Pitmen Left Shocked After Didcot Late Show

Didcot Town came from nowhere in the final eight minutes to shock Hednesford Town and steal three points with two late set piece goals.

The Pitmen dominated for the vast majority of the game and had no less than seven clear cut opportunities to take the lead. Elliott Durrell came within inches of conjuring a superb goal from nothing as he improvised quickly and chipped Matt Trott only to see his shot drop agonisingly wide of the post after fifteen minutes.

Ross Dyer rattled the cross bar two minutes later and Ben Bailey fizzed his shot just wide of the upright after driving forward from his defensive position on nineteen minutes.

Trott pulled a save right out of the top drawer to deny Tyrone Barnett after a teasing Aaron Gibson cross had found the on form striker at the far post and the Didcot goalkeeper tipped over a header from Liam Francis; from which the resulting corner lead to The Pitmen breaking the deadlock.

The home side finally took a deserved lead on the hour mark when Francis headed in Durrell’s deep corner kick at the back post and Hednesford looked to be coasting towards an important victory.

However the Oxfordshire outfit had other ideas and capitalised on defensive errors at two set pieces to take a real smash and grab victory. Andy Williams headed firmly into the net for Didcot’s equaliser after Stuart Brock had failed to deal with the initial ball into the box for the equaliser.

Barnett was released one-on one but the striker was once again denied by the outstretched leg of Trott within thirty seconds of the restart as the Hednesford faithful groaned with frustration.

A dissatisfied Durrell was cautioned for dissent but his annoyance was greatly increased when, with what proved to be the last kick off the match; Michael Bartley rose highest and nodded in the winner for Didcot from a Phillip John free kick.

The three points for Didcot will no doubt go someway to easing their relegation worries but, as the season enters its hectic finale, The Pitmen must face the distinct possibility of another season in the Zamaretto League after clawing defeat from the welcome jaws of victory.

The shock defeat for Bernie McNally and his side must not be dwelled upon as the games continue to come thick and fast as The Pitmen travel to Cambridge on Tuesday night in the semi-final of the Red Insure Cup and then host runaway league leaders Farnborough in a hotly-anticipated league match at Keys Park on Thursday night.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt, Gibson (Martin 75), Bailey, Francis (59), Gomes, Durrell, Craddock, Barnett, Dyer, Dunkley,

Subs Not Used

Stevenson, Flynn, Proffitt, Chapman,

Didcot Town

Trott, Sampson, Dutton-Black (M. Williams 77), A. Williams (82), Brown (Hopkins 55), Stanley, Heapy, Mortimer-Jones (Alexis 66), Bartley (90), Draycott, John,

Subs Not Used

Pierson,

Bookings – Durrell, Dunkley, Gibson, Brown, John

Star Man – Elliott Durrell

Attendance – 348

Words : Chris Brewerton

Images : Colin Rogers