Pre-Season Friendly

> 26.7.2008

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Hednesford's second string continued the good work started by the first team the previous night, beating a full-strength Sutton Coldfield team this afternoon as Dean Edwards ran the rule over a number of potential players for the new season. Indeed, there were ten changes to the starting line-up, with only Stuart Brock starting in goal from the previous night's team

The young Pitmen were straight out of the traps, with one of the hopefuls, Anthony Miller, firing in an early shot that was deflected wide of goal after he had collected a ball from Luke Findley

Back came the hosts, with a Paul Devlin corner headed just over the bar by Edward Booth, challenging Brock a couple of yards from the goal-line

The Pitmen responded two minutes later through stand-in skipper Nicky Carter, who fired in a long-range effort that was watched out by Royals' keeper Chris Gemmell

Gemmell was called into action five minutes later, diving in bravely to deny Chris Morris a first goal for the Pitmen as the forward shaped to shoot

It was shaping into a highly entertaining game, with both sides giving as good as they got, with Sutton nearly taking the lead mid-way through the half with an effort from Jake Morrell that was only narrowly wide of goal

Carter was relishing his role as captain for the day, testing Gemmell's reflexes again on the half hour mark with another effort from just outside the area. The Royals keeper tipped the ball away for a corner kick

Former Blues and Scotland winger Devlin should have given the home side the lead ten minutes before the break, capitalising on indecision from Brock and youth team graduate Ben Harbutt, but saw Brock scramble back into position to make the save

Sutton were pressing hard as the break loomed, and went closest just before half time. Morrell's header from a Kirk Smith corner clattered the Hednesford crossbar with Brock beaten all ends up

Having weathered the Sutton storm, it was the visitors that took the lead right on half time. Gemmell's poor throw went straight to former Plymouth Argyle youngster Jake Moult, with the triallist coolly controlled the ball and lobbed the ball over the keeper to score his first goal for Hednesford

After getting forty five minutes under his belt following his return from injury, David Brown made way for Elliott Durrell at the break; he was followed off by Miller, who was replaced by Portuguese striker Nelson Veiga

Sutton started the second half in much the same vein as they had finished the first, as they pushed the Pitmen back. Nathan Moran should have equalised just moments after the restart, but his header was easily fielded by Brock, having a much more challenging game than the previous night, when he had been a virtual spectator

Veiga, who had hit the crossbar during his short cameo the previous night against Stoke, got on the scoresheet here just after the hour mark to give Edwards something to think about. Morris beat his man before shooting across Gemmell. The Sutton number one left the ball, assuming the ball would drop wide of goal. However, Veiga had timed his run prefectly, and tapped home at the far post

Sutton, to their credit, continued to plug away, with Jimmy Quiggin testing Brock with a long-range effort on seventy minutes. Devlin was also still trying his best to get the hosts on the scoreboard, but his effort was snuffed out by Richard Robinson

Veiga's contribution to the game ended prematurely, with the forward having to go off injured late on after colliding with Neil Watkins, injuring his foot and splitting his boot in the process

A good outing and a competitive game for the trial XI, with another win chalked up - as they say, winning is a good habit to get into in football - regardless of the personnel out on show  cds

Macclesfield Town (H) 

Miller

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