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Hednesford
extended their unbeaten home run to nineteen games this evening win a
four-goal salvo against bottom club Burscough - although the away side
gave a much better account of themselves than the score suggested with
an impressive first half showing, defying their league position
The Pitmen made
it six league wins from seven games after edging out struggling Buxton
this afternoon at Silverlands, with two goals in the first half setting
Rob Smith's side on their way
Gary Hay
returned to the side after he missed the midweek defeat in the F.A.
Trophy defeat to Buxton's Derbyshire neighbours Matlock, with Chris Shaw
also coming back into the side at the expense of Elliott Durrell
It was very
nearly a dream start for the Pitmen, still smarting from the manner of
their Trophy exit on Wednesday night. Dan Crane's long punt forward was
flicked on by Hay, who headed the ball into the path of strike partner
Nick Wellecomme. The big striker leant back as he shaped to shoot,
however, and lifted his shot over the crossbar
Jamey
Osbourne, restored to the side in midweek after suspension and injury,
was next to test Buxton's resistence on seven minutes. His tricky run
saw him shimmy past two challenges but Osbourne scuffed his shot
straight at Buxton keeper Scott Hartley when well placed
Three minutes
later, Buxton had their first sight at goal as Kieran Lugsden climbed
highest to head narrowly over the crossbar in a crowded penalty area
Osbourne was
looking bright and alert, and another positive run on seventeen minutes
nearly produced a chance, but his cross was just too far in front of
strikers Hay and Wellecomme
Hay had
started well for the Pitmen, making his presence felt with a typically
full-blooded display. Midway through the first half, Wellecomme did well
to flick a Kyle Haynes ball on to Hay, who fired into the side netting
with a powerful shot from an angle
The Pitmen's
pressing was finally rewarded on the half hour mark, as Hay was once
again involved in a chance for the away side. Osbourne's effort was
diverted towards goal by Hay, forcing Hartley into a fine save to his
right to force a corner kick. Chris Clements' kick was cleared to the
edge of the area, where Darren Campion was lurking with intent. His
finely-executed volley beat Hartley and found the corner of the net to
give the Pitmen a well-deserved lead
The away side
were dominant in possession, and pushed for a second goal before half
time. Clements' free kick dropped kindly to Jay Denny, but the
midfielder's header lacked power and was easily fielded by Hartley
As the
floodlights kicked into action towards the end of the half, the Pitmen
did indeed double their advantage through Wellecomme with ten minutes of
the half remaining. A deep cross from Haynes found Campion at the far
post, with the left winger heading into the path of Wellecomme, who had
the simple task of firing past Hartley from a couple of yards out. There
were calls for offside from the Buxton defenders, but to no avail
Half time was
a welcome distraction for the home side, who had offered little against
a disciplined Hednesford defence that was being well organised by Pedro
Monteiro and Shaw
Buxton
emerged with a more attacking threat after the expected half time
rollocking, and enjoyed their best period in the game after the restart.
Lungsden turned well past Cheyenne Dunkley on fifty minutes, but got his
shot all wrong and fired horribly wide of goal
A run of
corner kicks then followed for the hosts, with the Pitmen pegged inside
their own penalty area for a number of anxious minutes. Again, Monteiro
and Dunkley came into their own, dealing with everything that could be
headed or hacked away from goal
On the one
occasion when the two centre backs failed to deal with a Buxton chance,
keeper Crane was called into action on fifty eight minutes to make a top
class save to turn Mark Reed's header over the crossbar and deny what
seemed a certain goal
Buxton could
sense a goal, and two minutes later they found it; a cross in from wide
was powerfully headed home by Neil Stevens, heading back across goal to
beat Crane and put Buxton back in the game
That belief
from the hosts was wiped out almost immediately, as Hednesford struck a
third goal barely a minute later. Hay's nuisance value worked again, as
he robbed a Buxton defender, before squaring the ball towards
Wellecomme. The ball eventually ended up at the feet of Clements, who
managed to prod the ball past Hartley to give the Pitmen their two goal
cushion again
With this in
mind, Osbourne was replaced by Ben Jevons as the Pitmen looked to close
the game out and give the midfield fresher legs to deal with Buxton's
fight to get back into the game
They almost
did so twenty minutes from time, as Michael Towey struck the outside of
the post from eighteen yards, with Crane beaten all ends up
Lungsden
should have set up a grandstand finish for the final ten minutes after
getting on the end of Reed's header on seventy eight minutes, but fired
narrowly over the bar from a good position just inside the area
Wellecomme's
game was ended a minute later, as he was replaced by Durrell, whilst Ben
Bailey came on in place of Shaw to give the central defence more
solidity
With six
minutes to go, Lungsden fired agonisingly wide of the far post with a
low shot that scraped the paintwork off the base of the woodwork as it
missed the target
With time
slipping away, Stevens blotted his copybook in the final minute, as he
was shown a red card after making one comment too many to the match
officials
With three
points in the bag, the Pitmen can now look forward to a mouthwatering
home game against third placed Chorley next week, with a great chance to
close in on the league leaders Northwich
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