Live Blog - Halesowen Town vs Stamford AFC
- Ben Ditchfield
- Jan 15
- 9 min read
Match Details
📅 Date | Tuesday 14th January 2025 | 19:45 Kick Off
⚽ Competition | Southern Premier League Division Central
🏟️ Venue | The Grove, Halesowen, West Midlands
📝| Match Report
SECOND HALF SUMMARY
A huge win in Halesowen's battle for top spot, as just like 18 months ago, they beat Stamford by two goals to nil at The Grove. The second half showing from Russ Penn's side was exquisite, and caused no threat to an unwanted record of four straight defeats for almost six years. The Conor Tee penalty topped off the Josh Smile screamer from the first half, and sent the Yeltz on there way to a comfortable final 40 minutes of the contest.
21:49 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
90+7' | HALESOWEN SUBSTITUTION!
🟢Luke Postle
🔴Ben Cassidy
What a moment for Halesowen academy starlet Luke Postle, as he comes on for his league debut for the first team. The forward may not even touch the ball with the time left on the clock, but a glint is in his eye as he shakes hands with Ben Cassidy upon his introduction to the field.
21:42 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
90+2' | WHAT A NEARLY ENDING!
A minute before his 20th in the game, McKauley Manning spots Jackson off his line. The substitute has the audacity to lob the keeper, but the ball sails just wide. That would have been some way to wrap the game up!
21:40 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
90' | SIX MINUTES OF ADDED TIME!
21:38 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
88' | A VERY RARE SECOND 45 CHANCE!
Well well well, the Yeltz have dominated the whole of the second 45 so far, but Stamford finally attempt to put an end to the hosts momentum, even if it is too late. The debutant Burniston is involved, as he receives a ball from Chitiza, and whips in a cross which is claimed by Platt.
21:35 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
85' | LITTLE TIME LEFT DRURY' SIDE!
It is that man again with his name being sung around The Grove, as Donnelly brings the ball down brilliantly on his chest in the box. The Yeltz number nine has the ball at his feet, but Ashton Offler gets a touch on it to nick it away from danger.
21:28 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
78' | A THIRD IS EDGING CLOSE!
A huge shift from Donnelly continues, as he finds space down the right and sprints into it and towards the by-line. In little room, and with a lack of time for his next move, he squares the ball across the box to Manning, who hits a shot just over Jackson's crossbar.
21:26 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
76' | STAMFORD SUBSTITUTION!
🟢Josh Burniston
🔴Joe Burgess
We just spoke about the inpact of a Halesowen debutant, and can the introduction of Stamford's debutant Josh Burniston have the same. The midfielder replaces defender Joe Burgess, who makes way for the final 15.
21:25 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
75' | HOW HAVE THEY NOT GOT A THIRD?
The Yeltz midfielder Butterfield on his debut, wins the ball off Morgan in the middle and sprints towards goal. The Bermuda international takes on a strike from 25 yards, and is inches away from a debut goal to add the golden shine on the hosts second half showing.
21:23 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
73' | HALESOWEN SUBSTITUTION!
🟢McKauley Manning
🔴Alex Cameron
An unsurprising exit for the recently acquired Yeltz striker. In his fourth appearance for the club, and third straight start, Cameronfails to get on the scoresheets for the first time in a blue shirt. The exit of Cameron allows McKauley Manning to finish off the last 15 in the attack to support Tee and Donnelly.
21:17 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
68' | STAMFORD SUBSTITUTION!
🟢Bill Bennett
🔴Tobias Liversidge
A fourth substitution for the away side, as a midfield swap sees the introduction of Bill Bennett for Tobias Liversidge. The latter looked bright in the early stages of the contest, but failed to continue as his side gradually lost possession of the ball.
21:16 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
67' | IS THE COOKIE ABOUT TO BRAKE?
The hosts are knocking on the door for a third, and Donnelly adds a tap-in to his enormous goal tally for the season. A truly remarkable defensive intervention from Cooke hooks the ball away to clip it off the line at the death. The Yeltz defender Cassidy picks up the loose ball, and attempts a strike from outside the area which is blocked.
21:14 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
65' | A CRUCIAL BLOCK TO DENY A THIRD!
