HALESOWEN TOWN maintained their unbeaten start to the season – and launched an early challenge on the play-off places.
Jak Hickman (26mins), Jason Cowley (63) and Milan Butterfield (84) sealed a late 3-2 win over Real Bedford.
But Yeltz twice had to fight back from behind to earn the points.
Halesowen boss Russ Penn told the club’s official website: “We played a team who were very good, and one that step 3 is not used to. We were worked all over the park, but when we got to grips with it, we were excellent.
“Are we slow starters? I don’t know. I wouldn’t say teams are carving us open, but it is the way we concede, like from the set piece, that annoys me the most and had we gone on to lose from that, then you’d have seen a different me.
“We recharged at half-time, got to grips with what they were trying to do, and found the solution.
“Fair play to the lads for winning the game convincingly with the amount of chances we had. We have scored eight goals in three games, and could have scored more, and stopped them from playing before we pounced on their vulnerabilities from set pieces. We have had a tough week, with three games and the long journey last weekend. I’m also just glad we have continued the excellent home form we had at the end of last season.”
Stourbridge are also unbeaten after they drew at St Ives Town on Saturday.
Jenson Sumnall gave the Glassboys a ninth-minute lead.
But the Cambridgeshire side went 2-1 up before sub Ty Barnett made it 2-2 with 22 minutes left.
Stourbridge Drew Canavan told the club’s official YouTube page: “The second half, it was a domination, and their gaffer said to me afterwards that that was a battering and they were lucky to come away with a point.
“And it feels like a loss to the lads, but we just said, that’s a big positive. We’ve come away from home, and we feel like we’ve lost the game, but in the end, it’s a point away. So we’ll take it.”
Redditch United also had a 2-2 draw – their result coming at home to Royston Town.
They had to recover from going behind to a third minute penalty – but goals from Robbie Bunn (13mins) and Alex Mark Cameron (57mins) put them ahead.
The Hertfordshire side levelled after 67 minutes with a deflected effort and it was honours even at The Trico Stadium in front of 591 supporters.
Redditch manager Mike Fowler told the club’s official YouTube channel: “They asked us every question they could possibly ask of us. Do I think we were ready to answer those questions? No. I don’t. I don’t think I don’t think we started the game well enough.
‘It was uncomfortable for large spells in the game. They’ve got some good threats there, they were a very, very big team. I’ve never seen anything like it, to be honest.
“In spells, it was like a roller coaster, a basketball match – exciting for people who came here as a neutral. But as a manager, there was just no controlling the game whatsoever.”
Alvechurch collected their first win of the season – Josh Dugmore and Jonny Ngandu scoring against AFC Sudbury.
Boss Tim Flowers told the club’s official YouTube channel: “It’s a relief, especially after a fantastic performance against Bromsgrove where we wasted chance after chance.
“The lads thoroughly deserved to get three points, and there’s a lot more to come from this group.”
But Bromsgrove Sporting were on the wrong end of a late goal on Saturday – with Spalding United coming from two goals down to stage a second half fightback.
Jack Roberts grabbed a last minute winner for the Lincolnshire side after Billy Shaw and Kobe Hall netted to put Bromsgrove after 23 minutes.
Sporting manager Scott Adey-Linforth told the club’s official YouTube channel: “I was gutted, when you think if the highs of last week at Alvechurch, then we lose to a late winner ourselves.
“In the second half, we never really got going. We kept inviting pressure and they found the win.
“II don’t think we’ve enough, especially in the second half. But Spalding are an excellent side, they’ve thrown some money at it and they’ll be up there this year.”
