> 15.2.2003

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The Pitmen's long unbeaten home record finally fell today against a well-organised Tiverton side that punished Hednesford's sloppy play with three killer goals. It was all change in light of the Pitmen's last league outing, with four changes - Ashley Williams, Anthony Maguire, Derek Rae and Bryan Small all restored to the starting XI at the expense of Chris Brindley, Les Robinson, David Berks and Paul Ware, with Ware departing Keys Park this week after announcing his retirement

 The first period was a torrid affair to watch from the Pitmen's point of view, with little or no commitment from many players. Tiverton sat back, stroking the ball around, simply waiting to pounce on the inevitable error the Hednesford defence was going to make

And make it they did on sixteen minutes, with Phil Everett given time to fire home past Michael Bingham from just inside the area, with the Hednesford defence caught cold by a through ball from Jamie Mudge

 Hednesford's fighting spirit, so often seen at home this season, was strangely missing as they huffed and puffed through the half with no real end product. Kevin Francis was proving the most productive player for the Pitmen, dropping into midfield to help the poor Derek Rae win the ball and start an attack

However, the only real chance they could muster in the first half was a pulled shot from Steve Piearce on the half hour - the striker is suffering a real goal drought at the moment, not helped by some pretty uninspiring play behind him

The Pitmen went in at the interval to a chorus of boos ringing in their ears, and attempted to put things right in the second half. Francis got on the end of an Ashley Williams cross on the hour, only to see his header well saved by the Tiverton keeper Mark Ovendale

 Sub Mark Jones attempted a cheeky lob soon after he had come on for Graham Lancashire, but saw his angled chip drop just wide

 As it was, it was the away side that stretched their lead, with Jamie Mudge steering the ball past Bingham on seventy five minutes after a mistake in midfield from Rae

 Cue Chris Brindley, who came on for Francis straight away. With his first touch of the ball, 'Brinna' made a run to the back post and headed David Berks' cross home

 The Hednesford faithful sensed a comeback, but once again were let down by their team, as Tiverton broke away on eighty minutes, leaving Mudge to fire home past the exposed Bingham

But Brindley would not give up - reveling in his role as lone striker, he popped up again in the last minute to head home at the far post again - alas, is was not enough to clinch a draw that Hednesford would never have deserved cds

Welling United (A) 

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Berks

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Jones

Brindley

Lancashire

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2

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