New Year’s honours were even as Chasetown came from behind to draw 1-1 at Halesowen on the opening day of 2013.
The Scholars made a positive start and had some good possession inside the Halesowen half, although they did ride their luck in the 10th minute when a long range Brendan Kelly free kick rattled the top of the crossbar.
The visitors were a whisker away from a goal four minutes later when a Mark Branch corner found its way out to Gavin Saunders on the edge of the box and the midfielder smashed a volley goalwards which was blocked by a defender out for another corner which would have left the goalkeeper stranded if the defender had not blocked it.
The Yeltz took the lead with a counter-attack goal after Simon Brown’s cross was gathered by keeper Dean Coleman and his long drop kick fell to the league’s top scorer Ben Haseley who squirmed a low shot beyond Ryan Price for his 18th league strike and 24th goal of the season.
The home side had the better of the remainder of the first half with Price in form to deny Jean-Michel Gueyes and Naveed Arshad with a double low save at the near post. Price palmed a Nathaniel Caines free-kick over the crossbar, while Gavin Winsper was a whisker wide with a header.
Haseley almost made it goal number 25 at the start of the second period, with Scholars man of the match Price again equal to it with a fine acrobatic save.
Halesowen were dominant at the start of the half, but Chasetown gradually edged back into the game and then had the lion’s share of late possession.
Coleman had to be sharp to dash out to keep out Gary Hay, and then the visiting fans were baying for a penalty when Caines and Simon Brown tussled for a loose ball after the Yeltz had failed to clear, but the referee and his assistant were not convinced.
Hay had a golden opportunity to equalise 15 minutes from time, but, in truth he probably didn’t know a lot about it. Substitute Theo Robinson drove the ball across the six yard box and Hay was in a great position in front of goal, but the ball hit his leg rather than the striker diverting the ball home and it bobbled clear.
Coleman was relatively untroubled and watched as a Dave Bate range effort flew wide of the post, but there was no doubt that Craig Harris’ men were in the ascendancy.
Three minutes from the end, a Branch free-kick on the right was partially cleared, Nick Wellecomme swung a leg at the ball and that was blocked, before the loose ball eventually found its way to Tesfa Robinson and the centre back notched his first Chasetown goal from inside the six yard box.
Halesowen Town: Coleman, Bowen, Caines, Botfield, Winsper, Kelly, Warmer (Scheppel, 68 mins), Griffiths, Arshad (Corbett, 74 mins), Haseley, Gueyes. Subs not used: Hull, D Evans, P Evans.
Chasetown: Price, Farmer, Branch, Bate, Tesfa Robinson, Teesdale, Westwood, Saunders (Theo Robinson, HT), Hay (Wellecomme, 81 mins), Smith (Dubidat, 81 mins), Brown. Subs not used: Downes, Ashton (not used).
Click below to see more of Dave Birt’s pictures from the game:
