Halesowen came to Milton Road boasting a free-scoring forward in Stefan Moore and 21 game unbeaten streak. But from the way they shaped up and the resolute nature of the City defence meant that it was the Lilywhites who looked the more potent force from the outset.
 
City lined up with Ramon Caliste and Jamie Barker in attack, Pat Bexfield playing at right back due to an injury to Laurie Stewart. Right from the kick off the Lilywhites controlled the match, so it was no surprise when they took the lead on four minutes with a well worked goal. Captain Cambridge played a free kick into the box from the right, Jamie Barker flicked it on to Caliste who did well to control the ball in the area before slipping it back to John Kennedy who finished with an excellent side-footed strike that left Nick Bussey grasping fresh air.

Barker moves in on goal

The Lilywhites poured forward and were perhaps unfortunate to not to add to their score. Dave Theobald headed over on 9, Caliste had his shot pushed away a minute after and the same man narrowly failed to connect with a hooked effort shortly after that.
 
Meanwhile, Messers Bexfield, Krause, Theobald and Chaffey were keeping Moore et al quiet, restricting the visitors to a scuffed shot from David McDermott and a better chance on 21 when Moore pulled the ball back to Danny Edwards who shot wastefully into the side netting.
 
Opportunities came and went for City, the final ball never being quite good enough to supply the necessary bullets for Caliste and Barker but at a goal to the good at half time the home team could be pleased with their work.
 
Early chances in the second half suggested the game was City’s, first when direct from the kick off, Caliste released Barker who in turn slid the ball to Fuller on the edge of the box. A decent effort would have worked Bussey - but Fuller blasted way high in the direction of Chesterton Community College with a sky-bound effort that is the closest thing that the UK has to a space programme these days.
 
But what happened next was inexplicable. Moore found himself with his back to goal, attended closely by Burke. Moore appeared to be a couple of feet away from Burke when he stumbled - but no immediate whistle from the mercurial referee Sean Feerick. But when Halesowen lost possession, he ruled that a foul had been committed and awarded a free kick on the edge of the box.

Calliste fires in a shot at goal

Scott Rickards stepped up and sent in a curling shot that took a wicked deflection off Lee Chaffey and past Barrett. But was it a free kick? I know referees have a tough job and all that but Mr Feerick was well placed to adjudicate and somehow saw contact between Burke and Moore.
 
Should Mr Feerick wish to cut down own on his heating bills these cold evenings, he could save himself a fortune by reviewing the video at 4:54. The subsequent red hot embarrassment he will experience should encourage him to turn his thermostat down to a chilly 18 degrees.
 
His work, however, was not yet done. When Kennedy mistimed his tackle, Mr Feerick’s red card was whipped out with relish when a yellow might have been a more considered option.
 
Down to ten men and rattled, City were in danger of throwing it all away in the last half hour. A goal line clearance and the crossbar saved the Lilywhites in a period when a Yeltz goal would have finished the tie.
 
But with great credit, City settled and regrouped and started to create their own chances. Barker shot over, Theobald had a header tipped on to the bar and substitute Mark Coulson’s dipping free kick went inches wide.
 
Another draw when a win was there for the taking. City were done few favours by the chief official but given that he came into the match with previous, as they say, it was expected that any severe challenges would be charged the full tariff.
 
Under the circumstances of playing a third of the game with ten men, City did well to hang on for the draw. But this was a game that should have been made secure well before then.

Post match reaction Gary Roberts To follow...