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A late goal overshadowes another top quality showing from 10 man Halesowen in defeat to Royston Town
Written by Ben Ditchfield
An 89th minute winner from Royston's ever present Ben Weyman put a huge damper on a dominant 60 minute showing from the Yeltz, that saw a huge setback off a red card completely twist the game on its axis.
Weyman has now featured in 28 games this season, the only player to have played in all of Royston's matches this campaign. The Crows number eight opened the scoring late on with a brilliant header to the top corner following some neat build up between Damaray Anyadike and Archibald Locke, before the latter put in the decisive cross.
Russ Penn's side failed to mount pressure on league leaders Kettering Town, who slipped to defeat last night and seemed to lack a clear cut edge in front of goal with the unavailability of Kieren Donnelly due to suspension. Penn's side did dominate the first 60 minutes of the match before the challenge that earnt Ryan Wynter a straight red card just three minutes after the hour mark, allowed the hosts to take a foothold in the match and craft the late winner.
"It is a tough place to come to", said Yeltz boss Russ Penn. "Add that to the poor pitch against a rugged and difficult team to play against, it looked to be going towards a 0-0 with 11v11 but they just turned the gas up when they had 11v10.
"We defended excellently and created some good moments, like when we hit the post with the last kick of the game, but it's a disappointing night. There was no real quality from either side tonight, both teams turned possession a lot due to the playing conditions, which made the game scrappy. We just couldn't grind the game out."
It's the first defeat for Halesowen since the late collapse to Stratford Town in the last week of September, but Penn's side started this game in the ascendancy. A brilliant break away just five minutes into the first half saw Conor Tee scuff an effort just wide. Minutes later, Jak Hickman sent in a beautiful ball over the top to McKauley Manning through on goal, who was called marginally offside.
The Yeltz pressure continued to build and a Ben Cassidy throw in bang on the 10 minute mark allowed him to play a one-two with Jordan Ponticelli before playing in a cross that was claimed by Dixon-Hodge. Minutes later Todd Parker gave the ball to Reece Mitchell. The Yeltz number three put in a cross towards the back post that was again met by the Royston keeper.
Ben Cassidy nearly opened the scoring just after the 15th minute, after the Yeltz received a free kick due to a handball, Hickman stood over the ball and forced a reaction save from Dixon-Hodge, before the Yeltz re-worked the ball with Ponticelli, who played Cassidy in, to hit narrowly wide.
10 minutes later it was Conor Tee's turn to almost unlock the deadlock as his initial shot was blocked before the ball flew back to the feet of Halesowen's number 10 who forced another testing stop from the Royston number one. The hosts' only opening on goal came just after the half way stage of the half, a poor clearance from Ryan Wynter was pounced upon by Harrison Rookard on the edge of the area, whose shot was hit straight at Platt.
The late knockings of the half saw another fine flowing move from Penn's side, Reece Mitchell the star of the side's first half showing, put in a ball after a run down the left to Todd Parker who refused to shoot so he could give back to Mitchell who marauded into a crossing position that he overhit. Two minutes into the two added on at the end of the first period, Luke Johnson forced a tremendous save from Dan Platt that allowed the Yeltz to clear away the danger and enter the dressing room at half time level.
The Garden Walk had been a hunting ground for away teams recently, with Royston winless in three of their last four. The Yeltz looked to be carrying on the trend as they started the second half in the same blistering pace as the first. Tee and Manning on an early free kick, saw the latter swerve it over the wall and onto the head of the inrushing Ryan Wollacott before a foul was given against the away side.
Another free kick 10 minutes later, this time delivered by Hickman, was met by Wynter, who headed narrowly wide of Dixon-Hodge's post. The red card for Halesowen's captain followed, which put a huge dent in the Yeltz momentum that forced Penn into a necessary defensive substitution with Manning exiting proceedings for Nat Kelly, which allowed the hosts to dominate the latter stages.
Despite two big chances that saw Hickman and Josh Smile link-up to spark claims for a handball in the Royston penalty area just prior to a Ponticelli strike that hit the side netting, The Crows dominated the final 15 minutes. The hosts crafted two massive openings themselves just before the deciding goal that saw Weyman's blocked shot fall to Johnson whose shot was saved brilliantly down to Dan Platt's left, before an effort minutes later saw Joshua Coldicott-Stevens rattle the post.
60% of the last 272 goals The Crows had scored since August 2019 had come in the second half of games, so it was no surprise their big moment came in the latter stages from Ben Weyman's fifth goal of the season. The game wasn't without its fair share of drama though, as Ryan Wollacott, in the fifth of four minutes added on in the 90th, smacked an incredible volley off the woodwork, before a raised offside greeted the full-time whistle to an extraordinary finish to the game.
Royston: Tommy Dixon-Hodge (GK), James Brighton (C), Joshua Coldicott-Stevens, Harvey Beckett, Ben Weyman, Harrison Rookard (Miguel Ngwa 80'), Luke Johnson (Edward Asafu-Adjaye 90+1'), Damaray Anyadike, Oluwakoyejo Dawodu, Kian Harness, Archibald Locke
Unused subs: Tyrone Baker, Jesse Akubuine, Devonte Aransibia
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy, Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker, Jak Hickman, Jordan Ponticelli, Conor Tee, McKauley Manning (Nat Kelly 65')
Unused subs: Luke Postle, Pa Njie, Musa Ceesay, Mason Heather
Attendance: 237