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Halesowen suffer late heartbreak as they concede late on in narrow defeat to Kidderminster Harriers
Written by Ben Ditchfield
A hard fought and resilient performance from Russ Penn's side was dealt a damaging blow as they conceded a 92nd minute goal to lose 2-1 in a nail biting finale at Aggborough to end a run of six unbeaten.
Penn's side took the lead bang on the 10th minute, some tenacious pressing from Conor Tee and Todd Parker on a loose ball back to Kidderminster keeper Christian Dibble. It allowed the ball to squirm out to Jordan Ponticelli for a tap-in, to score for the fifth successive match in all competitions and become just the first to do so since 2014, just a fortnight after his strike partner Kieren Donnelly became the first to score in five consecutive league games for a decade.
After holding off the inevitable pressure from the Carpetmen, Reece Devine notched in the equaliser just ten minutes from the half. They worked the ball down the left, before the eventual scorer set up a cross that Caleb Richards fizzed into the box, that saw the ball bobble to the in-rushing Devine, to side foot home from two yards out.
An on the edge of your seat finale, ended in the most excruciating way for the Yeltz, as the hosts quality shone through late on, as they peppered Penn's side in the final 15 minutes to make way for the late winner. Second half sub Kobe Hall the Kidderminster hero, scoring his first for the club after he received the ball just five yards out and needed two bites at the cherry, to stick it into an open net and send the tie away from penalty kicks in a closely contested match.
"It was an end to end game," said Yeltz boss Russ Penn, "We were absolutely magnificent, i asked at the start of the game for emotion, aggression and go show our quality, which we did. We matched them all game and its a horrible way to lose, but I'm so proud of the boys."
"The lads felt like they were in a proper game out there today. Massive credit for the support, we fed off it and hopefully we can use it in future, to build the performances we have been putting out on the pitch.
"They are obviously flat at the moment in the dressing room, but give it an hour or two, they should and hopefully will feel pride and stand up tall to what was a top performance against a high quality opponent."
Despite the early goal, Halesowen struggled to pursue the momentum they had gathered, allowing Kidderminster to have the bulk of the chances. Prior to the goal, one of the Reds three ever presents this season, David Davis went close as he curled an effort just over the bar following a failed clearance from Ryan Wollacott. Just after the goal, the hosts almost got the perfect response, after the ball was switched from right too left, Reece Devine darted in a devious ball into the box, that was narrowly missed by two Kidderminster attackers sliding in.
That allowed the pathway for the equaliser, that almost saw them double the lead minutes after. Ashley Hemmings put Devine in on goal, but Dan Platt thwarted Kidderminster's number five, one on one, forcing him to hit past the post, before he was later subbed of prior to the interval with an injury.
Two huge chances from corners for the home side at the end of the first period saw an Ashley Hemmings delivery to Amari Morgan-Smith for both. The first was swung towards the back post, where he headed just wide. The second came from a poor pass back from Josh Smile, allowing Hemmings to deliver to this time put in a more central delivery that fell to Morgan-Smith from five yards out, but was headed over.
A demolishing end to the first half saw the tide almost turn, as Jordan Ponticelli hit the post in added time after a break that started with a Ben Cassidy ball to Jak Hickman. A switch up in momentum appeared to continue into the second period, as Russ Penn's side came out all guns blazing at the start of the second period as they looked to get at the Reds poor record when level at half-time, of just six wins in their last 20.
After Kidderminster hit the post, ten minutes into the second half through first half sub Seb Thompson, Halesowen were all over the hosts, as efforts saw Conor Tee on the third of three corners in the space of three minutes, dart in a ball towards Ponticelli, who worked his way through the box to dig a shot over the bar. Tee then had a chance of his own, as the ball fell out to him on the edge of the D, to see a goalbound effort blocked on route to goal.
Just like into the latter stages of the first half, Phil Brown's side grew into the game and the final 20 minutes of the match saw an immense amount of pressure on the Yeltz backline. A few minutes before the final 10 minutes, Ashley Hemmings found himself through on goal, but failed to beat the outstretched Platt, who made himself big.
Chaos then ensured in the box on the 77th minute, a clearance out to the edge of the area, saw the ball re-enter the box and claims for a penalty waved away by the referee. Eight minutes from the 90, an even better guilt-edged chance went begging for the hosts, as the ball was delivered to the back post and thankfully went the other side of the net.
A David Davis header a minute before the 90 sparked the start of a chaotic ending. The four minutes of added time marked the moment for the Kidderminster winner and also saw the Yeltz put everything on the line for a last gasp equaliser, even Dan Platt came up from the back for a late free kick. The ball was delivered just over the head of substitute Nat Kelly, who made a surge into the box but saw the ball run away from him at the last moment and into the gloves of Dibble who was able to waste the final few seconds, before the whistle.
Kidderminster: Christian Dibble (GK), Caleb Richards, Reece Devine (Seb Thompson 40'), Reiss McNally, Amari Morgan-Smith (C), Ashley Hemmings (Paul Downing 90+3'), Joe Foulkes, Tope Obadeyi (Kobe Hall 51'), David Davis, Kam Kandola, Ryley Reynolds
Unused sub: Tom Palmer (GK), Taylor Foran
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy, Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker, Conor Tee, Musa Ceesay (Pa Njie 85') Jordan Ponticelli, Jak Hickman (Nat Kelly 80')
Unused subs: Luke Postle, Adi Yussuf, Gael Mfuamba (GK)
Attendance - 3,884 (1,442 Halesowen)