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Written by Ben Ditchfield
Following a goalless first period where the Yeltz failed to take their chances to make a dent in the score line, Russ Penn's side scored three in just six minutes at the start of the second half, to send them into the second round of the FA Trophy by beating step 4 side Congleton Town.
Conor Tee's bundle in from close range from a McKauley Manning cross got Halesowen up and running before Musa Ceesay made it two with his first goal for the club in his first appearance at The Grove after he smashed a worldie in from 25 yards. The six minute hot streak was rounded off with Manning adding to his assist for the first, with a beautifully struck shot placed perfectly into the bottom right before Jordan Ponticelli scored his first goal at The Grove from the penalty spot.
Penn stated, "We said at half time that we just needed a bit more nous and quality in the final
third and thankfully we found it. Donnelly and Ponticelli were amazing today, so too was our forward play overall with our wingers getting in on the act as well. Games like today are difficult mentally, we are expected too win, the fans expect a result so I am pleased with the way the boys dealt with it, the second half in particular."
It only took the Yeltz two minutes too slip in behind the away sides defense, Kieren Donnelly found himself in on the right before Congleton's keeper David Parton came out to smother. A matter of minutes later Ponticelli beat his man prior too a burst into the box to force a smart low save down to Parton's left.
Despite the positive attacking signs early on, a combination of poor passing and being disspossed on countless occasions in particular the first half hour of the match, Congleton were allowed to find space and time too execute a number of high quality chances to Yeltz boss Russ Penn's frustration.
"We made hard work of it today, we are giving
away too many chances at the moment and defensively as a team we were so open today, just like we were last month. If it wasn't for Dan Platt, some good clearances and their poor finishing, it could have been 4-4.
Two big chances in the first ten minutes were spurned by the away side, defender Peter Williams occupied a midfield role at time to give Congleton an extra man in the middle of the park that the Yeltz struggled to deal with, he found Daniel Needham on the edge who passed to Max McCarthy who failed to add to his ten goals this season by shooting just wide of Dan Platt's post. Platt then almost cost his team after a poor pass from the back was pounced on and eventually went unpunished as Kieran Gardner-Knapper could only find his gloves.
After getting through the dodgy spell, the Yeltz finished the half much better and perhaps should have opened the scoring just before the 20 minute mark as Jordan Ponticelli cut inside and whipped a beautiful strike onto the underside of the bar with no one on hand to
convert the rebound to allow Congleton to clear. The Yeltz man then had another effort minutes after meeting a Conor Tee cross but failing to make enough contact to test the keeper.
A huge late chance missed by Max McCarthy after being sent through on goal by Daniel Needham was well saved by Dan Platt who showed sharp reflexes to stop the Congleton number nine one on one and keep it goalless at the break.
The start of the second period sparked the astonishing onslaught in front of goal with three goals in six minutes meaning Penn's side have scored in eight of their last 10 home games, that allowed the home sides nerves to settle and forced the away side to crumble after their positive first half that surely pleased boss Richard Duffy against a side from the league above.
Halesowen have now lost just two of their 31 since the start of last season when ahead, but with over 65% of the last 45 goals Congleton
have scored coming in the second half of games, on top of Halesowen's poor recent defensive record, the game certainly wasn't done. The away side finally made their pressure pay in front of goal and provoke a potential late onslaught on the hour mark, with what was their first chance of the half after captain Darren Chadwick headed home just his second of the season.
The introductions of Josh Smile, Nat Kelly and Ben Cassidy in the minutes that followed, allowed the side to adopt a more comfortable possession style to see the game out. A potential late Congleton comeback was ended when Jordan Ponticelli who almost added to the scoresheet minutes before hitting a volley just wide, was allowed the chance from the spot to score his second goal in as many games, which he dually converted by wrong footing the keeper.
The win means Halesowen enter the second round of the FA Trophy for the first time since that memorable run to the Semi-Final in the 2019/20 season, and ends a run of two defeats
in a row at home.
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman (Ben Cassidy 76'), Reece Mitchell, Todd Parker, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott (Nat Kelly 69'), Musa Ceesay (Josh Smile 57'), Conor Tee, Kieren Donnelly, Jordan Ponticelli, McKauley Manning
Unused Subs - Adi Yussuf, Lewis Solly
Congleton: David Parton (GK), Marco Fregapane, Owen Morris, Peter Williams, Josh Ryder, Darren Chadwick (C), Kieran Gardner-Knapper, William Arnold (Thomas Hampton 81'), Max McCarthy, Ethan Hartshorn, Daniel Needham (George Sankey 89')
Unused Subs - Lewis Porter, Joshua Hall
Attendance - 808
Man of the match - McKauley Manning