JWMatchlookingahead HALESOWENTOWN

HALESOWEN TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB

Year founded: 1873 Chairperson: Karen Brookes Club Website: www.ht-fc.com

GOOD AFTERNOON AND A WARM WELCOME TO HALESOWEN TOWN WHO ARE MAKING ONLY THEIR SECOND APPEARANCE HERE AT THE PREMIER PLUS STADIUM

In fact, this is only the fifth meeting of our two teams and only the second league meeting here in St Neots because two of our scheduled meetings on this ground were lost to the COVID pandemic. At the end of the pandemic Halesowen found themselves in the Northern Premier League whilst St Neots remained in the reassembled Southern League Division One. Halesowen had an excellent season in their new surroundings finishing third in the final league table behind Ilkeston Town and Stamford before losing to Chasetown in the end-ofseason play-offs. This season following the round of fixtures last weekend our visitors find themselves second in the league table nine points adrift of leaders Stamford with just four games each left to play. With Stamford on a fourteen matches unbeaten run since the turn of the year it is looking likely that Halesowen will have to settle for the runner-up spot at best and hope for a better result than they achieved in the play-offs last season. Easily the best supported team in the league, Halesowen will be looking for just one more league victory that could guarantee home advantage in the end of season play-offs, but St Neots’ need of league points is possibly greater as we seek to cement a place at Step Four next season. When our two sides met at Halesowen back last August the home side recorded a 3-0 victory with Max Morris, Richard Gregory and Jack Holmes their marksmen – the third goal coming in added time. Halesowen went on to lead the league table for much of the season until a postChristmas burst of form by Stamford saw them lose their grip. This is to be the second home match in charge for Manager Sean Greygoose and we wish he and his team well for the rest of the season.

Previous meetings of our teams:

FA Trophy Round One 2013/14:

Halesowen 1-3 St Neots Town (match report elsewhere in programme)

League meetings:

2018/19 St Neots 1-1 Halesowen

Halesowen 1-1 St Neots

2019/20 St Neots P-P Halesowen (COVID)

Halesowen 0-2 St Neots

2020/21 St Neots P-P Halesowen (COVID_

2022/23

Halesowen P-P St Neots (COVID)

Halesowen 3-0 St Neots

Enjoy the match

John Walker