Pre-Season Friendly

> 14.7.2007

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Hednesford opened their pre-season programme with defeat against League Two side Stockport County, but can draw plenty of positives from a result that slightly flattered their opponents. Manager Phil Starbuck took the opportunity to give nine players their debuts, with only Ross Adams and Tom Marshall recognisable from last season's side. Stockport started well, and had the ball in the net after just a couple of minutes, but Liam Dickinson's effort was ruled out for offside. The Pitmen struggled to get a grip of County's extra fitness in the opening twenty minutes, with Anthony Elding firing over the bar with an overhead kick and Jason Taylor's goalbound header from a corner cleared by Paul Robinson

Matty McNeil should have done better on eighteen minutes, controlling Adam Griffin's cross but firing well over with the goal at his mercy. The Pitmen finally replied with a well-worked move down the right hand side. leading to a cross that Liam Hebberd got his head to, but his downward header was comfortably saved down at his near post by triallist Birmingham City keeper Adam Legzdins. There was plenty of endeavour  from the likes of Peter Knox and Alan Nagington up front, but a well-marshalled Stockport defence, with former Pitman Ashley Williams in charge, stood firm

The Hatters finally took the lead three minutes before the break. Greg Tansey's ball cut the Hednesford defence open on the left hand side, allowing Thompson to slide the ball past the onrushing Gilmartin to open the scoring. The half time break saw the Pitmen make two changes, with Gary Sucharewycz and Reece Styche coming on for Tom Marshall and Hebberd respectively. Styche was straight into the action from the start of the second period, playing out on the left wing. He beat his marker, before cutting inside and firing in a shot that Legzdins saved well. A minute later, Styche again fired in a shot from the left hand side, this time with more venom. Legzdins had to be at full stretch to deny the teenager with a wonderful save to his left

 For the visitors, they continued to create chances, with Dickinson  forcing Gilmartin into a smart save down low on the hour. The Pitmen were growing in confidence as the half wore on, and Tom Ward's long-range effort was smartly saved by Legzdins, who must have Stockport manager impressed Jim Gannon with his agility. McNeil almost added to Stockport's advantage fifteen minutes from the end,  but a great saving challenge from Robinson denied him a certain goal at the far post

Elding had a goal disallowed for offside as we entered the last ten minutes, with the Pitmen having made three more changes to the side. Nagington narrowly missed a great chance ten minutes from time, failing to turn a Styche cross home at the near post. From here on in, fitness was the deciding factor, as Stockport plundered three breakaway goals. Firstly, Thompson set up Anthony Pilkington for a simple tap-in on eighty two minutes, followed by an Adam Proudlock (remember him Wolves fans?) slotting home a penalty down the centre of Gilmartin's goal after a foul by Sucharewycz. Finally, Proudlock finished off the Pitmen with a low drive in the last minute to complete the scoring    cds

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Action from Keys Park - from left: Alan Nagington gets involved  2. Ashley Williams returns to Keys Park  3. Gary Sucharewycz up for a set-piece  4. new boy Peter Knox looks on

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