Express & Star

John Hill leaving Halesowen Town with honour

Departing Halesowen Town boss John Hill has been hailed as a ‘very honourable man’ by club president Colin Brookes – after agreeing to manage two final games.

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Hill is leaving the Yeltz – after joining from Tipton Town in 2012 – by mutual consent.

However, he has agreed to be in the dugout for tomorrow’s trip to Spennymoor Town in the FA Trophy and Tuesday’s Southern League Central game at AFC Rushden & Diamonds as the club search for his successor.

And Brookes insists that act speaks volumes of the man who led Halesowen to promotion from Northern League Division One South in 2014, and then consolidated their position in step three of the non-league pyramid amid off-field uncertainty.

“He’s a very honourable man,” said Brookes, whose daughter Karen is the club’s chairman.

“Being the man he is, he’s agreed to look after the side up at Spennymoor tomorrow and on Tuesday.

“I had a great relationship with John.

“Personally, I’m very sad to see him go.

“But these things happen in football and now I’m sure we’ll have applications coming in left, right and centre for the role.

“We’ve stabilised behind the scenes now so it’s certainly a good club to be at.”

The Yeltz are the underdogs going into tomorrow’s Trophy tie as Spennymoor play a tier above, in National League North.

Their Southern Central rivals Rushall Olympic are in league action, welcoming top-of-the-table Kettering Town to Dales Lane.

A win over Leiston last time out saw the Pics move into the top 10, and chief Liam McDonald said: “It’s going to be tough because Kettering are a very good side who have started the season well.

“But last weekend’s win was so important for us. It was a real club effort.

“Hopefully we can get a consistent run of results together now; we’re up to 10th and just three points off the play-off places.

“People have been saying that we’ve had a poor start to the season, so we’ll take that as a compliment as to where we are expected to be.

“If we concentrate on what we do rather than worry about others, then the performances and results will follow.

“Tomorrow’s game will be a good gauge for us and we’re looking forward to it.”

Also in the division, Stourbridge will be hoping for a Pics win as they look to close the gap on Kettering – after losing 4-2 to them on Tuesday.

Gary Hackett’s second-placed side host Tamworth.

Glassboys forward Greg Mills will be hoping to extend his purple patch against his former club, after netting braces in each of his last five league outings.

In the Northern Premier, Stafford Rangers welcome Whitby Town to Marston Road.

Manager Steve Burr, whose men sit 16th, said: “We need to start picking points up in the league and we’ve been in the cup for the past few weeks.

“Now back to league games, it’s important we start picking points up, we’re more than capable of doing that.

“It’s just trying to cut out errors that have costed us.

“We play Whitby, we’re looking forward to that.

“Our home form has been reasonably good this season so we’re looking to get three points this Saturday.”

Hednesford Town host Mickleover Sports, looking to inch closer to the play-off places.

In Division One West, 17th-placed Chasetown head over to Kendal Town.