Match Report | Bishop's Stortford (A)

Bishop’s Stortford 1 Halesowen Town 2

Kieren Donnelly struck twice to keep Halesowen in touch with the top of the table.

In the early exchanges of the first meeting for 37 years, Halesowen’s Conor Tee struck a 6th minute free-kick just over the bar and Halesowen goalkeeper Dan Platt made a good 16th minute save to turn the ball away from the bottom corner. With the ball still not properly cleared from the resulting corner, Kian Harness struck an overhead kick over the bar. 

The Yeltz went straight up the other end to take an 18th minute lead when DONNELLY latched onto Platt’s goal-kick and chipped over the top of goalkeeper Charlie Binns who had raced out of his goal. Jordan Ponticelli then volleyed high from a 30th minute Halesowen corner and Luke Warner-Eley fired narrowly wide for the hosts.

Towards the interval, Bishop’s Stortford’s Mark Haines almost turned Tee’s cross into his own net and Jak Hickman made a fine block at the other end to deny Brad Russell in space. Just seconds before the interval Tee broke through but he dragged a huge chance wide of the home goal.

Donnelly was brought down by Sami Moutawafiq directly from the restart and was awarded a penalty - but his spot-kick was saved superbly by Binns, who dived to his right.

Halesowen soon paid the price when Cole DASILVA headed home Warner-Eley’s 56th minute cross to equalise for Bishop’s Stortford. 

Platt then saved low down in the 75th minute after Rashawn Scott cut in and Musa Ceesay fired over the bar from a 30 yard free-kick after 78 minutes for the visitors.

But Halesowen won the game with just two minutes remaining after substitute Todd Parker fed the ball for DONNELLY to race through to beat Binns and convert into the bottom corner.

Bishop’s Stortford: Charlie Binns; Cole Dasilva, Luke Warner-Eley, Jake Thompson (c), Mark Haines, Charlie Castle (Ryan Charles 63), Sami Moutawafiq, Kian Harness, Brad Russell (Fabio Virciglio 83), Erin Amu (Jack Taylor 78), Rashawn Scott. Subs Not Used: Olu Oluwatimilehin, Jaden Ogwuazor.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Jak Hickman (Ben Cassidy 71), Reece Mitchell (Nat Kelly 90), Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (c), Ryan Wollacott, Musa Ceesay Ceesay, Conor Tee (Todd Parker 82), Kieren Donnelly, Jordan Ponticelli, McKauley Manning. Sub Not Used: Adi Yussuf, Lewis Solly.

Attendance: 531

Booked: Warner-Eley (50), Hickman (65), Mitchell (69)

Referee: Benjamin Bowles