> 15.3.2008

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 Hednesford returned to winning ways with a well-deserved win over high-flying Gateshead in a thoroughly enjoyable game at Keys Park this afternoon. There were two familiar faces returning to the starting XI for the Pitmen, with Reece Styche making his long-awaited return from injury up front, and goalkeeper Paul Evans returning to the club, albeit for a two-game spell to cover Ben Scott's suspension

The home side started well, having had a fortnight's break following defeat at Whitby. Rory May could have given the Pitmen the lead in the second minute, but his header failed to test former Port Vale keeper Paul Musselwhite in the Gateshead goal

Despite Hednesford's good start, with plenty of good football on show, Gateshead gave the crowd a good idea as to why they are flying high in the league, with Evans called into action two minutes later to turn a goalbound shot from Graeme Armstrong away for a corner

Evans again came to the Pitmen's rescue five minutes later to field a bobbling shot from one of the UniBond League's most dangerous strikers, Dave Southern

Although Gateshead were pressing, the Hednesford defence was coping pretty well with it all, with Wayne Dyer putting in arguably his best shift since joining the Pitmen in midfield. Skipper Tom Marshall could have given the hosts the lead on fifteen minutes, but headed over from close range

The first period was being played like a cup tie, with both sides playing good stuff in search of a goal. Phi, Turnbull nearly scored with a rising shot on twenty minutes, followed by a scramble in the Gateshead area, with Musselwhite just beating the onrushing Styche to the ball

The Pitmen got their crucial breakthrough mid-way through the first half; a Kris Gate ball back to Musselwhite was shot, allowing Mario Pedro to nip in and chip the ball past the keeper from eight yards out

The home side had their tails up, and went further in front three minutes later. Some of the best interplay we have seen all season lead to the goal, with Ross Dyer and Styche combining to set up Wayne Dyer, who fired a magnificent, and frankly, unstoppable shot past a bemused Musselwhite

It could have been three-nil at the break, with Chad Sheppard testing Musselwhite - who made a complete hash of the midfielder's free kick - but Styche could not get to the rebound in time

Styche was showing signs of tiredness before the break, and it was only a matter of time before the youngster left the field. He was replaced before the hour mark by Alan Nagington

Back came Gateshead, who are well known for their strong comebacks this season, and Evans was again called upon on sixty two minutes, saving well from a Phil Cave free kick

Pedro's scoring record has been excellent this season, something that has perhaps gone unnoticed by the masses at Keys Park, and he could have added another with a dipping shot on sixty five minutes that Musslewhite saw over the bar

Gateshead got themselves back onto the game a minute later; a good passing move saw Armstrong carve open the Hednesford defence with a ball to Wayne Phillips, who fired past Evans and into the far corner of the net

Phillips almost snatched an equaliser five minutes later, but the excellent Evans was on hand to deny the Gateshead man

The Pitmen restored their two goal advantage nineteen minutes from time with a superb goal from the club's top scorer, Ross Dyer. The ever-dependable Ross Adams, playing at right-back for once, crossed for Dyer to bring the ball down and fire past Musselwhite in the same action - a truly memorable goal from the front man, playing as a right winger for the day

Evans had everyone on their feet ten minutes from time, making a world-class save to deny substitute Steve Bowey by pushing his point-blank range header away for a corner kick

Gateshead, to their credit, continued to plug away, and once again got a goal back with four minutes to play. Liam McDonald, looking uneasy in an unfamiliar left-back role, brought down Armstrong just inside the area, alhtough the assistant referee seemed to have flagged Armstrong offside before the coming together. The referee overruled it, and Cave confidently sent Evans the wrong way from the resultant kick

There was still time for one more from Evans's repertoire, making another outstanding save to deny Southern in added time, tipping the ball over the bar to clinch three well-earned points for the Pitmen  cds

Guiseley (H) 

.15

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Action from Keys Park:  1. back in the action... Reece Styche started his first game since September   2. get in there! Super Mario celebrates his opener   3. skipper Tom Marshall looks on as the Pitmen press forward

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