Pitmen and Blues Play Out Friendly Stalemate Lazing on a Sunny Afternoon

Sunday 9th August 2009

Hednesford Town and a Birmingham City XI played out an uneventful yet competitive 0-0 draw on a gorgeous afternoon at Keys Park last Sunday.

The Birmingham City side, made up predominantly of promising youth players, came to Hednesford with little other than a defensive attitude in mind; playing Jake Gervais up front at the head of a 4-5-1 formation.

Dean Edwards selected his strongest line-up possible, signalling his first-team plans for the start of their Zamaretto League campaign which begins this Saturday against Tiverton Town. Justin Nesbett and Tyrone Barnett failed to click upfront but the match will have done wonders for the match fitness of every player due to the enthusiastic young side they were facing.

The opening ten minutes promised much with Gervais and Luke Hubbins linking well to force an early corner for ?The Blues?. Hubbins again looked dangerous on three minutes as his tricky wing play forced Richard Walker into an important defensive header to clear his lines.

Nesbett wriggled free of the Birmingham defence two minutes later and only a fantastic block by David Joyce prevented the striker from creating a clear opportunity for Hednesford. From the resulting corner, Captain Richard Walker meekly headed over when well placed at the back post following uncertain goalkeeping by Colin Doyle.

A first half lacking consistency was disrupted for a lengthy injury break following a nasty clash of heads between Hubbins and Pitmen left-back Aaron Gibson after thirteen minutes. The stand-out player from Thursday nights? game against RAF Cosford had his afternoon cut short as he was taken off the field requiring medical attention for a gashed head. Hubbins struggled and was substituted three minutes later.

Following the stoppage the match became bogged down in midfield, with Elliott Durrell and Karl Palmer performing doggedly to prevent any rare Blues attacks coming to fruition; a speculative shot from Ashley Sammons was the only attempt Birmingham could muster.

With the Keys Park faithful looking forward to a refreshing half-time pint, Nesbett sprung into life and his desire, along with the slippery Tyrone Barnett forced ?The Blues? defence to bravely block three shots from the edge of their area on forty-one minutes.

On the stroke of the half-time whistle Dinning strongly won the ball in midfield but Nesbett?s snap shot was mistimed and rolled into Doyle?s hands.

The second half continued to be very much a midfield affair with both sides struggling to create any clear cut chances. A Tony Dinning free kick from the right found Ben Bailey at the back post but he was unable to stretch his neck muscles and the ball lobbed harmlessly over the bar.

The final ball was desperately lacking for ?The Pitmen? despite Barnett demonstrating why he will be a threat to defences all season with some salmon-like jumping to win headers and flick-ons. Gomez, impressive on his debut in the 2-1 defeat last Thursday, replaced Nesbett on sixty-one minutes but failed to make any tangible impact.

His best opportunity came with fifteen minutes remaining when a fantastic pass by man of the match Ben Bailey found him on the left wing and, from the resulting corner, his shot was blocked. Sean Platt?s follow up looped just below the cross bar but was casually plucked out of the air by Colin Doyle.?

Sam Aiston and the rest of the Hednesford midfield continued to battle hard for a breakthrough in the final ten minutes, however the lack of a cutting edge was clear for all to see as Tony Dinning scuffed a free kick under the wall and straight into the arms of the goalkeeper.

In truth, this game will not go down as classic pre-season friendly but Dean Edwards will no doubt take heart from another solid midfield display and a good work out for his first choice players. Ross Dyer will hope to return to full fitness following a bout of illness with Saturday?s game at home to Tiverton Town seeing ?The Pitmen? embark on another campaign in English football?s seventh tier.

Fans and players alike will feel the pre-season programme has shown promising signs of progress under Edwards and a start as encouraging as last season will no doubt make all around the club feel even more optimistic that Hednesford can make the step up to Conference North/South level come next May.

Hednesford Town

Ward, Platt, Gibson, Dinning, Walker, Bailey, Durrell, Palmer, Barnett, Nisbett, Aiston

Subs

Gomez, Lycett, Bandurak, Jones, Flynn

Birmingham City

Doyle, Nelson, Timmins, Packwood, Joyce, Rowe, Hronee, Sammons, Gervais, McPike, Hubbins,

Subs

Williams, McCart, Fleet, Gomblea, Forster,

Referee C. Sarginson

Article by Chris Brewerton

Images : Colin Rogers / Simon Faulkner