The Hednesford Town faithful were forced to endure total heartbreak as FC United scored a dramatic last gasp equaliser to salvage a draw and further dent ‘The Pitmen' promotion chances.

An action packed game showed the many twists and turns a non-league promotion fight can bring up; from first minute to last both sets of players never gave an inch in the tackle and two committed sides played out an enthralling and fraught game of football. A real atmosphere reverberated around Keys Park as the four hundred FC United fans vocally supported the away side and the usually quiet home fans found their voice.

In the last meeting between the sides the young Hednesford side froze in an intimidating and foggy Gigg Lane. Today however, a very similar starting line up showed their teeth and proved they can deliver in front of a bumper crowd.

 FC United dominated the opening ten minutes with some assured spells of possession and on numerous occasions it was tricky winger Carlos Roca who looked the most likely to break the deadlock. A committed and resolute Hednesford defence stood strong and did well to limit the away side, preventing any real goalmouth incident.

Sam Hall shot wide when well placed after fourteen minutes and with twenty-two minutes on the clock Matt Lewis let the ball drop outside the area and rifled a half volley narrowly over the FC United crossbar. Those warning signs were not heeded by the Mancunians and, on twenty-eight minutes, after some unsure defending Maguire headed a looping ball over the keeper and set-up an easy tap in for Lewis to oblige. The Hednesford followers behind the goal were ecstatic and Keys Park erupted as the opening goal temporarily silenced the travelling hoards of away fans.

As the game settled down after the opening goal it was Ross Draper who was stamping his authority on the game; epitomising the fighting spirit being shown by every Hednesford player. On thirty-two minutes a little more composure may have seen the combative midfielder add to the score; unfortunately he wildly snatched at a left foot shot from distance and the ball flew over the bar and out of the ground.

As a tight but hard fought first half came to an end ‘The Pitmen' had Stuart Brock to thank for keeping their noses in front when after some swift passing through midfield saw the ball crossed in and the crowd hold its breath as Jamie Baguley had what looked like an easy chance. He did everything right in keeping his head down and placing the ball toward the net; Brock somehow got a leg to it and diverted the ball out for a corner. Relief spread through the home fans and their half-time drink tasted that little bit better.

The FC United players were no doubt buoyed by attacking the Heath Hayes End in the second half where their vociferous fans had congregated. Despite no real cutting edge the opening twenty minutes of the second half largely belonged to the team from Manchester. Their pressure eventually tolled however, when on sixty five minutes Anthony Maguire's poor defensive header let in Adam Carden to side foot the ball past a helpless Brock and level the game at one goal each.

FC United continued to dominate in the second half with Hednesford failing to hold the ball up in the attacking third and losing the strong midfield battle to boot. The introduction of Elliott Durrell on seventy-three minutes for the largely ineffectual Briggs was a positive decision from Dean Edwards and within two minutes the promotion pendulum swung again in favour of ‘The Pitmen'.

After some desperate defending from FC United's back four and strong shouts for a hand ball Matt Lewis fell to the ground after an alleged trip and the linesman on the far side gave a penalty kick. Ross Dyer ignored the cat calls from the Heath Hayes End and shrugged off the masses of pressure to confidently despatch one very important penalty above Ashton's dive and into the roof of the net. A vital win was in the offing for Hednesford and one which on the balance of play they barely deserved. All the home side had to do was hold on for fifteen nerve-racking minutes.

The expected deluge of FC United pressure came in spades and the lively Carlos Roca spurned two good chances off target in the eighty-seventh and eighty-eighth minutes. As the pressure continued into added time and FC United continued to drive forward the Hednesford defence sat back. They looked to be standing firm until four minutes into extra time when Danny Warrender hit a free kick from the right onto the back post which bounced off Maguire and finished up in the back of the net.

Pitmen supporters around the ground yet again witnessed a killer equaliser in a big game; evoking harsh memories of a Darren Simkin free-kick at home to Stafford Rangers over seven years ago. A point is better than nothing but the manner in which the equaliser was conceded and the fact that it was the last kick of the game must have hit ‘The Pitmen's' confidence very hard.

A tricky away game at Guiseley follows next Saturday and with Hednesford now sitting outside the play-off places for the first time since the late-summer Dean Edwards and his players will have to show a great deal of character to continue their play off push. Regardless of whether ‘The Pitmen' do make the final cut they will certainly have given us thrills and spills aplenty on the way.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Maguire, Marshall, Gomes, Harvey, Bailey, Hall, Briggs (Durrell 73), Lewis, Dyer, Draper,

Subs Not Used

Gill, Edwards, Platt, Darby

FC United of Manchester

Ashton, Warrender, Garner, Moses, Tong, Nugent (Chadwick 67), Carden, Baguely (Lomax 77), Marsh, Wright, Roca,

Subs Not Used

Williams, Dieyte, Chappell

Referee - Mr J. M. Law (Worcester)

Attendance - 1077

Chris Brewerton