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Halesowen defeated by Bromsgrove in another uninspiring performance to make it three defeats on the trot
Written by Ben Ditchfield
Having lost just three in 12 before Christmas, Halesowen lose for a third successive match for the first time since Russ Penn's appointment in February as the Yeltz fell to a lively Bromsgrove Sporting side by two goals to nil.
The Rouslers took the lead just nine minutes into the second half, through Jamie Meddows 12th goal of the season. The Bromsgrove top scorer stabbed the ball into the net following Aksum White's burst down the right and cross in towards the Bromsgrove number 11.
The away side doubled their lead in the 70th minute, as former Yeltz loanee Fin Holmes added a fourth to his Bromsgrove goal tally. Holmes featured eight times earlier this season for Penn's side but on this occasion at The Grove, he lined up for the opposition and slotted past Dan Platt after being sent through one on one to add Bromsgrove's second goal.
"Today was probably the worst showing we've had in this poor run, particularly the second 45," said Yeltz boss Russ Penn. "10 days ago we were all merry and bouncing, but football has a knack of knocking and kicking you when you least expect it. We had a few chances in the first half but we missed in the big moments.
"We shouldn't be conceding the way we are, it's really poor, we just aren't ruthless enough in the defence at the moment and we are just conceding way to many goals for my liking. We need to change it and do so quick, if we want fo keep ourselves in the moment we are in, near the top of the league. When we go a goal down, we have a real bad habit at the moment of conceding more or less straight away, we are too open and have no game management, that aspect has been my biggest disappointment over the last few games."
The first half was fairly even, both sides created chances but failed to test either keeper. Inside the first minute, McKauley Manning wriggled free on the right before he lifted a ball into the box towards the in-rushing Conor Tee, who fashioned space to head just wide of Charlie Price's post.
In the minutes that followed, Bromsgrove created two chances of their own. Fin Holmes got to a long ball pumped up from defence, that he reached ahead of Ryan Wollacott, before the Bromsgrove man played out to Jamie Meddows on the edge of the area, whose cross was only just flicked behind by Jak Hickman ahead of the challenging Bromsgrove attacker. Holmes again got the better of Wollacott just three minutes later, as he ran free on the right before he fired just wide of Platt's left hand post, despite the presence of Ryan Wynter who failed to put off the Rousler's number 20, prior to his attempt at goal.
Two huge chances for both sides followed, just prior to and after the 20th minute. The first came for Penn's side, as they re-worked the ball back into the box from a corner through Hickman to Todd Parker, before the latter placed a ball on top of Wynter's head who hit just wide. The second came Bromsgrove's way, as Theo Robinson played Jamie Meddows through on the right of the area, before his shot took a nick off Dan Platt and ricocheted off the post and out.
Five minutes before the half-time whistle, the visitors crafted two efforts in an attempt to open the deadlock. Aksum White beat Tee, before he fired a cross into the box that evaded everyone and led to the ball being picked up on the opposite side of the wing to Carter Lycett who put in a cross that was cleared. Just 60 seconds before the one additional minute at the end of the first period, a ball fired forward was somehow saved from going out for a goal kick by the pacey Holmes, who hit a low cross that was cleared by Wollacott to Billy Shaw, whose volley flew over the bar.
In the second half, chances were at a premium for the Yeltz, as Bromsgrove asserted clear dominance and control after their opening goal. Just after Meddows' goal, Kieren Donnelly sprinted down the right and found an opening to shoot just wide of the bottom right. 10 minutes later, the Yeltz number nine saw the ball bounce invitingly to shoot, only for the ball to deflect off Rousler's captain Reece King, just before Bromsgrove's second goal.
Russ Penn's side reacted even worse to the second goal and could have gone a third goal down just eight minutes later. Holmes hit a shot just outside the box that Platt failed to stop from going out for a corner. The resulting corner was put into the box by Lycett and found King's head, who rose highest and forced a goal saving block from a Yeltz body.
Penn's side's only chance in the final 20 minutes of the game came through Tee. The man who played against his old employers, forced Price to palm away his corner, before the resulting one saw him deliver to the front post, but he failed to beat the first man and saw the chance disappear in a flash. The defeat means the side have scored just three goals since the 5-0 thrashing of Barwell, and drop to fourth in the league, the sides lowest league position since mid October.
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker (Musa Ceesay 75'), Conor Tee, Kieren Donnelly, Alex Cameron (Charlie Wragg 61'), McKauley Manning
Unused subs: Ben Cassidy, Nat Kelly, Pa Njie
Bromsgrove: Charlie Price (GK), Aksum White, Reece King (C), Aaron Roberts, Ashley Carter, Billy Shaw, Theo Robinson, Jamie Meddows (Luke Rowe 76'), Jack Newell (Jordan Lyden 60'), Carter Lycett, Fin Holmes (Harry Crook 86')
Unused subs: Shay Palmer, Ethan Patterson
Attendance - 1,503