| FA Trophy 2nd round |
| Venue: Aggborough Date: 16-11-24 Harriers 2 Halesowen Town 1 Att: 3884 (away fans:1442) |
Leave it late why dontcha Harriers?
Report: Phil Lench
A rip roaring FA Trophy game in front of the kind of crowd reserved, normally, for Christmas and West Ham Utd saw the Harriers pull through late on against a Halesowen Town that looked like an outfit destined for better things under the tutelage of the former Harriers boss Russ Penn.
Looking like nothing that Penn had us watching they were strong, direct and played on the front foot. In Jordan Ponticelli they had the striker that Penn couldn’t find and their number two Ben Cassidy looked far too good for the level they play at. In second place in the Southern League they look well placed to join us in the National North if we fail to gain promotion by the end of the season.
In front of over 3,880 and a brilliant following of 1442 (eat your hearts out Hereford FC fans) the game got going on our first sighting of a wintery day with a nasty drizzle sweeping across Aggborough. It was the Yeltz that started the strongest and we immediately thought that we hadn’t been expecting this as they immediately took the game to us.
We did get the first action of the day when Ashley Hemmings latched onto a poor Halesowen clearance but his lofted shot back in went well over the bar of Dan Platts goal with the Halesowen players calling for a foul that wasn’t given. The first real chance came the way of Ponticelli when he spotted Christian Dibble slightly off his line and tried to lob him with the same outcome as Ash did a minute earlier.
A few minutes later and it made no difference when he put his side in front. An un-characteristic mistake from Joe Foulkes saw him making a total mess going for a ball out on the Main Stand side. Somehow the ball got stuck under his feet with two Town men trying to get it off him. It eventually broke for Conor Tee who played Ponticelli in to chase into the area. Dibble came out but took too long in clearing it as Ponticelli took the ball around him and into the net.
The Halesowen fans thought that their boat had just come in.
We were shell shocked at the ease in which it had happened and we now had to double our efforts getting back into the game. It took Reece Devine to show us how it should be done. With Maz Kouhyar away on international duties he took on the speedy wideman role that Maz usually supplied. His run down the left and whipped in ball across the face of the goal was such an easy tap in for most strikers but not for ours with both Amari Morgan-Smith and Hemmings watching it go inches past them.
The next chance for us came when Hemmings crossed the ball in for AMS to convert but his connection wasn’t good and the ball flew past his head. No worries though because in our next move we had drawn level.
Caleb Richards had sent a ball into the area towards Amari. He nodded it back across the goal towards Devine who then fired the ball home into the corner of the net. He could have added a second goal soon after when he raced for a loose ball with Platt and tried to lift it over the keeper but instead crumpled against the goal post with the ball going the wrong side of the post.
That was his last action of the day as he went off injured soon after. Seb Thompson came on for him and soon got into the thick of the action putting some decent balls into good areas. Tope Obadeyi had a chance for a goal but his header went wide of the upright while a header for Amari went the same way.
The half came to an end with Halesowen almost taking the lead again. Cassidy took the ball down the wing and played in Jak Hickman on the right. His first time ball into Ponticelli was perfection and his former Coventry City team mate fired in what looked to be an unstoppable shot that everyone in the ground thought was destined to go in. Thankfully it hit the base of the post and rebounded across the goal line into the clutches of Dibble.
That was the end of a first half in which, at times, we had under-estimated what Halesowen could do.
HT: 1 – 1
The second half it was the Harriers that started the strongest after what looked to be a stern conversation in the dressing room. The game plan they had come out with still wasn’t working though and within five minutes it had all changed as Obadeyi went off to be replaced by Kobe Hall.
The raw youngster still looks raw and will still need some time out on loan and preferably at the same level as Halesowen. His first touch isn’t the best.
Our first sighting of goal came from a player that looks more suited to this level, Seb Thompson. From out of nowhere he sent in a beautiful shot from distance that hit the post and rebounded away to be cleared. It was reminiscent of his stunning goal from a free kick against Oxford City back in August.
Almost on the hour mark David Davis saw his volley go narrowly over the bar and then, with the visitors visibly tiring we bagan to apply more pressure. Thompson sent a great ball in for Hall but his ‘shot’ almost landed in the tea hut it was that wild.
Hemmings tried his luck in getting on the scoresheet once more but he took too long over it and Platt had plenty of time to compose himself when the shot eventually came in.
With AMS taking something of a back seat it was left to the younger, and pacier, Hall to take on front man responsibilities, his shot well saved by Platt once more while his next chance, a header, went well wide of the upright.
He then had a final chance, deep into injury time, and this time it was one that he’ll remember for the rest of his life. His first goal for the club.
Seb Thompson played a cross in to him that he got his head to. It went straight at Platt but the Yeltz keeper fumbled at the wrong and crucial time and the ball rebounded back to Kobe who then had the simple task of tapping it home. He could have added a second and our third a minute later as he broke free while the opposition were trying to save the game. In his own half he ran onto a long safety clearance and made his way towards their goal but then decided not to be a hero and took it into the corner and run the time down.
Next time Kobe be a hero.
We now go into the 3rd round draw on Monday and we see who we get next. It would be good to get an easier game than today.
Just two mentions. One for our new loanee Ryley Reynolds who started cautiously amongst his new friends that he only met yesterday. That cautious start then progressed to looking like the new Declan Weeks and that can only be a good thing. Maybe Notts County will allow him to stay beyond January.
The other mention is for the Halesowen fans who never stopped singing and supporting their team for the whole ninety minutes. The atmosphere of the game was at West Ham levels and something we no longer see at our level. Just stop calling Dibble fat please. It got a bit boring.
FT: 2 – 1
Goals for Harriers: Devine 32, Hall 92
Goal for Halesowen: Ponticelli 10
The Harriers Online MotM is: Ryley Reynolds
Talk about the game here
Latest table and stats here
| Harriers | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Dibble | ||||
| Foulkes | ||||
| Richards | ||||
| Kandola | ||||
| McNally | ||||
| Davis | ||||
| Devine |  |
 |
39 | |
| Reynolds | ||||
| Morgan-Smith | ||||
| Hemmings |  |
93 | ||
| Obadeyi |  |
51 | ||
| Subs: | ||||
| Palmer | ||||
| Downing |  |
93 | ||
| Foran | ||||
| Thompson |  |
39 | ||
| Hall | |
 |
51 |  |
| Halesowen Town | Goals | Subs | Time | Cards |
| Platt | ||||
| Cassidy | ||||
| Mitchell | ||||
| Smile | ||||
| Wynter | ||||
| Wollacott | ||||
| Parker | ||||
| Tee | ||||
| Ceesay | ||||
| Ponticelli | |
|
85 | |
| Hickman | |
77 | ||
| Subs: | ||||
| Mfuamba | ||||
| Nuie | |
85 | ||
| Postle | ||||
| Kelly | |
77 | ||
| Yussuf | ||||
| Referee: | ||||
| Mr Joe Woolmer | ||||
| Northampton | ||||