Gresley Rovers vs Halesowen Town
Gresley Rovers' hopes of a bright start to the new season suffered an early body blow at the Moat Ground last night.
Rovers conceded a seventh-minute goal that knocked them out of their stride almost before they had got into it.
And while Ady Mann's first goal for the club from a 57th-minute penalty steadied the ship, Steve Dolby's team could not quite build up enough second half performance deserved.
Conceding soft goals has long been Rovers' problem since they joined the Beazer Premier Division and they were caught cold in Halesowen's first meaningful attack last night.
Former Burton Albion midfielder Mick Shearer, in his only telling contribution of the game, opened up a square back line with a first time ball to Kevin Harrison who had ample time and space to fire inside the far post despite the efforts of Stuart Ford.
Rovers did their best to produce an early response with Dave Taylor heading against the Yeltz bar after Paul Wardle had helped on Mann's right wing corner just two minutes later, but Dolby's men were visibly affected by the early goal.
There was no lack of effort but passes were sent astray and blind alleys followed.
Mark Hurst raised hopes with a tight-angled shot that Derek Dudley parried to safety but at the other end Ford had to produce an instinctive save to keep out Evran Wright's point blank effort after Richard Crisp had headed down Gary Hackett's cross.
Ford then produced another good stop after Hackett had crossed again and Wright flicked on for Harrison to shoot from the angle of the six-yard box.
Graeme Fowkes' running and Mann's improvisation offered Rovers' best hopes of staging a revival and the flame-haired midfielder was close with a long-range floater.
He then provided Taylor with the chance to head into the danger area with a right wing free kick, Graeme Rigg's lunge into the six-yard box falling just short.
Rovers were gradually piecing their game together as the interval approached.
After the half time break punctuated by a bizarre incident outside the referee's changing room which earned Halesowen manager Stuart Hall a booking, reportedly for kicking the door, they began the second half with new purpose.
Their resolve soon paid off with Taylor leading a right wing break, Fowkes helping the ball into the penalty area and Mann, bursting into the box, going down under Shearer's challenge. The little midfielder regained his feet to beat Dudley comprehensively from the spot.
Halesowen introduced an element of cynicism after Rovers' equaliser with skipper John Snape earning one of the night's five on-the-pitch booking for a crude bodycheck on Mann.
Rovers introduced Andy Garner and Rob McGovern in a bid to snatch a win and it was the young midfielder who almost provided it.
His through ball found Taylor clear on the right of the box only for the striker to hurriedly mishit his shot well wide.
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Halesowen Town (1) 1
Scorers: Mann 57 (pen) (Gresley Rovers); Harrison 7 (Halesowen Town)
Gresley Rovers: Ford, R Wardle, Horseman, Rigg, P Wardle, Evans, Fowkes, Marsden, Hurst (Garner 74), Mann (McGovern 80), Taylor. Sub not used: Forster.
Halesowen Town: Dudley, Clarke, Bradley, Wood, Snape, Massey, Harrison, Wright, Crisp, Shearer, Hackett (Owen 63). Subs not used: Joinson, Hart (gk).
Rovers man-of-the-match: Ady Mann
Referee: J R Hubbard (Leicester)
Attendance: 704
