> 19.10.2002

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Hednesford's unbeaten home record continued in emphatic fashion this afternoon with a 6-2 thrashing of bottom-of-the-table Ilkeston. Manager Ian Painter preferred Everton target Adam Jenkins inbetween the sticks, and also brought in Mark Jones for the departed Richard Lucas. Kevin Francis returned on the bench after nearly two months out injured, with Elliot Richards, the youth team keeper, joined the substitutes

 It was Jenkins who was called into action as early as the second minute, tipping away a Ryan Ford shot for a corner as the visitors attempted to get a head start

For the home side, it was all a bit disjointed, with Derek Rae firing wide, and Mark Jones wasting a good chance from eighteen yards by scuffing his shot

However, it was the Pitmen who did the lead when Chris Brindley headed home his trademark goal from a Paul Ware corner - it was 'Brinna's' fourth goal of the season - not bad for a centre back at this point in the campaign!

 It was the half time substitution of Steve Piearce for the injured Mark Jones that changed the course of the game at the break, however. He needed only two minutes to get off the mark, as he  turned the ball past Matt Nurse in the Ilkeston goal after good work by Shaun Wray down the flank

 The Pitmen sniffed a goal avalanche - and duly found it in a breathtaking five-minute spell. On fifty minutes, Graham Lancashire opened his account for the season, hammering home from close range after some slack defending by Ilkeston

A minute later, and there was another, with Piearce picking the ball up after another piece of poor defensive work to turn a deflected shot past Nurse - and still there was more!

On fifty three minutes, the rampant Pitmen found the net for the fifth time, with supersub Piearce firing home, again unmarked inside the eighteen yard box

The Pitmen appeared to relax, and allowed the Robins back into the contest, with former Stafford Rangers hitman Paul Kiely firing home from the edge of the box on seventy four minutes, past a stranded Jenkins

Leon Kelly bundled a second home for Ilkeston on eighty six minutes, lifting Ilkeston, but it was always going to be a consolation goal, as the Pitmen wrapped up the game in the last minute

It was the excellent Wray who finished Ilkeston off with a superb volley home to seal another tremendous home performance - and another great piece of entertainment - for Hednesford  cds

Cambridge City (A)

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Lancashire

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Adams

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