Two injury time goals kept Halesowen on top of the table at the conclusion of an exhilarating contest against Corby Town, writes David Johnson.

Acting Yeltz manager Martin Sockett summarised his first game in charge. “It was an exciting finish and we’ve shown tremendous character - but we should’ve been four or five goals up. We were dominant in the first half, then let them back in it a bit in the second half. We deserved it on the balance of play after creating lots of chances and their ‘keeper made five or six great saves. That’s for you Paul!”

The Yeltz shrugged off the shock departure of successful manager Paul Smith for personal reasons to make a bright start in front of a good crowd of over 1,200. Giant visiting goalkeeper Jason Alexander grabbed the ball at the second attempt from Tom Turton’s 8th minute corner. A 10th minute Yeltz attack was then only half cleared to McKauley Manning and his ball towards goal was turned over the bar from Simeon Cobourne’s effort.

Halesowen deservedly took a 19th minute lead after Jamie Insall’s shot on the turn was blocked and Cobourne did well to keep the ball and cross along goal from the right for Josh EZEWELE to convert at the far post. It could easily have been 2-0 just a couple of minutes later when Cobourne made a great run from midfield down the right, only for Insall to somehow plant Cobourne’s cross wide in front of goal.

Corby’s only meaningful attempt of the first period came with Hilton Arthur’s 27th minute low shot from the edge of the area. As Halesowen kept up the tempo, Insall’s 33rd minute appeal for a penalty was turned down when he was through on goal and Cobourne cut in and curled over the bar in the 38th minute after battling Brad Birch did well to win the ball in midfield. Three minutes after the interval Insall burst forward and played the ball to Birch but goalkeeper Alexander pushed away his 20 yard shot.

When the Steelmen started to come more into the game, a 51st minute corner from Curtis Burrows was met with a header from captain Michael Jacklin but home goalkeeper Dan Platt tipped the ball over the bar. Platt then rescued in the 59th minute from a weak back-pass.

However, home chances continued to go begging and Birch could only poke wide after bursting through after 70 minutes and Cobourne fired straight at Alexander at the end of a lightning 71st minute move as Ezewele played a long ball across the park, allowing Manning to find Insall who then set Cobourne free. Alexander saved from Cobourne’s wide angle shot from another good move just a minute later and Cobourne then fired over the bar at the end of a mazy 75th minute run.

But the Steelmen shocked the Grove by hitting two late goals to seemingly steal the points. The home defence couldn’t clear a 77th minute corner and as the ball pinged around the penalty area, Dom PERKINS blasted home an equaliser from 15 yards on his debut.

Alexander saved at the end of an 81st minute 50 yard run from Halesowen’s Rob Evans before worse followed for the Yeltz when substitute Tristan THOMPSON-MATTHEWS turned home a left-wing cross from the left in the 82nd minute to put Corby 2-1 ahead. Corby escaped when goalkeeper Alexander handled outside his area in the 89th minute.

But Halesowen showed tremendous character to dramatically turn the game around again and take all three points deep in added time. Central defender Kieran MORRIS nodded home a 92nd minute cross from Manning to level the scores. The thrills continued when Corby goalkeeper Alexander was judged to have brought down Cobourne in the fifth minute of added time and INSALL stepped up to confidently stroke home the winner from the penalty spot in front of the tremendous home support.

Final score: Halesowen Town 3 Corby Town 2

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Josh Ezewele, Josh Quaynor, Tom Turton, Kieran Morris, Rob Evans (c), Nathan Hayward, Bradley Birch (Shaquille Leachman-Whittingham 78), Jamie Insall, McKauley Manning, Simeon Cobourne. Subs Not Used: Dexter Dudley-Toole, Daniel Brookes, Max Morris, Matt Funge.

Corby Town: Jason Alexander; Kalern Thomas, Daniel Gordon, Thomas Maddison (Matthew Slinn 75), Dominic Perkins, Michael Jacklin (c), Rio Molyneaux, Curtis Hartley (Daniel Collins 63), Tsaguim Florian, Curtis Burrows, Hilton Arthur (Tristan Thompson-Matthews 59). Subs Not Used: Jack Norman, Scott Floyd.

Referee: Niall Smith                  Attendance: 1,218

Booked: Hartley (15), Perkins (56), Birch (56), Thomas (74), Alexander (89), Insall (90)

‘Tulleys Print’ HTFC Man of the Match selected by Jake Garner: Nathan Hayward