Match Preview | Royston Town (H)
Halesowen return to league action to host Royston Town with a chance to end the weekend third.
Head to Head
This will be the 8th meeting in the last eight years between the two sides. Our record against the Crows is far from the best, compounded by the fact we have only scored five goals in the previous seven matches. The Yeltz have not kept a clean sheet in the last two against Royston at The Grove, conceding one in a 2-1 win last January, and three in a 3-0 defeat in February 2024. The last meeting came back in October as the Yeltz traveled to the Garden Walk in need of a win. The Yeltz took the lead just 10 minutes before the half-time interval. A pass forward was missed by Crows captain Adam Murray, which allowed Jim Kellermann to pounce and find Fin Holmes. The 19 year old got a shot away, which was saved by Jamie Head, before the rebound fell to Cowley who tapped home. Royston pushed for a leveller, and eventually found one late in the contest through an 89th minute rocket of a strike on the edge of the area by Josh Boorn.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
RUSS ON CONCENTRATING ON THE LEAGUE AFTER OUR BSC DEFEAT
“In regards to our defeat on Tuesday, it disappointed as I’d rather be in all competitions. It brings a winning mentality and momentum. Obviously it’s difficult to be in a competition like the FA Cup or Trophy at this stage of the season, which is why I wanted to give the BSC a real go. It was a good chance to give minutes to players away from the league, and if I’m honest I think we deserved more than what we got on Tuesday.
RUSS ON OUR OPPONENTS
“Games against the sides who are struggling are always difficult. You can’t underestimate anyone, and I have a lot of respect for their manager (Chris Watters). Chris is a man I have always got on well with, and his side will come to us this weekend seeing it as a ‘free hit’. They are a side full of strengths. Their have some top players, obviously Adam Murray who can play all over the pitch and is well respected in non-league, and Iaciofano who has played at higher levels and has shown he knows where the back of the net is this season.
RUSS ON THE PROSPECT OF ENDING THE DAY THIRD
“We always want to be as high as we can, whenever we can and as early as possible. I went to watch Stourbridge vs Quorn on Wednesday to see third from the top players third from the bottom, and it was the latter who won 5-0 convincingly. I think that shows you the level and consistency of the league, and what can happen if you are or aren’t on it. We have to perform really well to get these three points, and if the win gets us to third happy days, but if not, at least it gets us three closer to where we want to be.”
Opposition Preview
Jamie Head – Goalkeeper
The 31 year old initially signed for the club on an emergency loan from St Albans last January. The shotstopper made 13 league appearances at the end of last season, and also this season has featured 13 times in the league.
Reuben Rabstein – Goalkeeper
The 26 year old signed for the club in April 2024 from step 4 side New Salamis. Rabstein made three league appearances last season, and has only been able to make the three this season in the league.
Konstantin Ivanov – Left Back
The 19 year old signed at the end of last month from fellow step 3 side Bracknell Town. The Bulgarian and former Brentford youngster started the season at National League side Braintree Town, but swiftly moved to Bracknell, where he featured four times in the league. Since his arrival at Royston, the left back has made three league appearances, all off the bench.
Luke Warner-Eley – Left Back
The 29 year old joined the Crows last March from Bishop’s Stortford. The left back featured 34 times in the league for Stortford last season, before joining Royston and finishing the campaign with six league appearances. This season, Warner-Eley has made 20 league appearances, 14 of which starts.
Ellis Bates – Centre Back
The 18 year old signed at the end of last month on loan from League Two Stevenage. The young defender spent last season in the Stevenage academy and on a one month loan at then step 3 Bedford Town, where he made four league appearances. Since his arrival in Hertfordshire, Bates has made two league appearances off the bench for the Crows.
Harvey Beckett – Centre Back
The 22 year old joined the club in the summer of 24, after a long spell in the Cambridge United academy and on several loans. The central defender featured in 36 of Royston’s 42 league games last season, and this season has featured 15 times in the league, all but one of which in the starting XI.
Archie Locke – Centre Back
The 22 year old joined in October 2024 from step 5 Harpenden Town. The centre half featured nine times in the league, before joining the Crows where he scored five goals in 33 league appearances. This season, Locke has made 17 league appearances, all but four starts.
