Inconsistent Reds are still blowing hot and cold with Saturday's offering easily their most inept performance so far.

They were out-battled by a physically stronger Halesowen side then, later in the game, simply outplayed by a team who, before start of play, were below Workington in the early Evo-Stik Premier Division table.

Annoyingly, Reds shaded the possession percentage, won the corner count handsomely and created slightly more chances than their hosts yet never looked convincing in front of goal and their play became tediously predictable long before the end.

It all started to go wrong as early as the eighth minute, with some suspect defending from the visitors. First of all, they conceded a needless free-kick and from the subsequent set piece were left looking at each other as Greg Pearson collected Joe Hull’s flick-on, turned and sent the ball into the far corner of Alex Mitchell’s goal.

They rallied, but three corners in quick succession came to no avail then Phil McLuckie just failed to convert at the far post after a long Jake Simpson throw-in caused panic inside the area.

McLuckie was then blatantly tripped by Anthony Charles and, from Conor Tinnion’s free-kick, Josh Calvert directed his header over the bar.

Scott Allison, lacking his normal composure in front of goal, squandered three good opportunities to equalise, first lobbing the keeper only to see the ball drift wide of the target then thwarted twice by two routine Matthew Sargeant saves.

Frenchman Jean-Michel Gueyes sent over an inviting cross early in the second half, but Dean Waldron’s firm header was comfortably caught by Mitchell in what was a rare sortie forward by the Midlands outfit.

At the other end, Reds huffed and puffed, wasted a lot of good possession and lacked variation from the handful of corners they forced.

Matty Tymon, Reds’ match-winner on this ground 12 months ago, had a half chance to level matters but couldn’t decide to head or side foot a cross from the right. In the end, he didn’t manage either and the opportunity was gone.

And, as so often happens in such situations, the opposition scored in their very next attack. Calvert was attempting to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal-kick and, in his defence, it was clearly a foot out of play. He committed the cardinal sin of not playing to the whistle, had his pocket picked and was punished in the most embarrassing way when Isaac Cooper slotted a rather controversial second goal after seventy three minutes.

I doubt it would have made any difference to the outcome as Reds were so out of sorts offensively.

But it did inspire Halesowen who, hitherto, had been just a wasteful as the Cumbrians.

Cooper’s presence added a touch of class to proceedings and he almost finished off a flowing move only to be denied by Mitchell. The super sub then produced a sublime piece of skill with a measured shot from all of 40 yards which, much to Mitchell’s relief, thumped against the crossbar.

By then, the frustrated band of travelling supporters, were praying for the final whistle and damage limitation.

Reds: Mitchell, Simpson, Rowntree, May, Calvert, Earl (Tymon, 58), McLuckie, Wright, Allison, McGee (Salmon, 74), Tinnion. Subs (not used): Arnison, Smith, McCartney.

Attendance: 337.

STEVE DURHAM