6th November - the road to penury has been laid - come and join the Bright Golden Haze School of Betting...
The site's been a little fragmented of late but all of the old updates are available in the archive.
Added Saturday 21st November
Southern League Premier Division
Clevedon Town 3 Yeltz 3
3-0 up at half-time and a draw feels like a defeat. Goals from Scott Rickards, David Blenkinsopp and Stefan Moore had the Yeltz three up in half an hour yet somehow Clevedon were allowed to snatch a point. Three away games in the past week have brought five points which is more than acceptable, but it could have been much more. A lead was surrendered at Chippenham with three minutes remaining on Tuesday and yesterday definitely falls into the two points dropped category. It's being hyper-critical but it really should have been nine points this week which would see us in sixth place which, considering the ten point penalty, is phenomenal. I'm not moaning though. Not about the football anyway. The attitude of some of the fans - well, that's another matter.
Added Thursday 19th November
Halesowen Town have new owners. The plural will tell you, to the surprise of no-one, that those new owners are the Ingrams. Apparently Maison was at the meeting which will undoubtedly ruffle a few Yeltz feathers, but I assume as a creditor (which he almost certainly is), and it sticks in the throat to say this, he had as much legal right to be there as anyone. We'll leave aside moral (pardon the pun) rights because they've never sat comfortably with anything to do with Maison. Anyway, time will tell what's in store but I hope that people grant the Ingrams the courtesy of a clean slate. As far as I can tell the only accusation you can make so far is that they show poor judgment when it comes to choosing their friends. Support them until they give us reason to do otherwise.
Added Wednesday 18th November
Reports suggest we may have been a tad fortunate to get that point last night. Chippenham apparently dominated the game and had a penalty shout turned down in the last few seconds that, according to Chippenham fans, even Nick Bussey thought should have been given. Any luck against Chippenham I consider to be divine retribution for the outrageous cheating from Kye Holly in the play-offs two seasons ago. Ultimately he didn't prosper anyway but he won't be forgotten in these parts.
Added Tuesday 17th November
Southern League Premier Division
Chippenham Town 1 Yeltz 1
What is going on? Stefan Moore hasn't scored. That doesn't happen often. Luckily, our other Premier League quality player - Simon Johnson - did find the target albeit with the aid of a massive deflection. The goal didn't come until the 87th minute so it is disappointing that Chippenham still found time to equalise in the 89th minute but we mustn't quibble. A point at Chippenham is a good result under any circumstances and four points from two tricky away games is an excellent return. But come on Stefan, pull yer finger out sunshine.
Added Monday 16th November
Number of the day: 88.33%. That is the percentage drop in the Stourbridge crowd from their FA Cup game against Walsall to their home game against Swindon Supermarine on Saturday. Looks like those scarves are going back into mothballs for another 133 years, eh Gasboys?
Added Sunday 15th November
Yesterday's result
Southern League Premier Division
Truro City 1 Yeltz 2
In some ways yesterday's win was the most satisfying of the season so far. A long trip to a good team with slightly dodgy away form always added up to a tough afternoon for Halesowen but they ground out the win nevertheless thanks to goals from Stefan Moore (obviously) and Simon Johnson. It sounds as if Truro, down to ten men, threw the proverbial kitchen sink at the Yeltz in the second half but they hung on for three excellent points. If we can get something out of two more away games this week (Chippenham on Tuesday and Clevedon next Saturday) then people really might start believing the play-offs are on the cards.
Added Friday 13th November
Longest trip of the season tomorrow to Truro and apparently it is wet down there. Very wet. You don't want to get there and be sent home again a la Tiverton last season. Fingers crossed the weather holds up.
Added Thursday 12th November
Last night's result:
Worcestershire Senior Cup Quarter Final (or first round)
Yeltz 2 Stourport Swifts 2 aet (Yeltz won 4-2 on penalties)
Is there anything more pointless than the Worcestershire Senior Cup? Does anyone really care if they win it or not? I endured 90 minutes of extreme tedium last night, slowly edging my way towards the exit as a Stefan Moore-less Yeltz huffed and puffed their way to a 1-0 win against poor opposition. And then - wouldn't you know - Stourport equalised. Unable to take the pain that an extra half hour would surely provide, I cracked and fled towards the comfort of my car, safe in the knowledge I wouldn't have to watch any more of the dreadful spectacle that was two teams ineptly passing the ball to each other. And so it came to pass that I missed the first penalty shoot out seen at the Grove (I think). Do I care? No, I do not. I await the semi-final draw with supreme indifference.
Added Tuesday 10th November
Regardless of the merits of the workers' claims, the postal strike was a pain in the arse. It has now caused the creditors' meeting scheduled for tomorrow to be postponed until the 19th. Another week for the heir(s) apparent to wait then...
Added Monday 9th November
What did I say? I thought I'd been quite gracious towards Stourbridge but apparently not. I receieved a message from a disgruntled Stourbridge fan today which I faithfully reproduce below:
"at least we enterd the fa cup and trophy this season and if you look back was you watchin halesowen in the mid 70 and 80s in the west mids league oh yeah i 4 got we was at southern league level then and had over 30 years at southern league level (in 2 spells) what you say yo that (and our pitch never had a slope either)"
What do I say to that? I could say quite a lot. I could say the spelling and grammar in ypur message (or lack of) is quite atrocious. I could smugly ask you to count the sides of your "ground" and to compare it to the Grove. I could but I won't. That would be childish.
