Senior Cup progression for trio after midweek success
Hednesford Town and Halesowen Town booked their place in the third round of the Birmingham Senior Cup after midweek victories.
A powerful second-half display earned Russ Penn's Yeltz a 3-1 victory at AFC Wolverhampton City of two levels below.
The Midland Premier hosts threatened an upset in the Castlecroft tie as Tommy Poole netted a cool finish just after 35 minutes, but the visitors struck an immediate replay through Luke Postle's smart flick for a first senior Town goal.
City were well in the tie but Southern Premier Central side Halesowen broke their resistance midway through the second half as substitute Fin Holmes made an instant impact by finding the bottom right corner a minute after his introduction. Walsall loan star Charlie Wragg made progression safe by rounding Sam Arnold to finish soon after.
Boss Penn said: "Credit to AFC Wolves, they were excellent in the first half and they rattled us.
"Whether that was our mindset - if we expected something - but once we got a grip of the game we were brilliant. I was really proud of the second half, that's why you come to these games and why I picked the team I picked.
Hednesford netted inside three minutes and late on to ensure progression against visitors Tividale.
Dom McHale got the ball rolling for the Pitmen as he turned in from close range after Dan Turner's near-post flick came back off the crossbar.
Tividale, two divisions below Northern Premier leaders Hednesford, applied pressure to the hosts' goal after Town's Joe Doyle-Charles was dismissed for a high challenge. Home goalkeeper Xander Parke made some fine stops.
Jonny Edwards latched on to a high ball with 10 minutes left and fired into the bottom left corner to seal progression.
The Pitmen host Burton Albion in the third round, while Halesowen will travel to Leamington with ties to be played on or before December 27.
Stafford Rangers booked a second round date at home to Lichfield City in the Staffordshire Senior Cup after a 4-1 win at Sporting Khalsa.
Neil Kitching's visitors struck three goals in the final 10 minutes in Willenhall to book their ticket.
Dan Cockerline was Boro's hero with two goals late on, the latter set up by Joe Thomas who netted Rangers' third having been teed up by Cockerline.
Khalsa took the lead through Sam Fitzgerald in the opening stages, but the visitors hit back immediately through Jack Birch.
