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Conor Tee scores twice as Halesowen edge out Royston Town to go top of the league
Written by Ben Ditchfield
The victory means the Yeltz go top for the first time since matchday two in August, as Conor Tee and Dan Platt starred as the heroes in a tightly contested match that went until the death in a cagey second half.
Russ Penn's side took the lead in remarkable fashion, as Conor Tee just 20 seconds from kick-off received the ball on the edge of the box and curled the ball into the top right. Tee scored to make it 2-0 half way through the first period, his 11th goal of the season and 10th in the league, becoming just the 10th player to reach the landmark this season.
The goal came through Kieren Donnelly's run through the backline and header from a bouncing ball that he got to ahead of Tommy Dixon-Hodge. Both were taken down in the box which allowed Tee to run onto the loose ball and tap into an open net. Royston got one back minutes later, a goal which means The Crows have now scored more goals in the first half than any other side in the league. Oluwakoyejo Dawodu crossed the ball into the box towards Harrison Rookard, who tapped home for just his second goal of the league season.
"I was so emotional in that last half an hour, i might have to watch the game back", said Yeltz boss Russ Penn. "We won the game in the first 20 minutes, the way we started the contest was immense and it was front footed football at it's best. It should have been three or four but we let them back into it out of nowhere, which meant it was game on, they went direct and brought the big boys on, but we defended well.
"It is encouraging how many chances we created today but also annoying cause they are full chances and we didn't take them so we had to grind it out until the end. Our subs made excellent contributions, Ceesay was good when he came on and we have Wragg and Flanagan coming back soon too. Conor was great today, Milan Butterfield has a spike in the middle, Todd and Manning looked re-energized after a game off. Royston have been a tough side to play in the two we have played against them and they will cause many problems for other teams, before the end of the season."
The Yeltz came out all guns blazing in the first half hour of the match and almost added a second just seven minutes into the game. McKauley Manning dribbled his way past multiple Royston defenders before he won a corner. From it, Donnelly was found at the near post and almost slid the ball into the bottom right. 10 minutes later, Penn's side crafted two chances in as many minutes, the first of which came through Todd Parker who as always held off the attention in the midfield, before he spread a ball into the attack. Hickman picked up that ball and found Milan Butterfield sprinting towards goal, whose cross/shot went out for a goal kick.
The Royston goal kick was picked up in the midfield by Halesowen, who re-worked with Josh Smile. The Yeltz number four ran into the final third and found Manning on the right with James Brighton and Jesse Akubuine either side, to double up on the Yeltz winger. The pressure the pair put on Manning forced him to shoot at an angle and create a comfortable catch for Dixon-Hodge. Just before the second and third goals of the game, Royston almost crafted an equaliser. Josh Coldicott-Stevens stood over a free-kick on the left and delivered it into the centre of the box, where it was met by the sliding Archie Locke, who from a matter of yards out somehow knocked the ball past the post with the goal gaping.
The first half tempo slowed down after all three goals and the lighting 30 minute period from Penn's side, but they were still able to create some fast flowing opportunities in search of a third goal. Just after the half hour mark, a poor challenge on Manning gave his side a free-kick on the half-way line. Tee took it and found Wollacott, whose header could only find the feet of Coldicott-Stevens on the edge of the D. The side picked the ball off the latter and almost added to their tally. Just before the end of the 45 minutes, a pin point ball over the top to Reece Mitchell, saw him find Donnelly. On route to goal he was greeted by Locke, who was there to block the forwards shot.
Despite their lacklustre first half showing, which warranted just two attempts at goal of note, one of which their goal, Royston showed much more impetus in the second period and almost punished the Yeltz for their missed chances in the first 45. Five minutes into the second 45, Rookard beat Wollacott for pace, but was forced wide by the Yeltz defender making his 30th start of the campaign. The Royston scorer, was enclosed near to the left corner flag but managed to dig out a cross to the creator of his goal, Dawodu, who nodded down to Akubuine to head straight at Dan Platt.
A 10 minute period of a bonkers nature followed, just after the hour mark as Royston should have levelled through substitute Eduard Toiny-Pendred's header. He received a cross from fellow substitute, Ben Weyman, which was clawed away from the corner by Platt and cleared away from danger following a scramble. The Yeltz counter-attacked from that heart stopping moment and Donnelly was played through one-on-one with Crows keeper Dixon-Hodge. He held off Adam Murray, but the Royston shotstopper did expertly well to make himself big and deny the Yeltz number nine.
The Yeltz top scorer has now gone five games without a goal but showed off his electric work-rate as he looked to end his poor recent record in front of goal. Chasing after the ball on the right from the by-line, he dug his foot underneath the ball to hit it into the side netting. The frontman was involved again minutes later, as after being sent through on goal, his attempt from another difficult angle went over the bar.
Dan Platt, 15 minutes before the end of the game, almost suffered a howler after he raced out of his goal and misjudged the speed of Rookard who got their first. He ran clear of the Yeltz keeper and had the whole goal at his mercy, but an outstanding piece of defending from Ryan Wynter stalled the visitors number nine and forced him away from the box, which allowed Platt to retreat back to his goal.
The Royston pressure seemed to fizzle out in the final 10 minutes, although the risks were still clear to see for all 512 present at The Grove. Two late chances in Halesowen's attempts to add a goal and the cherry on top of a very desirable cake, saw a free-kick on the far left swung into the box. The ball went straight across the penalty area and evaded Wynter and Musa Ceesay, recently introduced, at the back post, whose attempts to attack the ball came to nothing.
Ceesay in the second minute of four added on at the end of the 90, started a counter, as he ventured into the green grass ahead of him. He had former Redditch teammate and substitute Alex Cameron ahead of him, who he used, but the Yeltz winter arrival took too long on the ball and could force nothing more than a comfortable stop from Dixon-Hodge. The Yeltz rallied over the line to victory to go top of the table for the first time since August and record a sixth victory in their last seven home games, a contribution to the club now having the second best home record in the league this campaign.
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker, Conor Tee (Alex Cameron 89'), Kieren Donnelly (Ben Cassidy 83'), Kacy Butterfield, McKauley Manning (Musa Ceesay 78')
Unused subs: Martin Riley, Lewis Solly (GK)
Royston: Tommy Dixon-Hodge (GK), James Brighton, Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Adam Murray (C), Harvey Beckett, Harrison Rookard, Jesse Akubuine (Eduard Toiny-Pendred 62'), Damaray Anyadike (Ben Weyman 51'), Oluwakoyejo Dawodu (Tyrone Baker 85'), Aaron Greene (Luke Johnson 62'), Archie Locke
Unused subs: Ed Asafu-Adjaye
Attendance - 512
Man of the match - Dan Platt