> 26.1.2008

.

Hednesford chalked up their third draw in a row in the UniBond League, but can be pleased with this particular point earned against runaway leaders Witton at Keys Park this afternoon. Rory May made his Hednesford debut after his switch from Stratford, with Mario Pedro making way. Anthony Maguire was also dropped, with skipper Paul Robinson available again after a ban following his red card against Marine earlier in the month

David Eyres, playing in a more orthodox wide role than he did on his debut against Eastwood, was first to test Witton's keeper John Kennedy with a rasping corner that was missed by everyone as it flew across the face of goal in the second minute

Kennedy was on hand to deny Chad Sheppard his second goal in two games, making a smart save to his left to deny the midfielder after five minutes. Witton hit back with a great flowing move that saw Adam Warlow, Witton's top scorer put the ball past Ben Scott from close range. The goal was disallowed by the referee for offside

Witton were playing some good stuff, forcing the Pitmen back after their bright start and Mark Peers, who scored the winner in last season's corresponding fixture, fired just over with a free kick after ten minutes

Scott was enjoying a better game than his debut for the Pitmen, making a smart save to deny Warlow's header on fifteen minutes, before May had his first chance in a Hednesford shirt, but pulled his shot well wide of goal after being set up by Sam Hall

It was real end to end stuff, with Warlow testing Scott, and May firing over, before the big striker thought he should have had a penalty after Tony Barras appeared to have brought him down in the area - nothing was given, however

You would have put money on the prolific Warlow scoring five minutes from the break, when Rod Thornley's ball set him up for a simple shot, but he pulled it wide of goal with the net at his mercy

Hednesford took full advantage of this by taking the lead just before the break. Ross Dyer outmuscled two challenges on the edge of the area, before drawing Kennedy out at his near post and steering a right-foot shot into the far corner of the net

However, the Pitmen could not hang on to their lead into half time, with Warlow grabbing a fortunate equaliser in added time. Ben Brown cleared his initial shot off the line, but the ball fell kindly to the striker, whose scuffed shot went over Brown's head as he stretched to clear a second time

May's chances were totalling up, with the striker guilty of another miss just after the resumption of the game. Dyer could have snatched his second of the game soon after, but fired over after controlling a Brown throw in

An error from Eyres almost cost the Pitmen dearly as his misplaced ball allowed Peers to steal possession and fire a deflected shot just over the bar. With Witton's pressure building, it was no surprise when they took the lead just after the hour mark.. A speculative shot from Thornley found it's way all the way through to goal, with Scott unsighted by a number of players in front of him

May's hopes of grabbing a debut goal had looked unlikely from the off, and the new boy failed once again to find the net with a shot that was well blocked by Barras

On came Alan Nagington and Pedro in an attempt to spark life into the Pitmen's attacks, with Pedro getting in on the act straight away with a shot that sailed wide of Kennedy's far post. At the other end, Scott denied Peers and Warlow as the game entered it's last ten minutes

However, to the Pitmen's credit, they never stopped believing, and with four minutes to go, got the equaliser they deserved. Dyer was involved as per usual, forcing Kennedy into a great save from close range. The ball bounced across the face of goal from the save, with Liam Brownhill succeeding in putting the ball into his own net with Nagington breathing down his neck  cds

Frickley Athletic (A) 

.15

.

Action from Keys Park: 1. new signing Rory May makes his presence felt  2. goalscorer Ross Dyer is marked by Cavell Coo  3. Goal! Dyer celebrates with his team-mates after giving the Pitmen the lead

Images / Information (unless accredited), are © Copyright Pitmenweb 1999-2009                                                                                                         Fixtures & Results 2007-2008