Pre-Season Friendly

>11.8.2007

The Pitmen ended pre-season on a high by beating Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints soundly, sending out a message to all of their rivals for the UniBond League title ahead of next Saturday's big kick off. Manager Phil Starbuck gave a few hints as to the possible line-up against Frickley next Saturday, with fringe player Keenan Meakin-Richards and Tim Sanders looking to maker an impact on the side at this late stage of pre-season   

The full-time outfit looked confident on the ball during the opening exchanges, buoyed by a 3-0 win over AFC Telford in their previous fixture. their failure to turn possession into chances was to prove their undoing, as the Hednesford defence, superbly organised by Tom Marshall, stood firm

Despite the game being played mainly in the Pitmen's half of the pitch, there were chances for the home side to take the lead. Simon Forsdick, who gets better with every game, tested T N S with a good run down the wing, before cutting in and firing in a shot that narrowly cleared the crossbar. At the other end, Michael Wilde felt he should have scored, heading a Chris King cross wide of goal when he should have tested Rene Gilmartin

The on-loan Walsall stopper was called into action towards the end of the half, getting his body in the way of and effort from Steven Beck. The goalkeeper's big frame certainly gives him an advantage against onrushing attackers, and has been one of the features of his game since arriving at Keys Park

As the game entered added time at the end of the first half, the Pitmen stole the lead; a Sanders corner found Peter Knox lurking on the edge of the six yard box, with the stocky striker leaping to head home at the far post

Gilmartin was again in the right place at the right time to deny Wilde only a couple of minutes into the restart. For the Pitmen, the impressive Danny Blair managed to twist and turn before hitting a good shot that just cleared the crossbar

A well-worked Hednesford move led to a second goal on fifty three minutes. Ross Dyer and Blair combined to set up Alan Nagington, on as a substitute for goalscorer Knox, who rolled the ball into the net. Nagington then got in the way of Reece Styche scoring, with the ball rebounding off the striker en route to goal after he had gambled by making a run into the area

The Pitmen sealed victory fifteen minutes from time, with the outstanding Marshall getting a well-deserved goal - and what a goal it was! T N S cleared a corner kick to the edge of the area, but could only watch in amazement as Marshall performed a wonderful overhead kick to find the net. It was a goal reminiscent of Mario Pedro's effort, also on the last day of pre-season, last year

Despite a late flurry of activity around the Hednesford box, with Wilde having a great chance to reduce arrears, the Pitmen held out for a fine, morale-boosting win over the third Welsh side they had played during the pre-season programme  cds 

Frickley Athletic (H)

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