Pre-Season Friendly

> 9.8.2008

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 Hednesford's final pre-season fixture ended with the Pitmen snatching a late goal to draw with Southern League side Leamington on a wet and windy afternoon in Warwickshire. Manager Dean Edwards gave the travelling supporters a few clues as to the line-up for next week's UniBond opener at Ossett by leaving out his unavailable trio - Chad Sheppard, Ludovic Quiston and Ross Draper - and picking an XI that looks likely to start next week's game. On the bench, there was a surprise appearance for the vastly-experienced Scott Stamps, the former Kidderminster and Tamworth player

There were concerns that the recent bad weather would have an impact on the Leamington pitch, but it could not have been in better condition come kick off time, despite the continuing poor weather

the Pitmen started brightly, with Anthony Maguire making up the yards to get forward and fire in a shot that deflected off two Leamington players before dropping wide

Jamie Towers of Leamington missed an absolute peach of a chance in the home side's first attack, collecting a cross with only Stuart Brock to beat, but his mis-control in front of the net meant the chance was gone

The always-dangerous Tyrone Barnett should have opened the scoring on fifteen minutes, getting on the end of an inswinging Maguire corner, but headed wide of the Leamington post as the Pitmen pressed

The Pitmen, as many sides in recent season in the Southern League and beyond, were well aware of the danger that the ultra-prolific Mark Bellingham offered, and they were almost made to pay on twenty minutes when he got on the end of former Hednesford loanee Luke Corbett's cross, but headed wide of the far post

Louie Briscoe, who had had a couple of quiet performances since his brace against Stoke City, reminded the Hednesford supporters of why he is highly rated with a splendid run down the right, taking on two Leamington players before settling for a corner as he shaped to shoot

The referee was not exactly endearing himself to either set of supporters, giving a handful of bizarre decisions during the first period, with Bellingham denied a blatant corner after Brock  had turned his rising shot over the bar

It could have been a great start to the second half for the Pitmen, with Ross Dyer ghosting in to meet a cross, but headed wide after interference from Leamington's former Bedworth man Guy Sanders

If that seemed close, then Leamington went even closer themselves a minute later. Two former Hednesford players combined, with Jai Stanley playing Corbett in, but his rocket crashed against the post and away from goal

The play was end-to-end at this stage, with Barnett back into the action, but Leamington keeper Richard Morris denied him with a smart save

Back down the other end went the hosts, who promptly took the lead two minutes later. The poacher himself Bellingham grabbed his customary goal, outpacing Danny Harvey before calmly sliding the ball past Brock, who had tried to narrow the angle

It was all change for the Pitmen almost immediately, with the exciting Orlando Junior on for Briscoe, closely followed by Stamps on for Nicky Carter. Junior was straight into the action, playing in Barnett after bamboozling his marker with a piece of trickery. Barnett played the ball to Sean Platt, who forced Morris to concede a corner

A mistake at the back almost let Bellingham in on the hour, but Tom Marshall did a fine job to recover and get back to deny the Leamington striker with a last-ditch tackle

The Pitmen started to turn the screw in search of an equaliser as the game entered it's final quarter, with Dyer and Barnett combining inside the penalty area to allow Dyer to fire narrowly wide of goal

The tricky Junior won a ball for the away side in midfield, before sending the ball on to Maguire. His pass to substitute Elliott Durrell, on for Harvey, saw the full-back race forward and wire just wide, with Barnett almost getting in on the act at the far post

The hard-working Barnett deserved a goal for his efforts, but failed to find the net with ten minutes to go, heading Maguire's cross over the bar

The Pitmen's pressure finally told with four minutes remaining. Chris Morris, on for Dyer late on, managed to get in between the Leamington defence to beat his namesake Richard from close range

And it could have been even better for the Pitmen in added time; Maguire supplied yet another good cross, but Barnett and Durrell failed to commit to the cross, and the ball sailed out of play  cds

Ossett Town (A) 

Durrell

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Dyer

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