27.9.2008

Talbott 59

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Hednesford consolidated their second place standing in the UniBond Premier League with a hard-fought win over the season's surprise package so far Ashton United. Manager Dean Edwards kept faith in the starting XI that had beaten Matlock Town on Tuesday night, with new signing Shane O'Reilly making up the numbers on the bench

Clearly in confident form following his hat-trick against Matlock, it took Tyrone Barnett only forty five seconds to test Ashton keeper Terry Smith, with the visiting stopper having to turn away a fierce shot from the number nine and concede an early corner for the Pitmen

There were loud shouts for a penalty two minutes later as Ross Dyer's pace got him clear in the area, but appeared to be hauled back in the process. There was an even louder shout for a spot kick two minutes after that, with the ball appearing to strike the arm of an Ashton defender after a ball into the area from Barnett

It was all Hednesford, as they looked to force home their early domination of the ball. Dyer should have done better with a downward header that was saved at the near post by Smith following a corner from Mark Briggs

Danny Harvey's aerial presence was causing Ashton problems at set-pieces, and he almost grabbed the opener with a powerful header towards goal that Smith tipped over the bar

On twenty minutes, Briggs tried his luck with a twenty five yard drive that was only inches wide of goal. In the very next move, Sean Platt's cross found Dyer unmarked at the far post, but the out-of-sorts striker headed wide of goal

Despite all of the chances coming the Pitmen's way, Ashton caused a major scare on the half hour by finding the net. Ian Fitzpatrick fired home after a mistake from Tom Marshall, but the referee pulled the Ashton striker up for a handball in the build-up and disallowed the goal

Dyer, for all of his efforts, could not find that all-important goal to end his mini slump, and two further efforts before the break failed to hit the target

The Pitmen did get the goal their efforts deserved four minutes before half time. Platt's run and cross from the right was flicked on by Elliott Durrell, finding skipper Ross Draper making a late run into the area. His header past Smith came off the post and trickled over the line, with Draper following up to knock the ball into the net to make absolutely certain

Draper could have grabbed another just sixty seconds later, picking up a pass from Briggs before hitting a shot against the bar

The second half started in much the same vein as the first, with the Pitmen continuing to press Ashton back. Durrell was having another fine game, linking play well between midfield and attack. His twenty yard effort was held by Smith only two minutes into the second half, which he followed up three minutes later with another drive that was diverted away form goal by an Ashton defender for a corner

Danny Woodhall, on loan to the Pitmen from Team Bath, had had very little to do in either of his appearances for the club so far. However, a shot from Robbie Talbott on fifty five minutes almost beat him at the far post, with the ball only just dipping wide as Woodhall scrambled back to save

Durrell capped another fine performance with his third goal in three games two minutes later. In an almost carbon copy of his goal against Matlock, he picked up a ball from Draper before firing past Smith, high into the top right hand corner of the net

Despite putting daylight between themselves and Ashton, the Pitmen let the away side grab a lifeline almost immediately. Fitzpatrick's run and pass out on the right found Talbott, who sidefooted past Woodhall from close range

Ashton sensed an unlikely comeback, and pressed in search of an equaliser. Ian Kearney should have done better with a header that cleared the crossbar from a Haydn Eames corner

The Pitmen weathered a late storm to ease their way to three points, with Barnett almost grabbing a goal in added time, heading over the bar from a Dyer cross from the left  cds

North Ferriby United (H) 

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Action from Keys Park:  1. 'what are you playing at lino?' asks Deano after the Pitmen are denied a penalty 2. Tom Marshall is marked up  3. Get in there! Elliott Durrell gets the congratulations after his third goal in three games  4. It's lift-off for Sean Platt at a corner

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