He has not been mentioned at all, but 65 minutes on the clock Alex Cameron finally makes an impact. A sprint down the left allows him the time to play it backwards to Tee, who tries to whip a shot into the bottom right. The latter seems to have found the corner, but the ball is deflected and cleared away.
21:10 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
61' | TRIPLE STAMFORD SUBSTITUTION!
🟢Connor Bartle, James Blunden & Richard Gregory
🔴Charlie Marzano, George Hobbins & Cosmos Matwasa
The Daniels require drastic action following the severe lack of energy shown in this second period so far. Graham Drury has no option but to dig into his subs bench, and proceeds to bring on three players, defenders Connor Bartle and James Blunden, as well as former Yeltz striker Richard Gregory.
21:04 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 2-0 STA🔴
55' | A LUCKY ESCAPE FOR STAMFORD?
A horror challenge from Hobbins, puts the referee into making a difficult decision of a red or yellow card. It's a yellow card, but no only that, but also a free kick for the hosts. The responsibility falls onto the shoulders of the hosts second scorer on the night, and his delivery is flicked away.
20:59 | 14/01/25
50' | GOAL!
🔵HALESOWEN 2-0 STAMFORD🔴
⚽️ CONOR TEE | 🅰️ BEN CASSIDY
Conor Tee steps up and brilliantly dispatches, sending Tom Jackson the wrong way, to make it three from three for the Yeltz from the spot, and doubles his sides lead. A huge goal for the hosts, and a long way back on a chilly night in the Black Country for the away side.
20:57 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
49' | PENALTY FOR HALESOWEN!
The team talk from Graham Drury has made no impact on Stamford's poor final 15 of the first half. The awarding of a Yeltz penalty is gratefully accepted after Morgan bursts through the centre and puts in a cross that is cleared. From the resulting counter, Cassidy races through on goal and is taken down by Hobbins
20:53 | 14/01/2025 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
46' | SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!
FIRST HALF SUMMARY
A simply brilliant end to a lackluster opening 25 form the hosts. Russ Penn's side came into the game at a crucial time after some early Stamford pressure, and scored a late goal through Josh Smile to go ahead at the break. Graham's Drury's side would have been delighted with their quick start, but bitterly disappointed at how it ended. A much better showing will be needed in the second 45 to keep up with their opponents.
20:32 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
45' | ONE MINUTE OF ADDED TIME!
20:29 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
42' | STAMFORD STRUGGLES CONTINUE!
The visitors have not had a sight at goal since the Yeltz opener, but waste their big chance at the end of the half. The lively Liversidge hits a corner which flies to the back post. The disappointment is that no one in red is on the end of the ball. Instead, a Haleoswen head meets it, before the referee blows his whistle for a foul in the box and free kick for the hosts.
20:27 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
40' | HALESOWEN ENTER DOMINANCE!
It has been a brilliant 10 minutes from the hosts, and Donnelly manages to create another opening. The number nine opens up the space for the shot, and hits the ball inches wide from Jackson's post.
20:24 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 1-0 STA🔴
37' | ALMOST A SECOND FOR THE HOSTS!
The Yeltz top scorer Donnelly benefits from a Jordon Cooke slip. The Yeltz forward is off balance, but manages to dig out a cross from the turf, and over to the opposite side off the wing to Tee. The latter tracks back, before creating an opening in the centre to hit over.
20:19 | 14/01/25
32' | GOAL!
🔵HALESOWEN 1-0 STAMFORD🔴
⚽️ JOSH SMILE | 🅰️ RYAN WYNTER
Arguably against the run of play, Halesowen take the lead. A free kick from 25 yards out, is taken by Conor Tee, and tipped over the bar by Tom Jackson for a Yeltz corner. The delivery from Tee reaches Ryan Wynter finds Josh Smile, who curls a beautiful strike into the top left.
20:17 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
30' | A THIRD OF THE CHAOS GONE!
Atest, follows into the half hour mark, where from a throw-in, Cosmos Maswasa hits a cross into the centre of the box. The whipped ball is claimed by Platt, but almost spilt by the Halesowen number one, before he grabs it at the second attempt.
20:12 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
25' | HALESOWEN'S TURN TO GO CLOSE!
