Match Preview | Stourbridge (A)
Halesowen travel to Stourbridge in the number 9 derby with bragging rights up for grabs and a four game unbeaten run against the Glassboys to extend
Head to Head
This will be the 53rd meeting between the two sides since the start of the 1980’s. The Yeltz were only able to win one of the six meetings from 1980 to 1984, but did win three on the bounce from 1988 to 1990. We are currently four games without defeat against the Glassboys, and are not far of the five unbeaten games against them we managed from 2008 to 2011. We have not lost a league game at The War Memorial Ground since 2015, with the results since being a 2-2 draw, a 2-1 win, a 1-1 draw, a 4-3 win, and last year’s 2-2 draw. This will be the first number 9 derby for Fin Holmes, Alex Gudger, Jim Kellermann, and Rahis Nabi, while it’s a first in a Yeltz shirt for Ty Barnett, and a first in a competitive fixture for Kyle Finn.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“I am very, very excited for the match, not just for the game but everything that comes with it. But at the end of the day it’s just three points up for grabs like every other game, and we have to try and keep the emotion in, because it very easy to get carried away in these games. But it’s a match that everyone wants to play in, and we go into the game in good form after our last two results. A lot of the lads are interested to see what the hype is about having never played in this derby before, but I don’t think they will need an introduction to it come 2 o’clock on Saturday. All the players will have to do is come out and warm-up and see how loud and packed the stands will be. The game is full of emotion and energy. It’s a shame the crowd has had to be reduced, but we have to play with what we’ve got. It will be very tough. Our toughest game of the season in my opinion because form goes out the window with these types of games. It’s like a cup final. I try and play that factor down, but I can’t really do it because it’s the number 9 derby and we want the bragging rights. They will up there game 25%, and we will need to do the same to match it or win the game. When it comes to local derbies, whether it’s Wolves V West Brom, Villa v Birmingham, the game is always a full house and an emotional, and this is no different.”
RUSS SPEAKING ON THE ARRIVAL OF ROB EVANS
“We brought him in because he has vital experience to add to the group. We want a competition for places at centre half, because that is healthy for a squad. In the game against Alvechurch, he proved how good he can be when he comes into the XI and how fit he looked. The signing is a great coup for the football club. A man who played almost every game at step 2 last season, and he has got to add competition to himself, Milan, Alex and Ryan.”
RUSS SPEAKING ON THE POTENTIAL INJURY COMEBACKS OF ALEX GUDGER & RYAN WOLLACOTT
“Alex was on the bench on Tuesday, although we didn’t want to play him because he had not trained in between, but he has trained on Thursday night so will be available for this weekend. Ryan is also back training, and should be back in the squad when he’s back fit in two or three weeks time. We have three games in the next week and a half, which may be a bit too much for Ryan to be back for, but we have a Senior Cup game against Wolverhampton City on the 2nd next month, which all being well he will be back playing for the side in.“
Opposition Preview
Charlie Price – Goalkeeper
The 30 year old keeper has featured in the Glassboy’s last 11 league games since the 6th September, having joined from Bromsgrove Sporting in the summer. In his third spell with the club, Price featured in all 42 league games for Bromsgrove last season.
Brad Bood – Left Back
The 22 year old left sided defender has started all but one of Stourbridge’s 16 league games this campaign (missing Banbury United away – 25th August). The former AFC Telford United man joined Stourbridge from Rushall Olympic in the summer, having made 15 National League North appearances for the Walsall based side last season.
Ruben Freeman – Centre Back
The 22 year old has not featured in the league since the 21st October against Real Bedford, but has started nine of his 11 league appearances this campaign. The man who initially joined the Glassboys as a trialist this summer, featured for step 4 Racing Club Warwick, and step 5 side Inkberrow last season.
