Match Report | Bury Town (H)
Halesowen secure a comeback win to step up into 4th and keep top 5 ambitions high
Match Report
The Yeltz went behind smack bang on 15 minutes, and yes yet again it was inside the opening quarter of the hour. The 14th time, the most in the division, we conceded inside 15 minutes came from a misplaced Reece Mitchell pass to Max Maughn. The latter passed to Joe White, who crossed the ball into the box, where Jamie McGrath swivelled and found the net.
The reaction was quick, and refreshingly quick when you consider we had to behind for 44 minutes against Royston and 58 minutes against Bromsgrove to come back to win at home already in 2026. The Yeltz leveller came exactly 10 minutes after the early setback, when a Jim Kellermann cross, following a corner, was headed in and just over the line by Milan Butterfield.
A 1-1 scoreline at HT could easily have been a potential banana skin, especially against a side who had suffered just one defeat in 15 dating all the way back to 29th November. A Jason Cowley quick fire double sent us 3-1 in front in the blink of an eye on 48 & 50 minutes. The first goal courtesy of a Butterfield pass through the lines, and the second through a Kellermann set piece which was volleyed perfectly home.
The Yeltz, on a beautiful sunny, summer setting in March at The Grove began poorly to start with. A bit similar to minutes 10 to 40 against Banbury last Tuesday. Inside six minutes, Ollie Canfer found Jamie McGrath in the middle, who chested the ball down and found Callum Page. The cross was blocked out for a corner by Ryan Wollacott, which was delivered in by Mikey Davis and cleared by Josh Smile for a throw.
Just five minutes later, Max Maughn swept a ball out to right fullback and Bury Town legend Joe White down the left. The latter stood a cross up to the back post, where Canfer rose highest, but hit his tame header straight into the gloves of Dan Platt. The visitors took the lead four minutes after this Canfer header, and to no surprise, it came through McGrath who claimed his 12th league goal of the season.
The response from Russ Penn’s side was positive to begin with. A first sight of goal for Jason Cowley arrived two minutes after the opener, as a Mitch Roberts cross from the left, saw the Yeltz number 9’s header drift just wide. A Jim Kellermann free kick was then headed over at the back post by Wollacott, but the smooth reaction was almost ended. Possibly the moment of the match arrived on 21 minutes, when a Todd Parker mistake, saw a Page effort on the right of the area beaten away by Platt. If that went in, 2-0 against an in-form side may have been irreversible.
Instead the game flipped in our way, as four minutes after the game defining moment, Milan Butterfield headed the ball just over the line to level the game, thanks to the referee’s raised arm to acknowledge the ball crossed. In all honesty, the goal didn’t invigorate us going forward for the remainder of the half, in fact it cheered up the visitors weirdly, but the Yeltz did look a lot more assured in defense and midfield compared to recent defeat in the last few weeks/months.
The Blues enjoyed the majority of the output after the half hour mark in the first half. Hold up play from Canfer to Page, saw the winger find Davis down the left who won a corner off Ben Cassidy. The delivery from Page was whipped to the back post, but missed everyone and rolled out for a goal kick. On 42 minutes, two chances went begging at both ends. A sneaky ball through to Canfer from McGrath caught us out, and forced Platt to react quick, before a counter saw Cassidy hit a ball long to Kellermann, who lobbed the ball over Charlie Beckwith but hit the top of the net.
The start to the second 45 was mesmerising. We have been lucky to see some great forward players at the Yeltz in recent seasons. Kieren Donnelly, Conor Tee, Miracle Okafor, Jack Holmes, Montel Gibson, Simeon Cobourne and many more, but Jason Cowley may just lead the pack. Two goals in three minutes to send our number 9 five clear of the league scoring charts, and two away from the big 30. He’s only three off Matt Stenson’s league high of 31 last season, and what a campaign he had during Telford’s promotion.
Aside from the three minutes of Cowley bliss, the Yeltz pushed for a fourth, and my days was it close at times. A free kick just outside the area on 53 minutes came after Cowley was brought down by Ryan Jolland. The delivery from Kellermann was back heeled by Cowley, but blocked by Joe Carroll. Almost a hat-trick in six minutes. Bang on the hour mark, Cassidy found Smile in the middle, who knocked the ball out wide to Roberts up from centre half. The latter eyed up the goal, struck the ball clean, and just missed the target from 30 yards out. A goal of the season contender, not to be.
We continued in our attempts to add to the tally, and on 67 minutes Jordan Ponticelli crossed to the back post, but with half the goal gaping, Kellermann failed to add to his assist for the equaliser and third goal, as he missed his chance to score his first since November by hitting the ball over the bar. A deserved goal didn’t come Jimmy’s way again today, but what a month he has had so far with FIVE assists, yes five assists in four games, and plenty of plaudits from Yeltz fans on social media singing his praises.
To be fair to the visitors, they did try hard to get back into the contest, even if we looked comfortable. All five subs made and plenty of heart shown for a side who have over performed after promotion to step 3 last season, and a big fair play to all their players, their amazing fan base, and their manager Cole Skuse. On 63 minutes, Maughn passed out to Jolland. The latter passed short to Davis near the by-line, who cut back and found Carroll. The latter’s cross went all the way to Ethan Mayhew in space, who hit wide.
The side from Bury St Edmunds, not to be confused with the Bury in Manchester, went very close on 84 minutes, as a cross from down the right by White was met by substitute Ally Conway, whose flicked header went wide of the left post. In the fourth minute of five added on, a George Quantrell ball found fellow sub Cemal Ramadan. The latter poked the ball across the goal, before Butterfield cleared for a corner. The ball went to Quantrell from the set piece, who then gave the ball to Davis, whose cross went into the hands of Platt.
Despite the visitors best efforts, the win belonged to the Yeltz, and what a much needed double win we claimed this week to send us into 4th and put pressure on the sides with games in hand below us. Six games to go, three against sides in the top half, three against sides in the bottom half. They all currently have scenarios to play for, so we can’t make light work of any game left. But crucially of all the sides competing with us for the top 5, we have put the ball in the back of the net the most, and have the league’s top goalscorer.
Attendance: 1,222
Teams
Yeltz XI: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy (Jak Hickman 90+2’), Josh Smile (C), Ryan Wollacott, Mitch Roberts (Rob Evans 86’), Todd Parker, Jason Cowley (Ty Barnett 90+2’), Milan Butterfield, Jim Kellermann (Kyle Finn 86’), Jordan Ponticelli (Fin Holmes 70’), Reece Mitchell
Unused Subs: None
Bury Town XI: Charlie Beckwith (GK), Joe White (Lewis O’Malley 86’), Joe Carroll, Ryan Jolland (Ally Conway 76’), Taylor Parr (C), Ethan Mayhew, Max Maughn, Callum Page (George Quantrell 81’), Jamie McGrath (Cemal Ramadan 86’), Mikey Davis, Ollie Canfer (Jamie Mauge 67’)
Unused Subs: None