Halesowen record a goalless draw for the first time in 509 days in Suffolk
Written by Ben Ditchfield
The Yeltz recorded a 0-0 stalemate for the first time since a trip to Shropshire against Telford United in August 2023, as Russ Penn's side missed the chance to move second in the league.
Halesowen put Sudbury keeper James Bradbrook under a lot of pressure during the contest, warranting the number one to be awarded as man of the match. Sudbury never really looked like scoring putting the emphasis on Russ Penn's side to force a breakthrough, that unfortunately never came.
"It was a good game", said Penn. "Even though they didn't test Dan Platt too much, they dominated the ball and started the match better than us, so i was really pleased to go in level at the break. We changed a few things at half-time and looked on top in the second half and never looked like conceding.
"After our poor run, we have kept two clean sheets and have looked back to our best, our performance was good today, everyone played their part. We took Alex Cameron off at half-time which was nothing personal but had to happen to help the shape of the team, which was visibly not quite right, and after we did that we looked much better on the ball."
Sudbury started the game in the ascendancy, 10 minutes on the clock, the hosts worked the ball well with Joe Neal to Myles Cowling, whose effort whipped wide. The side in the relegation zone then re-worked the ball back into the final third, Liam Pearce hugging the touchline begging for the ball and eventually he received it. The Suds young prospect had scored four goals in 19 games this season and on this occasion almost added to his assists tally when he found Joe Neal in the centre, but the Yeltz did well to crowd him out and hit straight at Platt.
The Yeltz grew into the half but failed to overly test the Suds backline who have only conceded 11 goals at The MEL Group Stadium this campaign. Conor Tee stood over a free-kick half way through the half, which had plenty of height on it and had to be judged well by Charlie Lewis to head out for a Yeltz corner, which was cleared. The side re-worked it and with 22 minutes on the clock, finally James Bradbrook was forced into a stop from Kieren Donnelly. A huge chance went begging for Penn's side, as the recently praised by his boss, Ben Cassidy ran up to the edge of the box under pressure and knocked it backwards where the Yeltz were able to re-work into more space. Tee had a shot at a tight angle that was saved by Bradbrook.
Only Royston Town had scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half this season than the Yeltz, who had three big chances near the end of the half. Just after the half hour mark, Bradbrook was forced into an outrageous reflex save from Kieren Donnelly after receiving a ball from Alex Cameron. Just before the half, Tee stood over a 25 yard free-kick that was floated into the centre where the Sudbury keeper got a fist on it to clear. The Yeltz re-worked with Jak Hickman and Cassidy, before Ryan Wollacott stuck an effort over. The final action of the half saw a goal line clearance after a shot from the Yeltz defender, in a huge let off for the hosts.
Russ Penn's side continued their dominance into the second half and looked much more controlled following the introduction of Todd Parker. Almost from the restart, Bradbrook spilt the ball into the path of Donnelly, who failed to place his shot into the intended target of the corner of the goal. Minutes later, Tee and Josh Smile, both of whom fresh off goals on Tuesday night, stood over a free-kick in a promising position. The Yeltz number eight, as usual took it and whipped it just wide of the target.
Halesowen could only craft a couple of minor chances in the 15 minutes that followed, until McKauley Manning, whose introduction onto the pitch only lasted five minutes until he made his mark by finding space and smashing the ball off the post. The Yeltz worked the ball back into a promising spot in the final third, and from 15 yards out, Ryan Wynter hooked a right footed effort over the bar.
15 minutes from the 90th, Parker moved the ball from midfield to attack where Donnelly found Manning, who worked his way into the box and shot straight at Bradbrook. Both sides turned to the bench in the minutes that followed, Callum Page and Ben Bradley coming on for the hosts and Musa Ceesay for the visitors.
In a last gasp attempt to add to their 14 goals in the final 15 minutes of games this season, Tee had a shot that took a huge defection with the change off trajectory of the ball, before it went wide. In the third of five added minutes at the end of the game, Tee stood over another 25 yard free-kick and delivered to the back post, where Ceesay met at the back post and forced a deflection for a corner, that was dealt with comfortably by the hosts to greet the full-time whistle.
The draw means the Yeltz fail to move up to second and above Kettering for the first time in over three months, and instead Telford took advantage of The Poppies defeat, to end their 95 day streak at the top. Another mid-week home game this Tuesday night could again be crucial to adding much needed points on the board against a side with 80 miles to travel.
Sudbury: James Bradbrook (GK), Ben Isaacson, Tom Dickens, Ryan Henshaw, Jake Turner (C) (Ben Bradley 78'), Charlie Lewis, Myles Cowling (Luca Terminiello 90+4'), Liam Pearce (Callum Page 78'), Matthew Miles, Ollie Peters, Joe Neal
Unused subs: Callum Arnold (GK), Ollie Okeh
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Jak Hickman, Reece Mitchell, Josh Smile, Ryan Wynter (C), Ryan Wollacott, Ben Cassidy (McKauley Manning 63'), Conor Tee, Kieren Donnelly, Kacy Butterfield (Musa Ceesay 79'), Alex Cameron (Todd Parker 46")
Unused subs: Martin Riley, Lewis Solly (GK)
Attendance - 320