Added Sunday 8th November
Brave try by the plucky underdogs etc. Stourbridge lost 1-0 to Walsall yesterday and exited the FA Cup, it has to be said, with their heads held high. Never mind Gasboys, judging by the success rate of reaching the First Round once every 133 years, it will only be 2142 when you get another crack at it.
Added Saturday 7th November
Southern League Premier Division
Yeltz 2 Hednesford 2
That was a strange game. We should have been three up after quarter of an hour with the game virtually won yet in the end were grateful for a point. Stefan Moore scored a goal of individual brilliance after six minutes, David Blenkinsopp missed an open goal after about ten and then Moore had one disallowed for offside that looked, to me at least, well onside. Hednesford wouldn't have come back from that, but in reality they were probably the better side on the day. Their number 9 outjumped Nick Bussey to equalise before Moore looked like he might have nicked it with another great finish late on. In fact the whole team appeared to think they already had won judging by the way they went to sleep and allowed Hednesford to equalise immediately. It was a hard fought game and it is understandable to celebrate the goal but the way Matt Clarke was screaming at the team to regain their shape suggested he knew what was coming next. It was a basic error that led to some nervy final minutes. In truth, it was far from a vintage Yeltz performance with big gaps between the midfield and strikers allowing Hednesford to dominate the game for long periods.
Special mention must go to Carl Dunn of Newcastle-under-Lyme who 'refereed' the game with such staggering ineptitude as to be almost laughable. This is the culprit. It takes a unique ability to have both sets of fans after your blood but Mr Dunn achieved it with ease. When Premier League referees are often correctly criticised for poor performances it is no surprise that we get ropey officials this far down the pyramid, but surely there must be some decent ones knocking around somewhere?
Added Friday 6th November
 The big day for those Gasboys is nigh as tomorrow sees them taking on the might of Walsall in the first round of the FA Cup. The town is abuzz, people who don't even know where the team play suddenly realise they have been fanatical followers for years and the high street is probably festooned in red and white. Even the local media are getting in on the act with good luck messages appearing in the local papers. Take Stourbridge College who have taken out an advert bestowing their best wishes on "Stourbridge Town". Unfortunately, so blinded were they by their fanaticism, they failed to notice that it is Stourbridge FC. Stourbridge Town is a railway station.
Petty sniping at local rivals aside, it looks as if ex-Stourbridge man Mark Bellingham has decided to stay at Leamington. He has apparently already turned down approaches from Nuneaton and Farnborough this season so he appears loyal to the Leamington cause. Fair enough I say.
Added Thursday 5th November
The Yeltz's approach for Mark Bellingham has been confirmed in the local press and dutifully copied to my news page. It has also been reported that an approach has been made to bring centre half Rikki Bains in on loan from Darlington. Bains, if my memory serves me correctly, has played in Southern League championship winning sides in the last two seasons with Corby and King's Lynn. Should he arrive, the ten point penalty will prevent him from getting the hat-trick but Matt Clarke is building a side that can mount a challenge for a play-off place.
Added Wednesday 4th November
"We are going to freshen things up a bit": so said Matt Clarke last week and rumours on the non-League circuit suggest that he may be doing so by putting in a seven day approach for Leamington striker Mark Bellingham. Bellingham (son of OXO mum Linda - he is, look it up) scored 47 goals last season and would form, on paper, an incredibly potent strike force with Stefan Moore. He is also a policeman. It's only a transfer rumour at the moment, but if it is the case that we are trying to sign a member of the constabulary then it shows how much the club has changed in recent months. Really, can you imagine Morell Maison and Guy Simpson trying to sign a policeman?
Added Monday 2nd November
Now, I give them stick, it's part of my job, but never let it be said I don't give credit where it's due. So, well done to Stourbridge for their exploits in the FA Cup (and Trophy) this season. It sticks a bit in the throat that they've done it in the season that we aren't in either competition (for the millionth time - thanks Morell and Guy) but that's not their problem. I hope they enjoy their day and seeing themselves on the telly on Saturday night but they must know that Troy Deeney's going to score a hat-trick?
Added Sunday 1st November
 No updates for a while but I'm back! So let's sum up the news from the "missing days" (I haven't been on an exciting drugs adventure though). Firstly, and most importantly, the football. Cirencester were clinically despatched 4-0 at the Grove in the Southern League Cup on Wednesday night to set up another home tie against Nuneaton in the second round. And yesterday, in the battle of the administered clubs, we beat Merthyr Tydfil 2-0 at Penydarren Park courtesy of another two goals from Stefan Moore. Prolific isn't really the word for him at the moment. It would be wrong to think of the recent good run being entirely down to his goals though because it isn't. I'm not sure how they have done it in the circumstances but Matt Clarke and Rob Elmes have assembled a bloody good team with an excellent team spirit that, even with the ten point deduction, can have a good shot at reaching the play offs. Can you tell I'm impressed?
What else? Oh yes, Morell Maison has been arrested on suspicion of fraud. There's so much to say on that but we'll have to wait until justice has run its course (although what with him and Guy Simpson, I'm expecting to see the Crimewatch cameras at the Grove any time now).
And finally, November 11th looks set to be Halesowen's own little D-Day. Not due to the Stourport Swifts game in the Worcestershire Senior Cup (although I'm sure that will be tremendously exciting) but because the creditors are set to decide which bid will be successful in purchasing the club. I have a feeling it may be a mere formality but we'll see.
Anyway, BGH is back firing on all cylinders so keep coming back for more thrilling installments from the soap opera that is Halesowen Town football club.
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