Match Preview | Banbury United (H)
Halesowen return to The Grove as we welcome Banbury United in a 6th vs 9th play-off battle
Head to Head
There have been 30 meetings between the two sides since the start of the 1980’s. We have a 62% win ratio in the fixture, and went on an incredible run of no defeats in 13 matches spanning from 1986 to 2005 against the Purtians, including a seven game winning run. The Yeltz then only managed one win in eight from late 2005 to late 2008, but in the last seven meetings, we’ve won six. In fact, we have won our last four meetings without conceding a single goal.
The last meeting came in our 3-0 win back in October at The Spencer Stadium. The Yeltz looked hungry early on, and the opener came just after the 10th minute as Jak Hickman’s low cross was met by Jason Cowley, whose shot came off Jack Harding and fell to Alex Gudger for a two yard tap in. It was a stunning opening 45, which saw a second and third added inside seven minutes after the half hour mark. Our second of the game came from a Hickman cross down the right to Cowley who slotted down the middle. The third through Holmes’ first goal for the Yeltz as a Hickman cross found Kyle Finn, who knocked the ball down to Holmes who placed the ball into the top left.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“A reaction is needed in what is our first game back in front of a home crowd this afternoon after the No9 Derby defeat. If we don’t get one, there is something seriously wrong with our home form. We were bitterly disappointed with the game given how good our record was at home this season. To put on that display in front of 3,000+ was really disappointing, but we move on. We have to lick our wounds, and the objective is to put on a performance, and show the work rate today that needs to be achieved if we want to make the top 5 this season.
“Our opponents today are a great team, who have been on an amazing run of form in recent weeks. They are a team I fully respect, and they have certainly done well to be where they are, given they suffered relegation just two years ago. They had a new manager last year, and another for this season (Kelvin Langmead) who has played at a very good level. I knew when we went to their place and won 3-0 that it was a big win, and they have proved to us and everyone else in recent weeks why it was. Langmead has been in there, shaken things up, and got his men up to speed after a tough opening three or four months of the season. He has brought his own players in, and now I and others can see why they are doing so well and are just a couple of points off the play-offs.
“We are lucky to have the most prolific striker in the league, something Banbury have struggled to find it recent seasons. This just means we must do our homework on teams like Banbury a bit more vigorously. They are very good from set pieces, one of the teams in the league with the most output in that area. They have Connor Ferguson, a very talented player who operates on the right and can cut onto his left. Chris Wreh is a striker who maybe hasn’t yet got the goal tally he would like, but has played levels above step 3 in his career. I tried to sign him a few years ago at Kiddie, and remember how much of a player he was then and still is now. He played his first game for them against us in October, but now he is fitter, and more up to speed with the club, there is no doubt he will be a much bigger threat against us today. We have had some very difficult games this season, and I think this game today will be up there with the toughest. They are an all-round team, and can get goals anywhere on the pitch.”
Opposition Preview
Jack Harding – Goalkeeper
The 33 year old signed in the summer of 2015 and has made over 400 appearances for the club. The Banbury shot-stopping legend featured in all 42 league games for the Puritans last season, where kept the most clean sheets in the division with 18, and this season has featured in all 32 league games.
Josh Flanagan – Right Back
The 22 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Barton Rovers. The right sided defender featured in 32 league games for Barton last season. Since his arrival at Banbury, the former Northampton Town academy man has featured in 27 league games, all but two of which starts.
Nico Jones – Centre Back
The 24 year old signed in the summer of 24 from then step 4 side Burgess Hill Town. The central defender featured 29 times in the league last season in his first season at Banbury. The former Fulham & Oxford United academy man has featured in 26 league games this season, all of which in the starting XI.
Yaw Ofosu – Centre Back
The 29 year old signed in the summer of 24 from Alvechurch. The central defender featured in all but three of Banbury’s league games last season, but this campaign has only 19 league appearances, all but two of which starts.
Alex Worley – Centre Back
The 22 year old signed in September from step 4 Stafford Rangers. The former Stourbridge man featured 14 times at the start of last season for Stratford Town, before moving to Stourbridge in October 2024 and making 14 in the league for the Glassboys in six months. The former Walsall man who had a loan spell at Welsh side Haverfordwest in 2022, featured 13 times in the league for Stafford at the start of this season, before moving to Banbury where he has made 23 league appearances, all of which in the starting XI.