Anton Matthews – Centre Back
The 22 year old signed in the summer from step 4 side Witham Town. The centre half who can also play midfield featured 32 times in the league for Witham last season. This season, Matthews has featured in all but two of their league games, starting 18 of those 23.
Adam Murray – Centre Back
The 36 year old is a Crows legend, having joined the club in the summer of 2015. The veteran defender who can also play up front featured 31 times last season in the league and scored seven goals. This season, Murray has missed just two league games, starting all 23.
James Brighton – Right Back
The 32 year old signed for the club all the way back in November 2019. The former Birmingham City and Cambridge United youngster, featured in all but four of the Crows league games last season. This season, Brighton has featured in 23 of their 25 league games, all but one of those 23 in the XI.
Jesse Akubuine – Central Midfielder
The 27 year old signed in the summer of 24 from step 4 Waltham Abbey. The former Brentford and Scottish side Queen of the South youngster made 38 league appearances for Royston last season. Akubuine has made 14 league appearances this season, eight of which in the starting XI.
Tom Avgoustidis – Central Midfielder
The 20 year old signed in the summer from League One side Leyton Orient, after four years in their acadmy and on several loans. The Greek born former PAOK youngster featured five times on loan at Potters Bar Town last season in the league, and but since his move to the Crows in the summer has been a key player featuring in 20 league games, starting 11.
Kwadwo Bugyei-Kyei – Central Midfielder
The 21 year old signed last month from fellow step 3 side Berkhamsted. The former Stevenage academy player featured for step 4 AFC Dunstable and step 3 Slough Town last season. Since his arrival from Berkhamstead, where he made 12 league appearances, Bugyei-Kyei has featured three times, all of which starts.
Jordon Frederick – Central Midfielder
The 32 year old signed in the summer from fellow step 3 side Berkhamsted. The midfielder has made 17 league appearances this season for the Crows, and started in 13.
Will St Clair-Burton – Central Midfielder
The 19 year old signed in November on loan from step 2 side Chesham United. The midfielder featured the once in the National League North, and in search of game time at Royston has featured in 13 league games, all of which starts.
Josh Boorn – Attacking Midfielder
The 24 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Bracknell Town. Boorn began last season at Bedford Town, where he featured 3 times. The former Luton Town youngster then made 6 appearances in 2 months at Marlow before seeing out the season at Bracknell. This season, Boorn has scored three goals, which included the equaliser against the Yeltz in the reverse fixture, and has featured in 21 league games, all but two in the starting XI.
Reece Nicholas-Davies – Left Winger
The 21 year old signed in November from step 4 Barton Rovers. The winger and former Fulham & QPR youngster featured 11 times in the league for Barton, and for since his arrival at Royston has played in seven league games, all but one in the starting XI.
Kian Harness – Striker
The 22 year old joined the club in November 2024 from Bishop’s Stortford. The striker scored two goals in 10 league appearances for the Blues, before moving to the Crows and scoring five goals in 22 league games. This season, Harness has featured in all 25 league games, starting all but one, and scored four goals.
Joe Iaciofano – Striker
The 27 year old joined in the summer from step 2 Hemel Hempstead. The striker featured six times in the National League South for Hampton & Richmond at the start of last season, but then moved to fellow NL South Hemel Hempstead, scoring five goals in 20 league games. This season for the Crows, Iaciofano has scored nine goals in just 16 league games, 13 of which in the starting XI.
Sisanda Maguranganga – Right Winger
The 18 year old signed on loan from National League side Southend United in October. The young winger/striker has featured in nine league games since his arrival in Hertfordshire, but has only started once.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (39) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 30.
- Only Spalding United (18) 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 conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 9.
- 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.
Royston
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have higher conceded first percentage away from home than Royston’s 84% (11/13)
- Only Stamford (8) have scored fewer second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than Royston’s 10.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have dropped more points from winning postitions than Royston’s 18.
- Only AFC Sudbury (15) & St Ives Town (13) have conceded more goals this season in the Southern Premier Central in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before full-time than Royston’s 12.