Match Preview | Harborough Town (H)
Halesowen host the league leaders as we look to boost our chances of finishing in the top 5 at the same time as halting the Bees title celebrations
Head to Head
The Yeltz have faced Harborough five times since the Bees were formed in 1975. The fixture has seen us have four different men in the dugout, Russ Penn, Paul Smith and the duo of Craig Nicholls & Martin Sockett. The Yeltz have amazingly had seven different goalscorers for the seven goals we have scored in the five matches, in order of: Simeon Cobourne, Josh Ezewele, Nathan Hayward, Jamie Insall, Kieren Donnelly, Conor Tee & Jak Hickman.
The most recent meeting came back in September when we travelled to the top of the table Bees after five league games while we were five points behind them. In a game that lacked clear cut chances, it came as a shock when the Yeltz took the lead on the 63rd minute. A piece of passing brilliance from Josh Smile after receiving the ball from Todd Parker, spotted the central run of Hickman 1v1. The defender raced away and slotted past Elliott Taylor. Harborough’s equaliser came just three minutes later, and all in all, was deserved given neither side put their print on proceedings. The scorer, Brady Hickey hit the ball into the bottom left from the centre of the box.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“I am delighted with the six points from six we achieved over Easter against Stamford & Bromsgrove. To do it in the space of three days, at any level is fantastic and a big testament to the group and the recovery. It wasn’t a pretty game at times in either, particularly at Bromsgrove, but at this stage of the season you just have to roll your sleeves up, grit it out, and get on with it. Results went our way on Monday, does that add a bit of extra pressure now it’s in our hands for the top 5, I don’t think so. You just have to embrace it and enjoy it. There has been pressure to be in the play-offs since the start of the season, that was my ambition when I came to the club. Three games is still a long way to go, but what we have done is given ourselves a huge chance with those two wins last week.
“We welcome the league leader’s today, who are coming here to win the division. These games are what you get into football for, and you have to embrace the challenge that these matches bring. We have a good record against Harborough since I came here, and long may that continue. If your a bogey team for someone, psychologically it may effect them, but they come to us with confidence and with a healthy crowd backing them to do something special. I expect them to come and win the game. We’ve scored more goals, but they’ve conceded less, and that’s why they are top of the league. What they don’t have though is the league’s top scorer, who is striking up a great partnership with Jordan Ponticelli at the moment, and is backed up by two great strikers on the bench. They won’t want to wait to win the league, in fact they may even win it without winning, but we can just concentrate on us, and we’ve have great games against Harborough, so hopefully we can have another today.“
Opposition Preview
Elliott Taylor – Goalkeeper
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 2020 from then step 6 side Hinckley AFC. The former Stratford Town man has featured in all 71 of Harborough’s league games since the start of last season, and has kept a remarkable 30 clean sheets.
Eliot Putman – Left Back
The 30 year old signed in the summer from step 2 Peterborough Sports. The former Leicester City academy man scored twice in 40 National League North games last season. The left back has made 26 league appearances this season for the Bees, all of which starts.
Liam Dolman – Centre Back
The 38 year old signed in October 2024 after a two year spell at then recently promoted step 1 side Tamworth. The centre half whose won promotion from step 2 & 3 in his career made 29 league appearances last season for the Bees. The former Northampton Town academy man has scored three times in 35 league appearances this season, all but one of which in the XI.
Paul Malone – Centre Back
The 36 year old signed in the summer of 2021 from then step 3 side Peterborough Sports. The centre half made 18 league appearances last season for the Bees, and scored twice in 30 this season, all but one of which off the bench.
Rory McAuley – Centre Back
The 36 year old signed in December from step 4 Corby Town. The centre half scored five times and featured in 37 of Corby’s 40 regular league games last season, plus their two play-off games. This season, McAuley made 17 of the 21 league appearances before his move to the Bees, where he has scored three times in 17 league games, seven of which in the starting XI.
Alex Morris – Centre Back
The 32 year old signed in the summer of 23 from then step 4 side Gresley Rovers. The centre half scored four times and featured in all but one of Harborough’s league games last season. The former Wolves academy man has scored six goals in 36 league games this season, all but one of which in the XI.
George Carline – Right Back
The 33 year old signed in the summer from recently promoted step 1 side Brackley Town. The former Solihull Moors, Leamington, Hednesford & Chesterfield man scored seven goals in 42 National League North games for Brackley last season, even getting in the division’s team of the season. The right back who can also play further up the field, has matched his goal tally from last season, and missed just two of Harborough’s league games this season, all of which starts.