Keegan Bloom – Left Back
The 22 year old signed in the summer from step 4 Harrow Borough. The left sided defender featured in 33 league games last season for the latter where he scored an impressive four goals. This season, Bloom has made 27 league appearances for his new club, all but two of which starts.
Gedeon Okito – Left Back
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 24 from Kettering Town. The full back made 25 league appearances last season for the Puritans. This season, Okito hasn’t made a league appearance, but was an unused substitute in their game at the weekend against Quorn.
Peter Abimbola – Defensive Midfielder
The 21 year old signed in the summer from St Ives Town. The midfielder featured in all but three of the Saints league games last season. The former Northampton Town academy man has featured 27 times in the league for his new club this season, 20 of which in the XI.
Aaron McCreadie – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old signed in the summer from UAE side Al-Qabila The midfielder made 11 National League South appearances for Salisbury at the start of last season, before he spent time at Al-Qabila for three months. The former Oxford United academy man has featured in all but one of Banbury’s league games this season, all but one of which starts.
Alex Prosser – Central Midfielder
The 27 year old signed in October 2024 from Stourbridge. The man who played under Russ Penn at Kidderminster Harriers featured seven times in the league at the start of last season, before making 32 for the Puritans. The former Aston Villa academy man has featured 19 times this season, all of which in the starting XI.
Luke Stokoe – Attacking Midfielder
The 24 year old signed in the summer from Finland Third Division side FC Jazz. The attacking midfielder started last season at step 3 Hendon, before scoring three goals in 12 league appearances for Hitchin Town. This season, Stokoe has scored three times in 29 league appearances for his new club, 23 of which in the XI.
Connor Ferguson – Right Winger
The 23 year old signed in the summer of 24 from step 4 side Kidlington. The winger scored three goals in 33 league appearances last season for Banbury, but this season has improved even more as there top scorer with 10 goals in 29 league appearances, 26 of which starts.
George Ball – Right Winger
The 26 year old joined in the summer of 24 from step 4 Loughborough Dynamo. The winger missed just three league games last season for Banbury, and scored three goals. This season, Ball has scored once and featured 24 times, 14 of which starts. Ball hasn’t featured for the side though since 31st Jan, having been an unused in two of their five league games since.
James Alabi – Striker
The 31 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Welling United. The striker started last season at Eastbourne Borough, where he made four National League South appearances, before moving to Welling and scoring once in seven NL South appearances. This season, Alabi scored twice in 21 league appearances, just six of which starts.
Michael Brammeld – Striker
The 18 year old joined last month on loan from League Two side MK Dons. The young striker has featured once since the start of last season for the Dons first team (EFL Trophy), and has made four league appearances this season for Banbury, all of which off the bench.
Chris Wreh – Striker
The 29 year old signed on dual registration in October with step 2 Bedford Town. The striker was most successful with Tamworth last season where he scored three goals in 17 National League appearances, but he also made three NL appearances for Maidenhead United & five NL North appearances for Scunthorpe United. This season, Wreh made five NL North appearances across Hereford & Bedford, and since his arrival at Banbury has scored five goals in 23 league appearances, all but one of which in the starting XI.
Joel Anker – Left Winger
The 21 year old signed in the summer from MK Dons. The winger scored three times in 30 league appearances this season for the Puritans, 20 of which starts.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (55) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 42.
- Only Spalding United (27) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 18.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 13.
- Only Stourbridge & Alvechurch (23), Stamford & Sudbury (21) & Barwell (20) have had more games this season in the Southern Premier Central without a first half goal than our 18.
Banbury
- Only Harborough Town (28) & Real Bedford (26) have picked up more points in 2026 in the Southern Premier Central this season than Banbury’s 24.
- Only Leiston (6) & Harborough Town & Real Bedford (7) have conceded fewer goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than Banbury’s 8.
- Only Harborough Town (4) have dropped fewer points from winning positions this season in the Southern Premier Central than Banbury’s 7.
- Only Harborough Town (14) & Bishop’s Stortford (13) have scored more goals through defenders this season in the Southern Premier Central than Banbury’s 11.