Match Preview | Bromsgrove Sporting (H)
The Yeltz host Bromsgrove in a local derby in the first game of 2026, a mirror of the contest which started 2025 for the club
Head to Head
This is just the fifth meeting between the two sides since our opponents were founded back in 2009, after a group of supporters and directors formed them from the old Bromsgrove Rovers, who were in severe financial difficulties and faced closure. Halesowen have won three of the four meetings, that subsequently hasn’t yet featured a draw. The most recent game came 367 days ago to be exact on New Year’s Day 2025. The Rouslers took the lead just nine minutes into the second half, through former Sporting forward Jamie Meddows 12th goal of the season. The Bromsgrove top scorer stabbed the ball into the net following former defender Aksum White’s burst down the right and cross in towards the Bromsgrove number 11. The away side doubled their lead in the 70th minute, as the now Yeltz man then on loan at Bromsgrove, Fin Holmes added the second of the game. Holmes slotted past Dan Platt after being sent through 1v1.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“Our opponents will be refreshed for this weekend, going well under a new manager in Tim Flowers. Tim is a fantastic manager, and I feel a team who has him is very lucky. I don’t think he has had the run of the green in the teams he has gone to in the last two years, but I feel like Bromsgrove is a side who suit him. His side’s, as we saw with his Alvechurch team over the last 12 months are tough to beat, and resolute. It is a local derby which will have a great crowd which will provide us with a very good chance to start the year well. I think 2026 could be a big year for us all. We go into the year with high expectation and a lot of belief to right the wrongs of some poor defeats towards the back end of last year, and go on a similar run to the start of last year.”
Opposition Preview
Rory Brown – Goalkeeper
The 25 year old signed on loan from Solihull Moors at the start of November. The former Wolves academy man featured 23 times last season for Northern Irish top tier side Coleraine. Brown has started nine league games this season since the departure of Adam Harrison to Quorn.
Jaden Charles – Left Back
The 23 year old signed in late November from fellow step 3 side Rushall Olympic. The former Derby County academy defender featured 14 times in the National League North last season for Rushall. Charles has started three league games this season for the Rouslers.
Jack Kelly – Left Back
The 30 year old signed this summer after a successful eight months at Redditch United. The former Nottingham Forest academy man featured 26 times in the league last season for Redditch, starting all but three, and even won their Player’s player of the season award. This season Kelly has started in 13 league games.
Freddie Boakye – Centre Back
The 19 year old signed on loan from Birmingham City at the end of November. The defender born in Belgium has started four league games this season.
Aaron Roberts – Centre Back
The 33 year old re-joined for his fifth spell in October after a short five league game spell at Redditch United. The centre half started in all but two of Bromsgrove’s league games last season, and has featured 17 times this season in the league, all but one in the XI. He was also made club captain earlier this week.
Luke Softley – Centre Back
The 20 year old signed this summer from fellow step 3 side Hungerford Town. The former Aston Villa academy man has started 18 league games this season.
Ethan Young – Centre Back
The 21 year old 6ft 4in centre half signed just over a week ago on loan from step 2 side Peterborough Sports. The young defender didn’t feature in the National League North this season, but has started Bromsgrove’s last two league games since his arrival.
Josh Ezewele – Right Back
The 28 year old former Yeltz man signed for Bromsgrove in October 2024 after a short four month spell at Spalding United. The former West Brom academy man started just two league games last season in an injury hit campaign, but has already started 20 this campaign.
Jordan Lyden – Central Midfielder
The 29 year old signed just over a year ago after a lengthy spell off the pitch. The former Aston Villa man who featured in their academy, and four times in the Premier League for the first team featured 17 times in the league for Bromsgrove last season, starting just four. Lyden has featured 13 times this season, starting eight.
Jack Newell – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old has been at the club since October 2022, and featured 38 times in the league last season, starting 31. The former Northampton Town academy man has featured 16 times this season, starting all but one of those games.
Billy Shaw – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old returned to the club just over a year ago and proceeded to feature 25 times in the league, starting all but four games. The midfielder also featured 12 times in the league at the start of last season for Redditch United, starting all but three of those 12. This season, Shaw is the only Bromsgrove player to have started in every league game.
Koby Arthur – Attacking Midfielder
The 29 year old signed in the summer from Barwell. The Ghanian born attacking midfielder featured 26 times last season, 20 off the bench. This season Arthur has not started a single league game, but instead came off the bench 16 times.
Charlie Pavey – Attacking Midfielder
The 19 year old signed on loan in the summer from Aston Villa. The young midfielder featured 10 times last season for the latter’s academy in the Premier League 2, and twice in it at the start of this season. Pavey has scored three times for the Rouslers in 11 league games, all but one in the XI.
Gustavo Sanches – Left Winger
The 21 year old returned to the club he spent the 2023/24 season at in the summer, after a year long spell at step 4 Boldmere St Michaels. The forward scored one goal in 10 league appearances last season. This season, Sanches has four goals and missed just one league game, starting 10.
Luke Benbow – Striker
The 34 year old signed in the summer after a year long spell at then step 2 Rushall Olympic. The striker whose last step 3 season saw him score 11 league goals for Stourbridge, scored four times in 23 National League North games last season. The striker is Bromsgrove’s top scorer this season with five league goals, coming in 15 league games, 11 in the XI.
Kobe Hall – Striker
The 19 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Kidderminster Harriers. The teenage striker made 13 National League North appearances last season across Kiddie, Rushall & Alfreton Town, before the striker went to step 4 at the end of the campaign and scored four goals in just six league games. Hall has scored four goals in the league this season in 19 games, 14 of which he has come off the bench.
Tyrone Lewthwaite – Striker
The 25 year old signed just over a week ago from step 4 Corby Town, who he had joined in the summer. The striker featured 15 times in the league this season for Corby, scoring 8 goals, and on his Bromsgrove debut last weekend, scored from the spot.
Theo Robinson – Striker
The 36 year old signed back at the club this week, after scoring 10 league goals in 37 appearances, 26 of which starts. This season Robinson scored two goals in six step 4 appearances for Wellingborough Town.
Brad Stretton – Right Winger
The 21 year old signed in September from Stratford Town. The right sided man/striker featured 21 times in the league for Alvechurch last season, starting just over half of them. This season, Stretton featured the once for Stratford, before moving to Bromsgrove and scoring the once in 14 league games too date, eight of which starts.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (35) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 27.
- Only Spalding United (16) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 14.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have had more games without a first half goal at home than our 8.
- Only Royston Town (16), AFC Sudbury (15) & Leiston (14) have dropped more points in the Southern Premier Central this season from winning positions than our 13.
Bromsgrove
- Only Spalding United (14), Quorn (11), Bury Town (10) & Needham Market (9) have scored more goals this season in the Southern Premier Central in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than Bromsgrove’s 8.
- Only Royston Town with 91% (11/12), and AFC Sudbury & Stratford Town with 81% (9/11) have a higher conceded first percentage in the Southern Premier Central this season away from home than Bromsgrove’s 70% (7/10)
- Only AFC Sudbury (23) & Royston Town (22) have conceded more first half goals in the Southern Premier Central than Bromsgrove’s 19.
- Only Stamford AFC (12), AFC Sudbury (11) & Banbury United (10) have conceded more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than Bromsgrove’s 9.