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Halesowen secure a fifth league win in a row with a three goal to one thrashing of Biggleswade Town
Written by Ben Ditchfield
Russ Penn's side dominated proceedings throughout in a 3-1 win against bottom of the pile Biggleswade Town, to make it seven wins in the last eight occasions when falling to defeat the match prior.
Kieren Donnelly opened the scoring in the third minute of the four additional minutes at the end of the first half, as he scored for the seventh successive league game, following a half of complete domination that saw the visitors fail to register a single shot. A low rising corner from Conor Tee allowed Donnelly in a crowded penalty area to head home.
Biggleswade saw their number 10 Liam Andrews sent off just 10 minutes into the second period which to some surprise seemed to help the visitors as they grew into the game.
They were unable though to stop Jordan Ponticelli from scoring for a sixth successive match and for an eighth time in nine Yeltz appearances, 20 minutes before the 90, as he tapped home from close range following a great run and shot from Donnelly to force the Biggleswade keeper Jack Berman to palm out a rebound to set up the goal.
A third followed just 10 minutes later from the penalty spot, as both sides scored from the spot in just a four minute period. The first saw Conor Tee, the surprise taker for the Yeltz, execute a spectacular finish to the top right that secured the sides 50th goal under Russ Penn's reign and put the game beyond doubt. The away side were able to force in a consolation goal from the spot as despite Dan Platt diving the right way, Obidinma Onyeagwara curved his foot around the ball enough to put it right into the corner.
"It was a tough game today" stated Yeltz boss Russ Penn, "with expectations as high as they are, especially with last weeks performance everyone expected a win here today. We had to be at it, which we were and our quality then followed and shone through.
"We are really good going forward at the moment, we are averaging more than 2.5 goals per game in our last six or seven matches, which helped us today and should going forward to the next games.
"Biggleswade were excellent in parts today and made it very hard for us. We were at our worst when we gave the penalty away, but aside from that we managed the game really well in the last five minutes."
Halesowen were on it throughout a relentless opening 10 minute period, Kieren Donnelly turned past Joshua Steele inside just five minutes, before bursting into the box and from a tight angle forced Berman to tip the ball out for a corner.
A matter of minutes later, Donnelly was the creator, as he spread a ball out wide to Ben Cassidy marauding down the right, who cut inside towards the edge of the D and has a shott deflected just over the bar, before a Conor Tee effort whipped just away from the right corner of Berman's post.
The half temporarily fizzled out for the Yeltz but just after the half hour mark the ball was put into the net, only for the linesman to raise his flag and halt celebrations. Just prior to the goal and half time, Reece Mitchell found himself at the heart of the attack, as his cross in the 42nd minute drifted just over the head of Donnelly.
Bang on the 45th minute, Halesowen's number three darted a ball into the box towards Tee, who managed to wriggle his way ahead of Waders captain Charlie Briggs only to see his shot saved, prior to Donnelly's opener and the half-time whistle.
Halesowen have lost just once since April 2022 at The Grove when leading at half-time and Biggleswade were winless in their last eight games when conceding the first goal but the fresh-faced visitors fed off their red card at the start of the second period. Just before the hour mark, a Tsaguim Guimdo Florian operating on the right put in a cross towards their top scorer Cyrus Babaie, whose cushioned header into the danger zone was only just scrambled away.
The visitors failed to feed off their brightest moment of a lacklustre performance, as the Yeltz grew into the second half and eventually managed to build on the momentum replicated in the first half.
On the hour mark, Jordan Ponticelli almost knocked in a second as he carried the ball from the centre circle and into the box but could only hit straight at Berman. Five minutes later directly from a throw-in, Callum Wilson gave it straight to Donnelly, who set up Nick Clayton-Phillips on the edge of the box who whipped in a ball that dipped into the keepers gloves.
Halesowen's second soon followed, but the game could have changed in a switch, as a minute prior, Ryan Wynter was only just able to get in front of Cyrus Babaie in the box to cushion in back to Platt. Just after the Yeltz doubled their lead, Biggleswade crafted a second opportunity in just four minutes. A minute after coming off the bench, Samuel Tinubu delivered a free kick to Josh Steele who headed just over onto the roof of the net.
The two penalties the highlight of a quiet final ten minute period, as Russ Penn's side managed the game brilliantly to waste the final few minutes of the match. A final Biggleswade flurry forward saw two of the second half subs, Tinubu and Izekor link up to put the ball in the net, only for a raised flag.
The win means the Yeltz secure a fifth successive league win for the first time since the start of 2023, in the promotion campaign and score for the tenth successive match.
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy (Jak Hickman 75'), Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker, Conor Tee, Kieren Donnelly, Jordan Ponticelli, Nick Clayton-Phillips (Musa Ceesay 68')
Unused subs: Adi Yussuf, Nat Kelly, Lewis Solly (GK)
Biggleswade: Jack Berman (GK), Barsa Mirtahmasebi (Bosembo Namputu 90'), Callum Wilson (Patrick Staszewski 88'), Charlie Briggs (C) (Daniel Izekor 64'), Joshua Steele, Ryan Doherty, Obidinma Onyeagwara, Nagheeb Ibrahim (Samuel Tinubu 72'), Liam Andrews, Cyrus Babaie, Tsaguim Guimdo Florian
Unused subs: Lucas Georgiou
Man of the match - Reece Mitchell Attendance - 703