Unlucky Pitmen Have One of Those Days

It was one of those days for Hednesford Town this afternoon as the team did everything but score a winner and saw a battling Marine side come away with three points after two mistakes cost The Pitmen dear.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the home side came out of the blocks quickly when, in the first minute, a burst of pace saw Sean Platt take on the Marine defence and put in a teasing cross, unfortunately Tyrone Barnett and Luke Edwards were not alert enough to steal in.

The following fifteen minute exchanges were relatively quiet as a scrappy game meant both teams failed to settle into any real passing or attacking rhythm. However the game sprung to life on sixteen minutes as Hednesford hit the bar twice in quick succession.

Briggs and Sheppard battled well to win the ball in the congested midfield and when it squirmed loose Briggs' resulting shot was deflected for a corner. Sam Hall drifted the ball in and Tyrone Barnett leapt like a salmon to strongly head the ball against the bar; following up was Elliott Durrell whose scuffed shot bounced before hitting the top of the woodwork and going out harmlessly for a Marine goal kick.

Hednesford's pressure continued on eighteen minutes when a nice lay off from Barnett set up Briggs who could only slice his shot wide from 20 yards. Elliott Durrell continued the wayward finishing two minutes later when he leant back and blasted a shot over the bar from the right hand corner of the penalty area.

Neither set of players were giving an inch in the tackle and frustrations boiled over on twenty-two minutes when Barnett and Marine left-back Wayne McDermott got involved in some afters and both received yellow cards. The frustration of Pitmen manager Dean Edwards was beginning to show and after arguing with the linesman on the nearside he was also warned by the referee.

The Pitmen came even closer to making the breakthrough on twenty-three minutes after a teasing cross by Sam Hall fell to Briggs who rifled his shot towards the left corner of the goal. The Hednesford fans were ready to celebrate a goal only to see Marine goalkeeper Sean Lake make a flying save to push the ball around the post. Harvey headed over from the resulting corner.

The game once again settled down with both sides cancelling each other out and struggling to pass on an uneven surface. On thirty-two minutes a strong aerial challenge on Barnett by Joe McMahon resulted in a caution for the imposing Marine centre-back.

Tom Marshall broke from defence on thirty-five minutes and after a slick passing move was urged by the home crowd to shoot. The strong centre-half obliged and proceeded to lean back and balloon the ball towards the housing estate behind the Heath Hayes End.

Relief washed around Keys Park on thirty-seven minutes when fantastic vision by Sam Hall set Elliott Durrell away and the in-form striker rifled the ball past Lake in the Marine goal. Hednesford had finally made their earlier pressure count but within three minutes parity was restored by the away side.

A needless tackle just inside the penalty area by Sam Hall on Steve Hussey gifted Marine an opportunity to score the equalising goal. The number eight dusted himself down and despatched the spot kick low into the right hand corner of the net. Brock got a hand to the ball but just couldn't keep it out.

The Pitmen recovered well in first half stoppage time and both Marshall and Hall were guilty of miscuing long range shooting opportunities.

As news filtered through that Eastwood Town were 2-0 ahead in their game the second half took on extra significance for the league leaders. A timid opening to the half belied such importance and barring a Marine cross caught well by Brock on fifty-five minutes the game lulled into a flat tempo.

The away side began to creep into the game on the hour mark with Shaun Tuck looking particularly lively and his cross was blocked by Marshall for a corner. Tuck shot wide on sixty-two minutes after a strong but fair challenge on Platt allowed him space for the chance.

The Pitmen very nearly made the breakthrough when a Platt throw-in from the left evaded Barnett and the despairing goalkeeper only for the ball to skim across goal and harmlessly out of play for a Marine goal kick.

Hednesford again created a half chance on sixty-six minutes when Sheppard's dipping long range shot bounced in front of the keeper and went out for a corner. From the resulting kick Harvey flicked the ball on after a poor defensive header only for Barnett to head over under pressure from six yards.

Dean Edwards brought the industrious Maguire on for Platt shortly afterwards and the Pitmen began to have more possession and tried to force a winning goal. Barnett's diving header after a curling ball in from Durrell flashed wide and Lee Williams made an outstanding last gasp tackle to prevent substitute Ross Draper from running clean through.

As Hednesford piled on the pressure Marine scored a sucker punch winner as a seemingly harmless ball held up on the soft pitch. Shaun Tuck stole the ball from Brock's fingertips and slotted in past a despairing dive from Marshall on the line. With sixteen minutes remaining the league leaders had managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of a possible victory.

The much expected onslaught never really came despite much huffing and puffing and a tactical change to 4-3-3 with ten minutes remaining. Substitute Dominic Musafiri was largely ineffectual except a half chance in the final seconds which yet again skied over the bar.

On another day Dean Edwards' side may have been celebrating a win but over a forty-two game season every team will have a match like the one witnessed today. Marine will feel they earned their three points and will now be looking to build on a good away win as they enter the final phase of the season. As for Hednesford, they must move onto Forest Green in the Trophy next Saturday and will return to Unibond action chasing Eastwood at the top of the table.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt (Maguire 67) Hall, Gill, Harvey, Marshall, Sheppard (Musafiri 80), Durrell, Barnett, Edwards (Draper 57) Briggs. Subs not used; Burley, Harbutt

Marine

Lake, Farley, McDermott, Brazier, McMahon, Lynch, Williams, Hussey, Tuck (Latham 88), Cumiskey (Woolcott 77), Brookfield (McShane 74) subs not used: Doyle, Bigland

Referee Mt J.L.Cox (Evesham)

Attendance 502