one who lost the FA Cup replay. They have got a couple of wins on the board since and scored a decent number of goals so look a lot more confident. I have no doubt they will be near the top of the table come the end of the season, but the focus is on and continuing our form, because if we do, I am sure we will be in for a very good game.”
Oppostition Preview
In goal for Stratford, Jacob Weaver remains the first choice in goal from last season. The goalkeeper featured 32 times last season in the league, and has played in all eight league games so far this campaign. Although has alongside centre half Alex Collard conceded 16 times in eight league games (2 per game), not the best. New arrival Collard like Weaver has started every game. The centre half who arrived from St Ives made 39 league appearances last season. Ex Yeltz captain Paul McCone re-joined the Bards at the end of last month, and made his first appearance back at Stratford in the FA Cup game at The Grove. McCone has started the three league games the Bards have played since we left met them, alongside Collard. In the full back spots, the versatile Fin Brennan has started seven league games this season having appeared 41 times for the Bards last term in the league. At right back new arrival from Hednesford Kory Roberts had started three of their first five league games, but he has since been ousted by new arrival from Banbury United Harry Reilly, whose started the last four league games. Another ex Yeltz man Josh Hawker had started their first five league games this season, but has missed the most recent three. Jourdain Masidi has featured in all eight league games, but started just three. Josh Roney, a centre half by trade seems to have pushed further forward into the middle since McCone’s arrival, while Lewis Ison has started all eight in the middle of the park. Dan Lafferty who scored the equaliser in FA Cup game at The Grove last month has started seven. In the forward line, new striker who has replaced the outgoing Callum Ebanks, Stratford’s top scorer last season, Ty Deacon has started all eight league games after scoring seven goals at the end of last season for step 4 Thame United. He has so far scored twice this league season. Outwide new arrival from Leamington Henry Landers has started six times in the league, scoring three times. While other wide man Owen James has started four, but scored a hat-trick against Barwell earlier this month. AJ George, Cyrus Bruce, and ex Yeltz man Jamie Molyneux has all featured in the attack this campaign, but none of them have started more than two games too date.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Harborough Town (10) and Bishop’s Stortford and Spalding United (9) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 7.
- 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 (9) have won more points from losing positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 4.
- Only Harborough Town & Bishop’s Stortford (45), Quorn (36), Kettering Town (32), and Spalding United (27) have spent more days in the top 5 of the Southern Premier Central than our 14 Days (as of 22 Sept).
Stratford
- Only Royston Town (43), Stamford (39), Bromsgrove Sporting (33), and AFC Sudbury (28) have spent more days in the relegation zone of this season’s Southern Premier Central than Stratford’s 22 days.
- Tied with AFC Sudbury, Stratford have conceded the most second half goals in the Southern Premier Central with 10.
- Stratford are one of the 5 sides (along with Spalding United, Bury Town, AFC Sudbury, and Stamford) in the Southern Premier Central who are yet to score a goal this season in the opening 15 minute period of matches
- Stratford have conceded the most goals of all Southern Premier Central sides in the 15 minute period (46-60) after half-time, with 4 conceded.