Pre-Season Friendly

> 21.7.2007

Defeat number three of pre-season saw the Pitmen beaten by UniBond Division One side Alsager Town this afternoon, with manager Phil Starbuck again making wholesale changes to his side, keeping everyone guessing as to the identities of the players to be retained for the new season

The Pitmen were first to register an attempt on goal on six minutes when Reece Styche, the story of pre-season so far, got in behind the Alsager defence and directed the ball towards goal after rounding the keeper. His effort, however, was cleared off the line by Alsager's Charlie Reeves

Against the run of play, Alsager took the lead two minutes later; Peter Heler's low drive from just outside the area deceived the unsighted Rene Gilmartin and found the net. The hosts clearly found a burst of confidence from the goal, their first effort of the game, and went two-nil up six minutes later. Alsager's Steve Millington was on hand to head home from close range from a corner with the Hednesford defence ball-watching

The visitors responded swiftly from this double whammy, with Styche again in the thick of the action, missing a good chance after being set up by Jay Birch. He was on hand to test Alsager keeper Matt Conkie soon after, but his weak effort was easily saved. It was all Hednesford, as Gary Sucharewycz saw his powerful header headed off the line by Michael Owen (not that one, as if he'd be playing a game of football!)

Alsager did continue to cause the Pitmen a few problems, with corners becoming a particular worry for such a tall defence as Hednesford's. Karl Epsley headed narrowly wide after being left alone at the back from a left wing corner

The Pitmen could have pulled a goal back ten minutes before the break when Birch's free kick found Paul Robinson steaming in to head home, but he just failed to make an effective connection and the ball bounced wide off the top of his head

Into the second half, and the usual raft of substitutions from the Pitmen once again left people wondering as to the most effective set-up of the side. The defence was once again under pressure from set-pieces, struggling to deal with high balls into the area. Gordon Simms and Ross Adams were introduced to shore up the defence, and the Pitmen started to play better football as a whole

Youngster David Brown, on for Ross Dyer, flashed a shot wide before substitute Alan Nagington got his first goal for the Pitmen on seventy four minutes, tapping home after fellow sub Liam Hebberd had created a chance in the area

The visitors sensed an equaliser, and committed more men forward in search of their second 2-2 draw in three days. Tom Marshall's over-the-top effort was a waste near the end, despite having Hebberd in an unmarked position square of him. As it was, it's another defeat, but some good performances here, with a need to look at that problem area from set-pieces cds

USA Deaf Side (H)

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