The Pitmen dispelled any fears of a Christmas hangover when they comfortably defeated Worksop Town away on Boxing Day. Tyrone Barnett and Elliott Durrell both scored a hat trick with Ross Dyer adding to the tally. Even Anthony Maguire scored an own goal to give the hosts an opening goal.

In the opening minutes it was the home side who looked the more dangerous, Chris Adam over hit a cross which was put back into the box by Chris Glarvey. The ball looked to be going wide but Stuart Brock did not leave anything to chance as he tipped the ball away for a corner.

Rapinde Gill who was making his debut in place of the absent Decio Gomes had an uneasy first touch which went straight to Adam however Tom Marshall was on hand to cut out the cross by chesting the ball back to Brock.

The first scoring chance for the Pitmen came in the 5th minute when Elliott Durrell played a good ball forward for Ross Dyer to run onto, as he got into the box he was closed down by two defenders before he could make an attempt to shoot.

Ross Draper who had been relieved of the captaincy before the game made a good attacking run which was only halted by a foul twenty yards from goal. New team Captain Chad Sheppard wasted the free kick by hitting the ball into the defensive wall.

Durrell went close in the 11th minute after he won a corner. Sheppard's corner kick went to Dyer at the near post, he slipped the ball inside for Durrell who from close range hit the ball well over the crossbar.

The opening goal came in the 19th minute; Durrell hit a free kick from the right towards the back post, despite the ball dropping low it did not stop Barnett as he dived to head the ball back across the goal and into the net.

Barnett was denied a second goal shortly after when a well timed tackle from Gareth Holmes stopped him as he was about to break clear. In the 26th minute after Sean Platt's cross had been punched straight to Ant Maguire who put the ball back in for Dyer whose shot was blocked and went out of play for a corner.

The Pitmen felt that they had a good claim for a penalty when Durrell was fouled inside the box but the Referee waived play on. Worksop's Ben Tomlinson was spoken to at length by the Referee after a poor challenge on Sheppard.

Platt hit a great ball forward for Barnett who hit a first time volley from the edge of the box. The ball looked to be going into the net but Hernandez had other ideas as he dived to his left to tip the ball away for a corner. Platt a minute later put a cross in for Barnett to head down for Dyer who volleyed the ball high over the crossbar.

Durrell made it 2-0 in the 36th minute when he latched onto a pass from Dyer to hit a thunderous shot inside the near post. The favour was returned three minutes later when Durrell lifted the ball over the Worksop defence for Dyer to race onto. After taking the ball into the box he placed the ball past Hernandez to score the Pitmen's third goal.

As the first half was coming to an end Durrell flashed a shot wide after Barnett had headed down the ball for the midfielder to attempt his shot.In added on time Worksop's Mick Galloway was cautioned for a mistimed tackle.

In the 48th minute Stuart Brock the Pitmen keeper got into the act when he hit a long ball up for Barnett to control and lift over Hernandez to make it four for the Pitmen.

It got worse for the home side in the 61st minute when Barnett scored his third goal of the game and the teams fifth; Sean Platt took a throw in on the right finding Durrell on the right hand bye-line. He pulled the ball back into the box for Barnett to hit unchallenged a firm header from 15 yards past a stranded Hernandez.

The home fans in frustration started to chant that they wanted one goal and they got their wish in the 65th minute when an Andy White header from the edge of the box was headed into his own net by Maguire.

Former Pitman Chris Adam suddenly gave the home fans some hope when the defence failed to clear the ball properly and from 20 yards Adam hit a firm volley past Brock.

Barnett almost straight from the restart nearly restored the four goal lead but his shot from the left bounced off the right hand post. Draper controlled the rebound and his effort was blocked with the ball eventually going out for a corner.

In the 84th minute the Worksop back line stopped when they thought that Durrell was offside after Platt had played a ball into the space behind the back line but the midfielder had timed his run well and from 20 yards hit a firm volley into the net. Hernandez who had been injured a few minutes earlier in a challenge with Ross Draper was substituted by Worksop's 17 year old youth team keeper.

The youngster had no chance in added on time when Tom Marshall's free kick was headed down by Danny Harvey to Durrell who hit his hat trick goal through the keepers legs to make the final score 7-2 to the Pitmen.

The only black mark on the day was the caution received by Draper in the 80th minute for the challenge on Hernandez which forced the keeper off shortly after. The booking was Drapers tenth of the season and he will now miss two games in the New Year starting with the FA Trophy game against Welling.

Hernandez (Smith 85), Glarvey, Davies, Holmes, Stevenson, Jones, Glass, Galloway, White, Tomlinson (Townsend 78), Adam. Subs not used: Dempsey, Fretwell, Stansfield.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt (Hall 85), Maguire (Burley 72), Gill, Harvey, Marshall, Sheppard, Durrell, Barnett (Briggs 85), Dyer, Draper. Sub not used; Harbutt

Referee

Mr S.J Cook (Belper)

Attendance

267