Halesowen Town 2 St Neots Town 0 - Report

The contest against the second-bottom St Neots was effectively over after the Yeltz fired home two first half goals and a larger margin was only prevented by a string of fine saves from visiting goalkeeper James Philp.

Thomas Boxer drove forward to fire over the bar for the Saints in the 4th minute. But from then on it was one-way first-half traffic with the Yeltz trying to break down a wall of defence.

Philp made a good 7th minute save after James Bowen drove down the left to set up Brendon Bunn in front of goal.

Halesowen then took a 12th minute lead when Simeon Cobourne was bundled over in the 18-yard box and Montel Gibson sent Philp the wrong way from the penalty spot.

In further home pressure, Jamie Ashmore played a great 24th minute ball for Gibson to fire over the bar and three minutes later Philp tipped over the bar as Robbie Bunn lashed in a free-kick.

Gibson then combined well with Cobourne in the 29th minute but captain Paul McCone blazed over the bar in front of goal.

As first half injury time approached, Cobourne beat Philp to the ball to gain a sight on goal but snatched into the side-netting.

The Yeltz doubled their lead in the third minute of first-half injury time when Jordan Piggott's header brought a desperate but seemingly excellent headed clearance off the line by captain Lee Watkins, but the linesman signalled the ball had already crossed the line.

The second half was more even with the Saints being more adventurous and a low 47th minute shot from Watkins was turned around the post by home goalkeeper Brendon Bunn.

Cobourne touched home on the goal-line in the 49th minute but was ruled offside and Reece Hewitt was played in by a superbly worked 51st minute free-kick from Robbie Bunn, only for goalkeeper Philp to save again.

But the Saints continued to play with enthusiasm and Boxer struck the bar with a header from a 63rd corner. The Yeltz finishing was not as composed as recently and they were unable to increase their tally as Philp kept out further chances from Josh Hawker and Cobourne.

In the dying minutes Cobourne shot over the bar and man-of-the-match Bowen hit another chance at Philp.

Halesowen Town: Brendon Bunn; Jamie Ashmore (Luke Yates 73), James Bowen, Jordan Piggott, Paul McCone (c), Andrew Parsons, Josh Hawker (Lewis Wright 85), Robbie Bunn, Montel Gibson (Jamie Molyneux 69), Simeon Cobourne, Reece Hewitt. Subs Not Used: Ash Sammons, McKauley Manning.

St Neots Town: James Philp, Stevan Shaw, Joe Sutton (Prince Mutswunguma 80), Jonny Butler, Sam Goode, Thomas Boxer, Lee Watkins (c), Joe Massaro, Alan Musoke (Rajan Badiani 88), Ben Bradley, Lewis Foster. Subs Not Used: Ben Stokes, Nick Harrison, Marc Abbott.

Referee: Stephen Oakey Attendance: 540