> 24.2.2003

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After going so long without defeat at 'fortress' Keys Park, it's now two losses on the bounce at home for Hednesford, who again showed their Jekyll and Hyde approach to football; promising in the first half, bloody awful in the second. There was a blow for the Pitmen just before kick off, with Michael Bingham pulling out after complaining of being unwell. Adam Jenkins, himself not fully fit, was drafted in - this was the only change to the team that drew against Welling on Saturday

 As already stated, the first half was a good one for the home side in general, against the surprise package of the league this season. Ashley Williams and Kevin Francis both started impressively, with Williams' enthusiasm to get up and down the right side a feature of Hednesford's play

Francis and his team mates thought they had won a penalty on just thirteen minutes, when a touch from the big man appeared to strike the hand of Chippenham's Tom Gould, but the referee deemed it an accident and waved away the protests

The home side continued to press, with Francis causing all sorts of problems with his height, but a well-organised visiting defence kept Francis and the equally dangerous Steve Piearce at bay

 Indeed, Chippenham were not content with simply defending, and turned defence into attack on thirty eight minutes. Martin Paul drifted inside, towards the Hednesford penalty area, and was brought down by Chris Brindley as he shaped to shoot. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty, which Paul took it himself. Deputy keeper Jenkins guessed right and pulled off a fine save to deny Paul. Unfortunately for Jenkins, he palmed the ball straight to Matt Rawlins, who fired home the rebound

 The goal knocked the stuffing out of the Pitmen, who failed to respond after the half time break, and fell further behind in the second half with a two-goal whammy

 Firstly, Paul jinked his way down the flank,  before crossing  for Adie Mings to head home unmarked on sixty seven minutes

 This was followed by a breakaway goal from Paul just sixty seconds later, breaking clear of the Hednesford defence before sliding the ball under Jenkins

 Cue the heckling from the terraces as the smaller than normal Hednesford crowd told manager Ian Painter exactly what they thought of it all

 To Hednesford's credit, they battled on going forward, with Piearce still making the visitors defence think with his excellent work rate

 Piearce got his reward with three minutes to go, getting a touch on Anthony Maguire's cross to steer the ball home at the near post to grab what was a consolation goal cds

Chelmsford City (H) 

Airdrie

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Maguire

Jones

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Francis

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