Joe Hull – Centre Back
The 33 year old former Yeltz defender has featured in the last 6 Stourbridge league games, having joined from Redditch United, who he featured 7 times for having joined the Reds in the summer. The man who has had 11 clubs in his career featured 25 times for Rushall Olympic in the National League North last season.
Hayden Reeves – Centre Back
The 24 year old has featured in 4 Stourbridge league games since his arrival at the club in October. The former Glassboys youth player signed from Worcester City, of whom he made 8 league appearances for earlier this season.
Jenson Sumanll – Centre Back
The 20 year old has featured in all but 1 of the Glassboy’s 16 league games this season (missing the game against Stratford on the 8th November). The young centre half signed in the summer from Peterborough United’s academy side, having spent time on loan at Stamford last season. Sumnall has scored 6 goals in the league this campaign, 5 of which in the second half of matches.
Aksum White – Right Back
The 25 year old former West Brom academy player is on his third club this season already. The right sided defender started at Bromsgrove Sporting , where he made 4 league appearances, before leaving in October to join Kettering Town. White made 6 league appearances for the Poppies, before joining the Glassboys this month, where he has made 3 league appearances.
Tom Solanke – Defensive/Central Midfielder
The 24 year old has missed just the 1 league game since the start of the season, starting 14, having joined in the summer from Stratford Town. The former West Brom academy player featured for Stourbridge from Dec 2021 to Feb 2022, and featured 33 times in the league for Stratford last season.
Jack Fletcher – Central Midfielder
The 20 year old first joined Stourbridge in 2023, but has played for Rushall Olympic, Sporting Khalsa and Tividale since re-joining the Glassboys in October. The young midfielder has featured in Stourbridge’s six league games since his arrival.
Matt Harland – Central Midfielder
The 22 year old has featured 12 times this season, 8 of which from the bench in the league. The promising midfielder with a famous sounding surname spent last season at step 5 Stourport Swifts, where he featured 30 times, all of which starts.
Dom Lewis – Central Midfielder
The 23 year old has started 14 of the 16 Glassboys league fixtures this season, having featured in 38 of their 42 games in the previous campaign. Lewis is one of three players who featured more than 10 times last season who is still at the club.
Luke Rowe – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old joined the club earlier this month and has started the last three league games. The midfielder featured 6 times in the National League North for AFC Telford United, having made 11 for the club last season.
Jai Verma – Right/Left/Attacking Midfielder
The 23 year old has featured 13 times in the league this season, and featured 24 times last season after joining from Hednesford in the summer of 24. The versatile Verma scored his only goal of the season so far last weekend, a free-kick after Bromsgrove which featured on ITV News Central.
Chisom Afoka – Attacking Midfielder/Winger
The 22 year old Nigerian born midfielder/winger joined the club earlier this month, and has the 1 league appearance this season so far. The former Aston Villa academy player featured twice in League Two for Bradford City in the 2023/24 season.
Archie Kirton – Right Winger
The 20 year old has featured 5 times off the bench in the league this season, having made 6 at the end of last season. At the start of last season he also featured 5 times for Redditch United on loan from West Brom.
Jez Abbey – Striker/Attacking Midfielder
The 22 year old Dutch born forward has featured 12 times in the league season, half in the XI, half off the bench. Abbey has 4 league goals so far this campaign, and joined from Brackley Town in the summer.
Zidan Sutherland – Striker
The 23 year old, on loan from Hednesford for the remainder of the 25/26 campaign, has started the three league games since his arrival at Stourbridge, and scored the once.
Shay Willock – Striker
The 22 year old former Walsall academy player signed in the summer from Alvechurch, and has featured in 7 league games for the Glassboys, starting twice. The striker made 13 league appearances for the Church last season, scoring 3 times.
Aaron Bishop – Striker
The 24 year old striker joined the club at the end of last month and his scored once in his 4 league appearances so far. The striker who can also play midfield scored 40 goals at step 4 for Darlaston Town across the 2023/24 season and the last campaign, also having a brief spell at Bromsgrove inbetween.