The Bucks will face Kettering Town in Monday’s playoff final after a thrilling 3-2 win over Halesowen Town.

The Bucks made the better start of the two sides and were well on top during the opening exchanges. Matty Stenson, Jimmy Armson and Dylan Allen-Hadley all threatened as the Bucks looked the more likely team.

But after Halesowen dangerman Kieren Donnelly rattled the post in the 15th minute, the Yeltz started to grow into the game and were ahead soon after. A 22nd minute corner from Conor Tee was headed back across goal by Ryan Wollacott, and Donnelly was on hand to nod home from a matter of yards out.

The goal rocked the Bucks, with Russ Penn’s side outplaying Wilkin’s men for the next 15 minutes. But the the Yeltz couldn’t turn their dominance into clear goalscoring opportunities, and the Bucks began to gradually regain their footing, with Matty Stenson going close with a header that he might have done better with when well placed.

Somewhat surprisingly, it was the Bucks who went in ahead at the break. The leveller came in the 42nd minute when Stenson picked out Allen-Hadley on the left edge of the box, who checked back onto his right before curling a wonderful shot past both full back Ben Cassidy and keeper Daniel Platt. Two minutes later it was 2-1. Jordan Cranston lofted in a freekick from some way out, Stenson got up well and the ball fell to Orrin Pendley who smashed home from six yards out.

2-1 to the Bucks at half time.

After the break, the Bucks were well on top. Wilkin’s men were keeping thing tight at the back and simple in attack. The Yeltz were being kept at arm’s length, with it looking more likely that the Bucks would make it 3-1 than that the West Midlands outfit would find an equaliser. But find an equaliser they did. Halesowen worked the ball down the left, McKaulaey Manning sent in a cross, and Charlie Wragg was free in the area to head into the bottom right corner and level for the Yeltz against the run of play in the 75th minute.

But Wilkin’s men hit back immediately. Just two minutes later, Wollacott’s sliced clearance saw the ball find Stenson, who beat Ryan Wynter to the ball and slipped it past Platt into the bottom left-hand corner to give the Bucks a 3-2 lead.

The Bucks almost add a fourth in the 86th minute when Dylan Allen-Hadley did superbly well down the left and fired in a cross that narrowly missed both Byron Moore and Rhys Hilton in the middle.

The Yeltz threw everything at the Bucks in added time, and they were denied a dramatic equaliser by a remarkable save from Brandon Hall. Halesowen keeper Platt was up for a corner and won his header, but Hall somehow managed to tip the ball over the bar to maintain the Bucks’ lead.

In the end it was a deserved win for the Bucks; the 3-2 victory seeing Wilkin’s men advance to face Kettering Town in Monday’s playoff final.