The set piece taker for the hosts, Conor Tee takes a free kick on the far left centre. The ball is darted towards Butterfield at the back post, and headed down to defensive midfielder Josh Smile. The latters shot is hit well, and on route to goal is blocked by Joe Burgess for a corner.
20:08 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
21' | HUGE BLOCK TO DENY STAMFORD!
An outstanding block from Yeltz centre half Ryan Wollacott, the dominoe effect of a Morgan sprint past Butterfield. The former almost overhits his pass to Chitiza, who only just keeps it in play. The play ends up down the left, where Chitiza beats Hickman, before finding space and shooting in a central position to force the block.
20:05 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
18' | THE VISITORS GO CLOSE!
Stamford attacking midfielder Liversidge hits a ball out wide to Tendai Chitiza. The latter cuts inside and gets a bit of luck before retaining the ball. His ball retention allows the ball to find Morgan rushing into the box, who fires wide.
20:02 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
15' | A RARE CHANCE FOR THE HOSTS!
The Yeltz have been under pressure, but have finally found a way out of their own half. A sumptuous cross-field ball finds fullback Jak Hickman racing down the right. The defender's attempted cross is mis-hit and flies miles wild.
19:59 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
12' | MORE PRESSURE BUILDING!
The visitors captain, Morgan, runs down the by-line before Ben Cassidy gets a block to get it away for a Stamford corner. The delivery by Liversidge finds Cosmos Matwasa at the back post, who cannot quite get a clean enough contact on the ball to cause trouble.
19:56 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
9' | AN OPENING FOR THE VISITORS!
Stamford defender Charlie Marzano tries to hit a ball over the top to Tobias Liversidge on the left. The outrush of Yeltz keeper Platt, seems to be heading to an unapologetic error. The Halesowen number one, 30 yards out from goal, gets to the ball in the nick of time to clear.
19:52 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
5' | A QUICK STAMFORD REPLY!
The Daniels captain Robert Morgan, gets on the ball in his final game for the club. The midfielder tries to thread a through ball down the right, but it is massively overhit and runs all the way through for Dan Platt to gather.
19:50 | 14/01/25 | 🔵HAL 0-0 STA🔴
3' | EARLY CHANCE FOR THE HOSTS!
Milan Butterfield flicks the ball on to Kieren Donnelly. The forward races through on goal, but Tom Jackson comes out of his goal and forces him away from goal. The Yeltz keep it alive with a Hickman cross, which is cleared.
15:02 | 01/01/2025
KICK OFF | WE'RE UNDERWAY AT THE GROVE!
14:35 | 01/01/2025 | LINE-UPS!
TEAM NEWS:
🔙Ben Cassidy | BACK IN STARTING XI
🤔McKauley Manning | EVER PRESENT ON THE BENCH
🆕️Milan Butterfield | MAKES HIS DEBUT
TEAM NEWS:
🚫NO CHANGES | NO ROTATION
👋Rob Morgan | CAPTAINS LAST GAME
🆕️Josh Burniston | NEW SIGNING BENCHED
14:30 | 15/01/2025 | MATCHDAY!
🔵HALESOWEN TOWN🔵
🆚️
🔴STAMFORD AFC🔴
I am here at The Grove for a Tuesday night play-off battle between an out of form Halesowen, and a Stamford team with just one defeat in five, and fresh off a win away at their opponents rivals Stourbridge.
The two have not met for over a year despite being promoted together in the 2022/23 season. The last fixture in December 2023, sawStamford come out 3-0 victors at The Zeeco Stadium. The most recent meeting at The Grove came in August of the same year, where Halesowen won 2-0.
Penn spoke before the game about his distaste for midweek games, stating, "it is not ideal that we are playing another game on a weekday, but it seems to be happening to everyone". The Yeltz boss also spoke about his recent sides recent form, which has seen three defeats in a row, exclaiming, "we had a tough festive period, playing two away games in three days, the only side in the league to do so which was tough to take mentally".
The contrasting form could be significant here today, Halesowen's run of three defeats in a row could be extended to four for the first time since April 2019. Stamford have played six sides from the 'West Midlands' this season, and have a good record of four wins and two defeats.
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