Connor Kennedy – Defensive Midfielder
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 23 from then step 3 side Peterborough Sports. The defensive midfielder scored twice in 36 league games for the Bees last season, and scored four times in 21 this season, 17 of which in the starting XI.
Brady Hickey – Central Midfielder
The 29 year old signed in the summer from Barwell. The man whose had just three clubs in his decade long career, scored 18 goals for 19th placed Barwell, and featured in all 42 of their league games last season. This season, Hickey has scored 10 goals for Harborough, and featured in all but one of their league games, 21 of which in the starting XI.
Devon Kelly-Evans – Central Midfielder
The 29 year old signed in the summer from Kettering Town. The former Coventy City academy man scored twice in 33 league games for the Poppies last season, plus featuring in their two play-off matches. The central midfielder hasn’t scored this season, but has featured in all but one of Harborough’s league games, 35 of which in the starting XI.
Rob Morgan – Central Midfielder
The 30 year old signed in January 2025 from Stamford AFC. The midfielder scored four times in all 24 of the Daniels league games before his departure. In fact his last Stamford game was at The Grove. Arriving at Harborough half way through last season, Morgan finished the campaign with one goal in 15 league appearances. This season, Morgan has scored three times in 26 league games, half of which in the XI.
Josh Walsh – Central Midfielder
The 25 year old signed in the summer of 2018 from step 5 side Oadby Town. The man who has had just two clubs since leaving Leices’s academy in 2017, was the only player to feature in all 42 of the Bees league games last season, as well as scoring four times. He also won their player’s player of the season. The central midfielder who can also play left back has scored once in 35 league games, all but one of which in the XI.
Adil Nabi – Attacking Midfielder
The 32 year old signed last month after a spell in Cyprus. The midfielder, and brother of former Yeltz man Rahis Nabi has featured in eight of the Bees 10 league games since his arrival, all but two of which in the XI.
Ryan McLean – Left Winger
The 25 year old signed on loan last month from step 2 side Buxton. The left sided winger featured seven times in the National League on loan at Yeovil Town last season on loan from then League Two side AFC Wimbledon. The former Hereford & Kidderminster Harriers man scored twice in 26 National League North games for Buxton this season, and made seven league appearances, all but one of which in the XI since arriving at the Bees.
Danny Newton – Striker
The 35 year old signed in the summer from step 1 Brackley. The striker born in Liverpool scored seven goals in 32 National League North appearances last season, having scored 19 the season prior. The former Stevenage & Solihull man has scored three goals in 23 league games for the Bees this season, 15 of which in the starting XI, as well as making 13 league appearances on loan at Brackley in the National League from November to January.
Terell Pennant – Striker
The 23 year old signed in November from step 2 Alfreton Town. He is the nephew of 43 year old former professional footballer Jermaine Pennant who won the FA Cup with Arsenal, and the Community Shield with Arsenal & Liverpool. Terell scored once in 15 National League North games for Rushall Olympic last season, before a move to Kettering where he scored four goals in 18 league games. The striker made nine NL North appearances for Alfreton this season, before his move to the Bees where he has scored three times in 17 league games, 11 of which in the starting XI.
John Shamalo – Striker
The 22 year old signed last month from Royston Town. The striker has featured for step 4 Barton Rovers & step 2 Bedford Town and Eastbourne Borough since the starting of last season, as well as joining League Two Barrow. Shamalo scored once in four league games for Royston this season, before joining Harborough where he has made three league appearances, one of which in the starting XI.
Ben Stephens – Striker
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 24 from step 2 King’s Lynn Town. The striker was the Bees top scorer last season with 21 goals in 34 league games, and has managed nine this season in 35 league games, 20 of which in the starting XI.
Riley O’Sullivan – Right Winger
The 25 year old signed in the summer of 24 from Spalding United. The former Mansfield Town academy man scored six goals in 39 league games for Harborough last season. The right sided winger who can also play central is the Bees top scorer this season with 12 goals in 33 league games, 26 of which in the starting XI.
Statistical Insight
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (60) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 49.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than our 16.
- Only Spalding United (31) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 20.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 15.
Harborough
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have had fewer games without a second half goal than Harborough’s 8.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded fewer first half goals than Harborough’s 13.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded fewer goals in the first 15 minutes than Harborough’s 4.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have scored more goals through defenders than Harborough’s 22.