Outstanding Durrell Takes Top Dogs Farnborough To The Cleaners

A superb individual performance by Elliott Durrell led the charge as Hednesford Town thrashed run away league leaders Farnborough on a frosty night at Keys Park. 

Temperatures plummeted to below zero but Durrell was on fire as he terrorised a shell-shocked Farnborough defence with three well taken goals. His first was made all by himself as the diminutive striker first breezed past two players and then drilled a low shot into the bottom corner past Michael Jordan to open the scoring on thirteen minutes. 

Farnborough, who had not lost away all season, looked all at sea and, despite touches of class from Dean McDonald, simply failed to live with the pace of Hednesford’s strike force. 

Tyrone Barnett purposefully broke towards the penalty area and only a cynical foul by James Smith stopped him in his tracks. Durrell duly stepped up to arrow the free kick around the wall and past the despairing Jordan to double the Pitmen’s lead on the half hour mark. 

The Keys Park faithful were in dreamland two minutes after half-time as Dorryll Proffitt, given a start ahead of top scorer Ross Dyer, staked his claim for a regular game as he dispossessed Daryl McMahon, cut into the area and finished coolly past the keeper to make it three-nil. 

Farnborough pushed forward in vain as Decio Gomes and the impressive Liam Francis stood resolutely firm in the face of a sustained period of Farnborough pressure. 

The Pitmen looked dangerous on the counter and on sixty-seven minutes Durrell threaded a pinpoint pass through to Proffitt but, as the striker hesitated, he scooped the ball over the bar.
 

The champions-elect achieved their first shot on target on eighty-five minutes when Kezie Ibe turned well and shot along the ground; only to see Stuart Brock stretch to prevent the ball from squirming into the net.

Durrell completed his hat-trick with four minutes to go and evoked fond memories of fifteen months ago when an astonishing run in front of goal saw The Pitmen race to the summit of the Unibond League. Tyrone Barnett latched onto a clearance and played a lovely reverse ball into Durrell who let the ball run across his body and lashed his shot left footed through the helpless goalkeeper.

The Pitmen will take great encouragement from such a confident performance as the memory of two recent disappointing results has been well and truly banished before a vital trip to second-placed Brackley on Saturday. Bernie McNally’s young side will hold no fear of repeating the type of display seen tonight which belies their current league position and points at positive days to come.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt, Martin, Bailey, Francis, Gomes, Durrell (13, 30, 86), Craddock, Barnett, Proffitt (47) (Dyer 75), Dunkley,

Subs Not Used

Flynn, Gibson, Chapman, Overton,

Farnborough

Jordan, Braham-Barnett, Ciardini, Wormull (McCollin 75), Doyle, Smith, McMahon, Holloway, Ibe, McDonald (King 75), Bubb,

Subs Not Used

Stevens, Price, Dobson,

Bookings

Braham-Barnett

Star Man – Elliott Durrell

Attendance - 327

Words by Chris Brewerton