On Saturday 25th January Hednesford Town will make their longest away league trip of the season when they travel up to the Ribble Valley in Lancashire where they will play Clitheroe.
Pitmen fans will of course remember the first meeting between the two teams this season when back in November Hednesford despatched Clitheroe 8-1 at Keys Park thanks to goals from Dan Sparkes, Jake Jervis, Dom McHale (2), Jack Bearne (2), Manny Duku and an own goal from Sam Olawumi. That defeat is one of nine that Clitheroe have suffered on their travels this season, drawing one and winning two of the 12 games they have played on the road. At home though it’s very much a different story. They have seven wins from 13 games plus four draws and two defeats against Mossley (0-1) and Avro (1-3) although both defeats have come in their last four home games. These results give Clitheroe a grand total of 32 points from 25 games which sees them in 17th position just two spots above the relegation places. By comparison Hednesford are in the play-off places in fifth with 43 points from 26 games. Clitheroe’s leading scorers are Veron Parny with 12 (11 in the league) and Sefton Gonzales with eight (seven in the league).
It’s been a busy time at Clitheroe over the last few weeks with ex Accrington Stanley no 2 Jimmy Bell leaving his position of Manager on December 12th to be replaced by first team coach Sean McConville, himself an ex Accrington player. Earlier this month Chairman David Frost stepped down and was replaced in the interim by Vice Chair Andrew Jackson who became Acting Chairman.
Joining Rob Stevenson and Jake Jervis on the injured list for Hednesford is goalkeeper Jack Rose while Kory Roberts, Omar Holness, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Jacob Gwilt, Dan Sparkes and Abdulrasaq Alamu-Tajudeen got some time on the pitch in the Development Squad game on Tuesday night, the latter three all getting on the scoresheet in the 6-1 win over Solihull Moors.
Clitheroe play at the 2,000 capacity EcoGiants Stadium, Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe BB7 1LZ. Admission on Saturday will be £10 adults, £7 concessions, £4 14-17 with under 14s free if accompanied by a paying adult or concession. Tickets can be booked online via the Clitheroe website but there is an extra £1 booking fee involved. Kick off is 3pm.
On Friday night (24th January) at Keys Park, England U18 schoolboys will take on their Australian counterparts in an International friendly. Admission is £5 adults, £2 concessions and under 18s or an exclusive group/school ticket which costs £20 and will admit 10 under 18s plus two teachers/responsible adults. Kick off is 7pm.
Then on Sunday (January 26th) table toppers Hednesford Town Ladies have a home league game against Rugby Town who they beat 5-1 earlier in the season. Kick off is 2pm and admission is £3 adults with £1 concessions.
