Match Preview | Redditch United (A)
Halesowen make the short trip to play-off contenders Redditch United in a local derby at The Valley
Head to Head
The two clubs have met 43 times since the start of the 1970’s, in which the Yeltz have won 17 (39%). There aren’t many bogey sides for us, but we have only won two of our five meetings with Redditch since Russ Penn was appointed manager in February 2024. The last meeting came back in October, but it was far from a memorable derby. The opening Yeltz goal was a deserved one at the time after a dominant opening 30 minute spell. Jason Cowley, who won a corner off Joel Shambrook in the box, headed and bundled the opener into the net at the back post. A quick fire double at the start of the second 45, saw the visitors take the lead all thanks to teenage substitute Fabian Reynolds. The 19 year old was heavily involved for the second four minutes later, setting up former Yeltz man Alex Cameron for a tap in. An exact carbon copy of the second goal, allowed for Cameron to score his second of the game, again from a Reynolds assist. The Yeltz managed a consolation goal nine minutes before the 90 through Cowley, a brace for the Yeltz number 9 in defeat.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
RUSS ON THE MOOD IN THE CAMP
“The mood in the camp is very good, in fact it couldn’t be higher. Obviously since the turn of the year we have had four wins from four. We have scored some good goals, and limited the amount we have conceded at the back. We have played some tough teams and at some difficult places and put out very good performances. But the aim is to continue this form and make sure the camp’s mood doesn’t dip.”
RUSS ON A POTENTIAL OVER RELIANCE ON COWLEY’S GOALS
“I’ve never agreed with us relying too much on Cowls for the goals. Yeah, we do rely on him, but that is because we pay him to score. If he scores all our goals this season then brilliant because that means we’ve got what we paid for, but if other lads can contribute or have then even better. I don’t look at goal tallies at the end of the season, but this is why we have players like Cowley, Ty Barnett, and Fin Holmes, to put the ball in the net.”
RUSS ON OUR OPPONENTS
“Redditch are a top side, and will be right near the top come the end of the season like everyone expected pre-season. Every team in the league seem to have some of our old lads, and Redditch will certainly be no different. We go there expecting a big crowd, a good turnout from our fans, and at the end of the day it’s a local derby. We will be respectful, humble, and hopefully come away with the result we want.”
Opposition Preview
Tyrese Warmington – Goalkeeper
The 19 year old signed in the summer on a season long loan from Birmingham City. The teenager is in first season of first team football, and has started all 28 of Redditch’s league games this campaign.
Omari Allwood – Right Back
The 18 year old signed in November from step 2 Kidderminster Harriers. The teenage fullback is in his first full season of senior football, and has featured six times off the bench for the Reds this season in the league since his arrival.
Joel Shambrook – Right Back
The 21 year old signed in the summer from Solihull Moors. The young right back featured once on loan at Leamington in the National League North last season, before he moved on loan to the Reds and made 13 league appearances. This season, Shambrook has featured in 19 league games, all of which in the starting XI.
Dexter Dudley-Toole – Centre Back
The 21 year old signed last February from step 5 Studley. The former Yeltz academy defender who featured five times for the first team in royal blue, made 25 league appearances for Studley last season, before moving to the Reds and featuring in 11 league games. This season, Dudley-Toole has featured in 21 of their 28 league games, all of which in the starting XI.
Luke Ward – Centre Back
The 24 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Sporting Khalsa. The man who previously spent November 2022 – February 2023 at the Reds, featured in 36 league games for Khalsa last season. This season, Ward has made eight league appearances, all of which in the starting XI having missed the start of the season through injury.
Ben Richards – Left Back
The 27 year old signed in September from step 4 Bedworth United. The left sided defender who can also play centre half has also featured for Spalding United and step 5 Kidlington, but this season has featured 11 times for Redditch in the league, only four of which starts.
Robbie Bunn – Central Midfielder
The 31 year old and a very familiar face to Yeltz fans, Bunn, signed last March from Sporting Khalsa. The man who made 87 appearances across several spells from 2019-2023 in royal blue, featured 30 times in the league for Khalsa last season, before finishing the campaign by making four league appearance for the Reds. This season, Bunn has featured in 14 league games, all but two of which starts.
