Match Report | St Ives Town (H)
Two substitutes link up for a late Halesowen winner against St Ives
Match Report
A game that begged for a late winner to end St Ives’ three successive clean sheet streak was won by two Yeltz substitutes, the only two brought on by Russ Penn. The goal came from a handball by Liam Cross after Alex Gudger’s cross flicked up off his arm. The delivery from Jak Hickman landed to 76th minute substitute Ben Cassidy at the back post, whose cross was turned in by 59th minute substitute Jim Kellermann for his first Yeltz goal.
In the opening 10 minutes it was the visitors who started the brightest. An early corner in the opening 120 seconds saw Cowley clear from Michael Richens left footed delivery. The Saints won the ball back, as Richens found Gibou Njie in the box, who was flagged offside. Manning went close a minute later after his shot was saved and then cleared by Jordan Williams. Four minutes later a Hickman cross on the left was headed away by centre half Duncan Idehen which set the visitors on a quick counter. Former Arsenal youngster Jernade Meade was released down the left and crosses into the middle for Theo Alexandrou, who free in the box forced a save down low for Platt from a weak effort.
The Yeltz burst alive after a cagey 10 minute spell, and in all honesty the chances all came out way. The visitors hardly crafted anything of note. A free kick was won by McKauley Manning after he danced past Richens and was taken down by Njie. The delivery was put in the box and eventually cleared in the scramble that followed. For the second time in the opening 20, Manning went close to an opener. A Todd Parker and Hickman linkup saw the latter swing in a low cross to Manning. The Yeltz number 11 on the left of the box hit an effort on the half volley, which went just wide. The crosses were flying in throughout the contest, and two came in quick succession just after 20 minutes. Hickman found Finn down the right, whose cross was blocked by Williams, before Hickman found Finn for a cross which was cleared by Idehen. Just before Cowley went close from another Hickman cross.
The St Ives number six Idehen headed away another ball into the box minutes later after an initial Hickman cross to Cowley was defended by centre half partner Williams. Just after the half hour a St Ives corner was won after Idehen found Gibou Njie in the middle whose floated ball to George Munday was cleared by Butterfield. The delivery from Richens was cleared away in the box. A nervy moment came our way seven minutes from stoppage time, when a Butterfield slip allowed Munday to get a shot away which was saved. The last action of the first 45 saw the Yeltz win a free kick 25 yards from goal after Harry Burns was pushed to ground by Richens. The duo of Hickman and Manning stood over the ball, and it was the latter whose effort went just over the bar.
Just like at the start of the first 45, the visitors dominated the start of the second, and should have found the opener. A huge interception from Parker denied Meade from latching onto the ball, after Njie set up the cross from Liam Cross down the right. Five minutes later Platt was forced into a save from a free kick. The St Ives number four, Richens, who scored a free kick against AFC Sudbury in the Saints’ last league game, took this one on and forced the Yeltz number one to leap to the height of a Giraffe to tip the ball over the bar. Our first chance of the half came on 56 minutes, when Finn was played 1v1 with Taylor, but couldn’t beat the former Stourbridge and Redditch United shotstopper. Two minutes later fullback Ethan Creary found Munday, whose shot forced a block from Alex Gudger.
In the minutes that followed the hour mark, chances were at a premium, in fact there were none at all. After pretty much 10 minutes of no action, St Ives substitute and summer signing from Rushden & Diamonds Jamal Adams went close for the visitors. A ball forward from Meade to Alexandrou, saw the latter directed away from goal by man of the match Butterfield. Another summer recruit in the forward line Alexandrou, was forced to play the ball backwards to Adams, whose shot on the edge of the box was saved. As the clock struck 75 minutes, Manning won the ball off Meade in the St Ives half and passed to Finn who found Hickman. The cross on the right from the Yeltz number two found Cowley, whose awkward nudged strike towards goal forced a clearance off the line from Williams.
With 10 minutes left of the game, Cowley found Mitchell who crossed for Kellermann, but the ball was just a bit too far ahead. The goal was the highlight of the last five minutes, and even with five of added time at the end of the 90, the Yeltz saw the win out convincingly. A first league win in five and first league clean sheet of the season. A much needed win to close the gap on five teams ahead of us who dropped points.
Attendance : 934
Yeltz Man of the Match : Milan Butterfield
Teams
Yeltz XI : Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Josh Smile (C), Alex Gudger, Todd Parker, Jason Cowley, Kyle Finn, McKauley Manning (Ben Cassidy 76′), Milan Butterfield, Harry Burns (Jim Kellermann 59′), Reece Mitchell
Unused Subs : Mason Heather, Rahis Nabi, Patrick Wood
St Ives XI : Ollie Taylor (GK), Ethan Creary, Michael Richens (C), Jordan Williams, Duncan Idehen, Liam Cross, Matty Miles, George Munday (Jamal Adams 62′), Gibou Njie (Amir Hadi 73′), Theo Alexandrou (Alfie Shepherd 81′), Jernade Meade
Unused Subs : Aaron Smith
Russ Penn Post Match
- “I thought we were excellent today, but if I was to find some negatives it would be our quality in the final third.”
- “It felt like we were going to be in for a frustrating evening, but the two subs linked up and got us the huge late winner.”
- “We had Charlie Wragg and Richard Gregory both out injured so we had to kind of play a false 9 today, but Harry Burns filled that role well, and then Kellermann when he came on.”
- “Milan is a midfielder playing centre half, but for me was man of the match. I am not saying he will play there all year, but the fact I didn’t feel we had to bring in an emergency centre half proves the faith I have in him.”