"The Bucks face the Yeltz for a place in the playoff final"

Match Date : April 30th, 2025 7:45 pm
Competition : Southern League Premier Central- Play Off Semi Final
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 19:45

The Bucks face the Yeltz on Wednesday night at the SEAH Stadium for a place in the playoff final.

A quick glance at the final table will show you that there’s little, if anything, between the two sides. Both teams finished on 74 points, with the Bucks pipping the Yeltz to 3rd place thanks to a marginally better goal difference. And it is, of course, only just over a week since the sides played out a tight 1-1 draw at The Grove on Easter Monday.

Russ Penn has been at the Halesowen helm since February 2024, and the Yeltz have become one of the division’s better footballing sides under his leadership. But for all their attacking flair, the West Midlands outfit’s success owes a lot to their solid defence. Only Kettering, Harborough, Stratford and Banbury conceded fewer than the 46 that the Yeltz allowed.

Halesowen’s defence is anchored by captain Ryan Wynter, with experienced duo Ryan Wollacott and Jamie Willets providing strong competition at centre half, while full backs Ben Cassidy and Reece Mitchell both have the ability to get up and down. Behind the uncompromising backline is former Buck Daniel Platt, who became the most featured goalkeeper in Halesowen’s history on Easter Monday, making his 336th appearance for the Yeltz. The 33-year-old keeper has kept 14 clean sheets this season.

Penn’s midfield is anchored by Josh Smile who dictates the play from deep, with the energetic Todd Parker providing drive and tenacity. Meanwhile, the rangy Kacy Milan Butterfield has made the final midfield spot his own since his January arrival on loan from Basford United.

The Yeltz’s regular front three of McKauley Manning (3 goals), Conor Tee (16 goals), and Kieren Donnelly (24 goals) were responsible for 43 of the 65 league goals that Penn’s side scored this season. Donnelly, who scored Halesowen’s equaliser against the Bucks last week, is the division’s third deadliest marksman behind Matty Stenson and Bedford’s Leon Lobjoit.

Donnelly’s header on Easter Monday was the first goal that Halesowen had scored in the four games against the Bucks across the last two seasons, with Wilkin’s men shading matters in terms of points earned during those campaigns. The Bucks were perhaps fortunate to come away with a point when the two sides played out a goalless draw at the New Bucks Head in August 2023, but Wilkin’s men turned in a couple of outstanding performances to win 2-0 on each of the last two Boxing Days, winning at The Grove in 2023 and at the SEAH Stadium earlier this campaign. The 1-1 draw on Easter Monday was a fair result with both sides defending well, preventing few attempts making it through to their respective keepers.

Both sides head into Wednesday’s playoff semi-final on the back of long unbeaten runs – Penn’s men are unbeaten in 13 with the Bucks’ run stretching to 16 games without defeat. Both sides have drawn a considerable amount of matches in those runs, though, including a final day draw apiece, as both sides rested and rotated ahead of Wednesday’s showdown.

Those draws on Saturday saw the Bucks hold onto 3rd place and with it home advantage. And that should be a big boost for the Bucks given that Kevin Wilkin’s men finished with the division’s best home record (45 points; 2.14 points per game). What’s more, the Bucks have gone 14 games unbeaten at the SEAH Stadium and haven’t lost on home soil since a 3-1 defeat to Kettering Town on 12 November. Halesowen ended with the 6th-best away record, picking up 31 points from 21 games (1.48 points per game).

Wilkin will be hoping to call upon a full complement of players for Wednesday night’s clash, although it may be a race against time for some. But the Bucks are, of course, also able to call on the division’s most dangerous forward, Matty Stenson, who bagged 31 league goals this campaign, including a fabulous strike against Halesowen at the SEAH Stadium on Boxing Day.

The winners of Wednesday’s semi-final will face either Kettering Town or Harborough Town on bank holiday Monday.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

Please refer to our playoff semi-final ticket arrangements for full ticketing details and matchday information and guidance.