Pitmen Home Form Dips Again As Inconsistency Bites Hard

Hednesford Town and their frustrating inconsistency caused another setback as, having beaten third-placed Nantwich on the previous Tuesday night, ‘The Pitmen' followed it up with a disappointing result against relegation threatened Boston United.

It was one of those days for Dean Edwards' men as a team fighting for their Unibond lives were there for the taking for most of the ninety minutes. Unfortunately for those at Keys Park supporting the Black and White a usually clinical strike force could not get the breakthrough they so desperately needed.

Then, like in many a relegation dog-fight, came the sucker punch winner for the struggling side; a devastating blow for the home sides' play-off chances but one which may well keep the side from Lincolnshire in the division.

Boston set their stall out very clearly in the opening half an hour of a game which they looked very happy to defend in and sneak a draw. The tactic eventually worked but in the opening thirty minutes ‘The Pitmen' had a number of opportunities to break the deadlock. Had they picked that very resolute lock the floodgates may well have opened and an easy win would have been on the cards. Unfortunately Boston were made of firmer stuff on the day.

Draper had the first chance of the day on six minutes when a Quistin cross was blocked and the ball fell to him fifteen yards out, Draper chested it down and volleyed the ball over the bar.

Durrell scooped a free kick over the bar and out of the ground after Dyer had been fouled by Wes Parker a minute later and on nine minutes good work down the right by Maguire nearly brought the opening goal. His looping cross made Aaron Butcher think twice as he tipped the ball out for a corner to be safe.

Hednesford's pressure continued on fourteen minutes when Durrell slipped a superb ball through to Dyer whose shot was saved well by Butcher. Quistin's resulting corner was again dealt with confidently by the keeper when under pressure from a throng of players in the six yard box.

Two minutes later Barnett shot over the bar after determined midfield work by Draper and ‘The Pitmen' fans were beginning to get restless at the lack of an opening goal. Their mood could have been somewhat worse after seventeen minutes when the usually dependable Decio Gomes took too long to clear the ball and Ricky Miller nipped the ball off him. He ran onto goal but his finish was saved well by a hitherto untested Brock.

Draper created the best chance of the first half for Hednesford on twenty-one minutes when he continued to battle hard in the middle of the park; he came away with the ball and knocked a pass over Boston's back line into the path of Dyer. The Hednesford striker saw the onrushing keeper off his line but could only lob the ball over the bar.

Following the opening pressure Boston created a rare chance to score themselves on twenty-seven minutes when a Miller snap shot trickled wide with Brock covering his post well. Three minutes later quick inter play between Miller and Alex Beck sucked in Decio Gomes and Cedric Abraham but Beck shot straight at Brock when clean through.

The battling ethic of both sides was summed up perfectly when on thirty-three minutes Durrell played a ball into the area for Draper to run onto, as he launched himself into the fifty-fifty tackle so did Paul Ellender and the Boston defender prevented a goal scoring opportunity with real passion and desire.

Despite the away side challenging for every ball Hednesford continued to dominate and after thirty-five minutes Ross Dyer headed a long ball down to Sam Hall, he took the shot on the volley and tested Butcher well down to his right; a save made all the more difficult by the bounce of the ball just in front of him.

Forty minutes had passed when after Hall was fouled twenty-five yards out Tom Marshall fired in a free kick which was blocked by the Boston defensive wall. The away side had the last chance of the first half when Steve Melton shot on the turn from outside of the area but failed to really test Brock.

Another vital forty-five minutes lay ahead for both sides and as the second half began the majority of the Keys Park faithful would no doubt have expected Hednesford to push on and open the scoring. The home side continued to dominate the majority of attacking play with Draper speculatively shooting over from distance on fifty-one minutes. Anthony Maguire threatened down the right wing when he played a lovely one-two with Ross Dyer and shot at goal with his left foot. Butcher was equal to the shot and was able to tip the ball over for a corner. Quistin's delivery was again poor and the Boston defence were able to clear the ball.

After an hour Boston did venture towards the Hednesford goal and Alex Beck got away down the right but his cross flashed across goal and harmlessly out of play.

Hednesford continued to push for that elusive opening goal with Matthew West introduced into the fray for the ineffectual Durrell. Within three minutes West was involved in a neat one-two with Tyrone Barnett but strikers attempt at goal was neither a cross nor a shot and Butcher saved well.

A deep free kick taken by Quistin very nearly embarrassed the Boston goalkeeper when on sixty-five minutes he completely misjudged the flight of the ball and jumped underneath it; the ball narrowly missed the far post and Barnett was a matter of inches away from getting a vital touch.

The best chance of the afternoon for the home side came on sixty-eight minutes when Quistin played a wicked cross into the box from the left and Draper was left with a free header ten yards out. Unfortunately he wasn't able to stoop enough to guide the ball past the goalkeeper and the ball went out for a goal kick; another good opportunity had been wasted.

The Hednesford attack had struggled all game to hit the target and Ross Dyer put another headed opportunity wide from a Maguire cross on sixty-nine minutes. ‘The Pitmen' were on top but a nervous and edgy atmosphere crept into Keys Park as the seconds ticked by and the score remained goalless. A poorly hit cross by Marshall on seventy minutes almost looped into the net and Barnett added to the missed chances when his header from a long ball by the impressive Sam Hall with fifteen minutes remaining went wide.

The final opportunity for the home side to score came with eight minutes to go when a Quistin cross following an outstanding cross field ball by Decio Gomes was flicked on by Dyer but the ball went across the goal mouth and was cleared by the Boston defence.

Hednesford locals will no doubt wish that their defence had been as resolute when with only two minutes remaining Cedric abraham won a tackle with Ricky Miller in the Hednesford area but failed to clear his lines and was dispossessed by the hard-working striker. Miller turned and shot past the despairing Brock and out of nowhere like a dagger to the heart Hednesford found themselves a goal down. The Boston away following were sent into rapture and Pitmen fans were left to rue a succession of missed chances and lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.

With only three games remaining and Dean Edwards' men now lying seventh going into Mondays round of fixtures only three wins form the last three games will suffice. One thing is for sure, Hednesford will have to be very much improved on Saturday's performance if they are to rescue a season which at times has promised so much but could end up delivering little.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Maguire, Quistin, Gomes, Abraham, Marshall, Hall, Durrell (West 60), Barnett, Dyer, Draper,

Subs Not Used
Coulston, Gill, Bailey, Edwards

Boston United

Butcher, Matthews, Millson, Ellender, Bloomer, Parker, Griffiths, Clarke, Miller, Beck (Farrell 74), Melton,

Subs Not Used
Jackson, Parker, Wood, Green

Referee - Mr N. Hobbis (Birmingham)

Attendance - 520



Article     :  Chris Brewerton

Images   :  Colin Rogers