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Halesowen complete a remarkable turnaround to make it four without defeat in the number 9 derby
Written by Ben Ditchfield
The Yeltz recorded back to back home victories against The Glassboys for the first time in 15 years as Kieren Donnelly marked his 100th appearance for the club with his second consecutive brace against Stourbridge.
Penn's Yeltz made it eight wins in their last 10 at The Grove, and in their latest blockbuster against Stourbridge. The victory means the side now have the best home record in the league this season. Ethan Freemantle initially put his former bosses side on the back foot, inside the first minute of the game. The striker scored his 11th goal of the campaign in all competitions, when he rounded Platt and tapped into the net just ahead off Jamie Willets' last gasp attempt to block the effort on the line.
The Yeltz, not for the first time recently, had a terrible first period, and even carried it on into the majority of the second period. Charlie Wragg and Milan Butterfield were introduced into the game from the bench, and completely turned the contest around. Wragg claimed his first goal for the club, on his eighth Yeltz appearance on loan from Walsall. The youngster, unmarked, latched onto a headed clearance from a corner, just inside the box, which allowed him the time and space to drill a beautiful strike into the bottom right.
Stourbridge were the masters of their own downfall, the visitors had scored more goals than anyone else this season in the final 15 minutes of games. Halesowen added 16 to their 75+ minute tally, as Donnelly secured his 19th and 20th league goals of the season, and just the third player after Matt Stenson for Telford and Leon Lobjoit for Bedford, to reach that mark this campaign.
The Yeltz number nine in the number 9 derby, headed in from a Conor Tee free-kick, which Milan Butterfield headed on toward him, which gave his side an 85th minute lead. Donnelly, got his second of the evening, in the sixth minute of stoppage time. A goal that meant he became the first Yeltz player in over 50 years to score multiple goals in consecutive number 9 derbies.
"The goal at the start of the game put us on the back foot, but i thought we were the dominant team throughout", said Penn. "We banged on the door and eventually our quality shone through. We have been saying all along that it is a squad game, and you are only as good as your subs, which proved pivotal today. The officials managed the emotion of the game well today, but it is not about them, it is about us.
"I thought were fully deserving of the three points. Our energy levels were much better than Stourbridge's, we looked fresher and so did our subs. Today was a proper non-league game, a brilliant crowd. I even had fans this morning ringing me up saying they were coming here instead of the Villa and West Brom, which is great, it is a credit to both clubs. The win puts us within touching distance at the top, and that is ultimately what we want."
The Glassboys dominated the opening five minutes and could have added a second goal to their early opener. Central defender Jordaan Brown, hit a ball long from the wing-back position. The ball was angled up towards Freemantle, who beat Ryan Wollacott in the air, but on his first Yeltz appearance since December, Jamie Willets was on hand to clear the ball away from danger. Kain Ryan on his Stourbridge debut, very nearly gifted the Yeltz an early leveller. The midfielder brought in on loan from Coventry City, hit a ball off Reece Flanagan, but as it went towards the goal, it fell perfectly into the grasps off goalkeeper, Callum Smith.
Smith was called into action shortly after, when Donnelly received the ball from a Tee free-kick. The Stourbridge shotstopper who made his first start in four games, managed to cover the angles and smother the ball into his grasp. The busy opening 10 minutes was met by a fairly miserable remainder of the half, which only warranted the Yeltz with one attempt at goal. Donnelly won a dual against Ryan on the right, which allowed him to deliver into the middle to Tee, whose header lacked power and direction, to allow for an easy stop.
Stourbridge started the second period in the ascendancy, just like in the first 45. Dan Platt was forced into a remarkable save, when Brown mopped up the ball in midfield and set Dom Lewis on a run. The latter found Alex Moore, who spotted the availability of Freemantle, who won a free-kick. The set peice was delivered in by the captain, Moore, which caused chaos, and the save from Platt, on his 14th number 9 derby appearance.
Halesowen grew into the game in the second 45, and Tee was disappointed to have not added to his four goal in five games at The Grove this year. The Yeltz set peice maestro, had minutes prior delivered in a poor corner, but almost made up for it when he unleashed a shot from 25 yards out, that whistled just wide off the scurrying Smith's right post. Reece Flanagan did brilliantly to intercept the ball from the Stourbridge midfield and drive forward. The first time Yeltz captain today, saw no viable options either side, so he drilled a shot that went narrowly wide of the same post.
Wragg, minutes after his substitution, beat Ryan on the by-line from a Tee corner. His attempt ball into the box was blocked by Harvey Portman and cleared. The Walsall was involved again, when he linked up with Tee and used his speed to sprint clear off two Stourbridge defenders and return the ball to Tee with a cross. The Yeltz number eight found Donnelly, who was tackled by Blaine Rowe.
Russ Penn's side continued to knock on the door late into the game, and were rewarded with the three well worked goals, to give the side all three points from the most unlikely of situations. The win means the side have now lost just once in eight against The Glassboys, in the latest victory against them, which keeps the side just six points off the top, with a huge midweek fixture against Kettering Town on the horizon.
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Reece Mitchell (Ben Cassidy 70'), Josh Smile, Jamie Willets, Ryan Wollacott, Todd Parker, Conor Tee, Kieren Donnelly, Reece Flanagan (C) (Charlie Wragg 70'), McKauley Manning (Milan Butterfield 70')
Unused subs: Musa Ceesay, Alex Cameron
Stourbridge: Callum Smith (GK), Blaine Rowe (Jack Fletcher 87'), Harvey Portman (Lewys Benjamin 90+4'), Dom Lewis, Jordaan Brown, Kain Ryan (Jai Verma 82'), Alex Moore (C), Ethan Freemantle (Miro Pais 84'), Richard Batchelor, Jourdain Masidi, Tyrone Barnett (Alex Jones 73')
Unused subs: None
Attendance - 3,043
Man of the match - Milan Butterfield