Match Report | Stamford (A)

Halesowen battle hard to a 1-1 draw to go six without a win at The Zeeco

Match Report

The Yeltz started the game in unstoppable fashion continuously putting the hosts on the back foot. The well deserved opener came with 22 minutes on the clock. A loose ball in the middle was picked up by Jason Cowley, who spread the ball out to Kyle Finn. The latters ball into the box found Charlie Wragg at the back post, who tapped into an open net for his fourth goal in a Yeltz shirt. 

The Yeltz spark fizzled out in the later stages of the first half, and early stages of the second period, which allowed the Daniels to level at one a piece. Just five minutes into the second 45, Jack Duffy pounced on the space, was afforded the time to shoot, and with thanks to a deflection found the bottom right corner of Dan Platt’s goal.

As mentioned, the Yeltz could not have started the opening 20 minutes or so any better than we did. A Stamford corner was headed away by Willets to set the Yeltz on a counter. The promising break had Wragg at the centre, who found Finn. The latter returned the favour to the Yeltz youngster, but the offside flag was up. Smack bang on the 10 minute mark, a superb block and clearance on the line from Kyle Rowley denied McKauley Manning his third of the season, after an exceptional cross from Hickman down the right. 

Two minutes later it was ‘those men again’. A second stupendous Hickman ball, this time along the ground, found Wragg. The Walsall loanee raced down the right, crossed into the middle, but could only find the long stretch of yes ‘that man again’ Rowley to clear the ball away. In the minutes that followed a Milan Butterfield ball to Finn through the centre was pounced upon by Hickman. The defender whipped a cross to Manning at the back post, who squared across to Cowley. Amongst the scramble and stretch from the number nine, the ball failed to bulge the net. 

A minute before the opener, a run from Wragg, up against Rowley on the left saw a cross which was knocked out for a corner by Connor Bartle. The delivery from Hickman could only find the head of Harry Vince at the near post. The goal was a turning point in the match, but surprisingly not from the Yeltz who failed to carry on the momentum. A crucial claim from Platt up against Kai Tonge was key after some neat play between Charlie Marzano and Vince. Jordon Cooke’s top defensive work was evidenced as he held off Wragg, after a throw in from Reece Mitchell. 

The Yeltz were then let off with a huge block from Hickman after what was actually Stamford’s best chance of the game besides the goal. A 1v1 came the way of Tonge after a link up on the edge of the area between two Daniels summer arrivals Jack Thomas and Cameron Johnson. The Yeltz keeper saved well down low from Tonge’s strike, before the rebound from the latter was blocked heroically by Hickman. 

We continued to be put under pressure late on in the half, and more neat linkups between Hobbins and Vince in the midfield in particular forced a headed clearance from Jamie Willets, before a block from Ryan Wollacott that led to a wasted corner. The real heart in mouth moment came in the second minute of stoppage time, just like against Real Bedford, but this time the ball didn’t find the net. A Thomas ball to Bartle on the left was crossed into the middle and cleared as far as Vince. The latter with time slipping away forced himself into a shot from 30 yards, which crashed off the underside of the bar, off Platt, and away from danger. 

The Yeltz chances in the second half were very few and far between. A Hickman ball found Manning up against Cooke, who forced the winger back to Smile. The latters cross was hit straight on top of the net. Meanwhile a ball from substitute Jim Kellermann found Cowley in the centre who superb control allowed him to quickly spot Mitchell. The latters cross was blocked by Rowley, before a scuffed effort from Finn into Tom Jackson followed. 

In all honesty it was a poor half, and the hosts barely created much of their own themselves besides the 50th minute equaliser. A ball from Thomas found substitute Tobias Liversidge, who offered an extra bit of width down the flank. His cross was headed away in the middle by Willets, before a second header from the latter followed in the box from another Liversidge cross. With five minutes on the Stamford scoreboard to the left of the dugouts, the hosts crafted one last chance at the death. 

The Yeltz rarely concede in second half stoppage time, with the last minute winner against Kidderminster in the FA Trophy being the only one to come to mind over the last 12/18 months. This time it was different, Stamford pushed with a Vince ball to pacey substitute Joao Varela, who set up a shot from Hobbins. The strike flew over the bar, and out of the ground to put a frustrating ending to a disappointing contest. 

Attendance – 454

Teams

Stamford XI : Tom Jackson (GK), Charlie Marzano, Connor Bartle (Rhys Sharpe 54′), George Hobbins, Jordon Cooke, Kyle Rowley, Kai Tonge (Joao Varela 78′), Harry Vince (C), Jack Duffy (Tobias Liversidge 74′), Cameron Johnson (Stacey Freeman 90′), Jack Thomas

Unused Subs : Jason Law

Yeltz XI : Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman (Alex Gudger 86′), Josh Smile (Todd Parker 83′), Ryan Wollacott, Charlie Wragg (Jim Kellermann 58′), Jason Cowley (Harry Burns 76′), Kyle Finn (Ben Cassidy 71′), McKauley Manning, Milan Butterfield, Jamie Willets (C), Reece Mitchell

Unused Subs : None

Russ Penn Post Match

“If You come to Stamford any other time then today’s game is a very good result. But we didn’t play well today, and it is frustrating because the first 25 minutes we played superbly and missed some proper chances. A few of the lads were off it today, and I said to them at half-time that we could have finished the game off after 20 minutes. When you aren’t in control of the game, it is seen as a good result, and in that second half we weren’t. If you watched their last three games, and I think I’m the only one who has then you would have seen that they could have won all of them. 

“We scored when we were in top, but no enough. They were on the ropes, and then the 65 minutes or so we had to defend well to take something home with us. It is a quick turnaround for Monday, but every other side has to deal with that. I’m glad we are at home, and look forward to welcoming Chris and his lads, a new team to the league who will be just as desperate as us to take three points. Our supporters yet again were superb today. They will probably go home disappointed today, but when you sit back and think about the game, I think we will be very happy to come away with something.”