Reece Flanagan – Central Midfielder
The 31 year old signed in the summer from us. The midfielder made 18 league appearances in an injury hit campaign for the Yeltz last season. Flanagan returned to the Reds in July, where he spent two years from 2022-24, and has featured in all but two of their league games this season, 21 of which starts.
Liam Loughlan – Central Midfielder
The 23 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Long Eaton United. The midfielder featured in 35 of the latter’s regular season league games int he last campaign, scoring an incredible 10 goals. This season, Loughlan has scored five goals in 24 league games for his new club, 21 of which starts.
Morgan Owen – Central Midfielder
The 21 year old signed in the summer from Solihull. The midfielder featured 11 times on loan at the Reds last season, and since being made a permanent signing in the summer has made 22 league appearances this season, 16 of which starts.
Aram Soleman – Central Midfielder
The 26 year old signed for the club in the summer of 21. Their longest serving current player, Soleman missed the whole of last season though injury, but this campaign has been a key figure featuring in 18 league games, all of which in the starting XI.
Jack Loughran – Attacking Midfielder
The 19 year old signed in November on a short loan deal from Legaue Two Shrewsbury Town. The forward thinking midfielder featured in 22 league games on loan at step 5 Whitchurch Alport last season, scoring five goals. This season he scored four goals in 19 league appearances for step 4 Shifnal Town, before moving to the Reds and featuring in nine league games, all but two of which starts.
Matt Warburton – Attacking Midfielder
The 33 year old signed in the summer from step 2 King’s Lynn Town. Warburton has almost 300 combined appearances at step 1 & 2 in his career, 18 League Two, and four Legaue One appearances in his career. The attacking midfielder scored once in 19 National Legaue appearances for Solihull at the start of last season, before moving to King’s Lynn and making 10 National League North appearances. This season, Warburton has scored three goals in 22 league appearances for the Reds, all but three of which starts.
Omari Brown – Striker
The 18 year old signed in October from Solihull Moors. The young striker featured for the latter’s academy side last season. This season, Brown spent four league games on dual registration with step Newcastle Town, scoring once, and has made 15 league appearances for Redditch, all but one off the bench.
Tyler Bruck – Striker
The 21 year old signed in the summer from Solihull Moors. The young striker spent last season on loan at AFC Telford United & Banbury United, where he made one league appearance for the former, and scored once in seven for the latter. This season, Bruck has featured 22 times in the league for the Reds, 10 of which starts.
Alex Cameron – Striker
The 25 year old signed in the summer from us. The striker scored twice in 18 league appearances for the Reds at the start of last season, before ehe joined the Yeltz in December of that year and again scored twice in 18 league appearances. This season, Cameron has improved massively and scored nine goals in 24 league games, all of which in the starting XI.
Danny King – Striker
The 25 year old signed in the summer from relegated step 2 side Rushall Olympic. The striker who had previously been at Redditch from November 2022 to the summer of 24, scored twice in 39 National League North appearances last season. This season, King has scored twice in 24 league games, all but three of which starts.
Statistical Insight
Redditch
- Only Bromsgrove Sporting with 71% (10/14) have a higher scored first percentage at home this season in the Southern Premier Central than Redditch’s 69% (9/14)
- Only Spalding United (19) & Quorn (15) have scored more first half goals at home this season in the Southern Premier Central than Redditch’s 14.
- Only Royston Town (18) & Stamford (16) have had more games this season in the Southern Premier Central without a second half goal than Redditch’s 15.
- Only Royston Town (9) & Real Bedford (10) have had a fewer number of goalscorer this season in the Southern Premier Central than Redditch’s 11.
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (39) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 36.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 16.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 10.
- Only Stamford (20), Barwell & Stourbridge (17), AFC Sudbury (16) & Alvechurch (15) have had more games this season in the Southern Premier Central without a first half goal than our 14.