Hednesford Town faced local rivals Rushall Olympic in an August Bank Holiday showdown at Keys Park in front of 3162 spectators.
The game was in its infancy when a bad touch from the Pics ‘keeper Ben Cisse gave the ball away to Akheem Rose whose shot went narrowly wide of the far post in the third minute. A turn and shot from Hednesford’s Jake Jervis forced Cisse into a save as the Pitmen started the stronger of the two sides. The Pitmen took the lead in the 9th minute when a cross from Jervis on the left-hand side allowed Rose to slide in and score. Former Pitman Carter Lycett sent a freekick from 25 yards out over the bar, before a cut back from the industrious Rose set up Joss Labadie who shot narrowly over the cross bar. The Pitmen continued to look for a second goal as Joel Taylor won a corner which was taken by Kieron Freeman, eventually the ball fell to Rose who saw a good effort blocked by the Rushall defence. The Pitmen were able to largely control the rest of the first half without creating too many chances, until in the 44th minute when a cross from Dan Turner had to be headed off the goal line by the visiting defence.
HT 1-0
Chris Hussey fired a fired a freekick over the bar, and a dangerous cross from Jamie Morgan was collected by Cisse who was under pressure from Rose as the Pitmen tried to find the all important second goal. Jervis saw an attempt at goal parried by Cisse, with the ball falling to Dan Trickett-Smith whose shot at goal was blocked. Hednesford introduced Dom McHale for Turner, and the Pitmen forward was quick to get involved in the action, winning a corner which was taken by Hussey and saw Simeon Maye have a good header deflected clear of the goal. In the 82nd minute a challenge in the Pitmen half led to a melee between numerous players from both sides, when order was restored, the referee produced a red card for Rushall’s Mitchell Botfield and yellow for Labadie. The Pitmen failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and Rushall conjured up an equaliser in the 85th minute when Lycett sent a probing cross into the area which was headed home by substitute Aaron Bishop. In the eight minutes of added time the Pitmen had a few chances to claim a winner, McHale had a shot saved by Cisse, Morgan hit the post from an offside position and Taylor had an effort blocked as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Hednesford Town; Breeden, Morgan, Taylor, Freeman, Wynter, Hussey, Turner (McHale 65), Labadie, Rose (Edwards 78), Trickett-Smith, Jervis (Maye 73). Subs not used, Brown, Harrison.
Rushall Olympic; Cisse, King-Harmes (Burton 72), Lycett, Texeira, Brown, Whittall (Bishop 60), Unitt (McAlinden), Moore, Dwyer (Jarvis 87), McGlinchey (Botfield 72), Heard.
Attendance 3162
