Hednesford Town were on their travels again, as they faced a strong Leek Town side at the F.Ball Community Stadium. Manager Gavin Hurren named an unchanged side following Saturday’s 7-0 demolition of Coleshill Town in the FA Cup, as they sought to continue their good form in the League.
Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first five minutes, firstly Tony Breeden made a comfortable save from Lucas Weir before Leek’s Dino Visser gathered in a searching cross from Joe Doyle-Charles. Dan Turner went close with a shot across the face of the goal as the Pitmen began to take control of the first half. A freekick from Chris Hussey initially hit the defensive wall before coming back to the Pitmen defender who then sent in a cross which Akheem Rose shot narrowly over the crossbar. Turner put in a dangerous cross for Jonny Edwards, but Visser was the first to get to the ball. Jamie Morgan was booked for a foul on Alex Hurst and the resulting freekick taken by Weir was collected by Breeden. The lively Rose went through on goal but showed too much of the ball to Visser who beat him to it, snuffing out another attacking opening for the Pitmen. The breakthrough came on the half hour mark when Turner won a corner, the initial corner was defended by Leek, but the Pitmen were able to recycle the ball to Hussey who sent in a cross finding ex-Leek player Ollie Harrison who turned and smashed the ball into the roof of the net to give Hednesford a hard-fought lead. Again, Visser narrowly beat Edwards to a dangerous ball coming in from the left, before Turner teed up Simeon Maye who pulled the trigger from outside the box, sending his shot narrowly over the bar. Some good work from Dom McHale again created a chance for Maye to have a strike at goal from the edge of the box which went just over the bar.
HT 0-1
Leek came out battling in the early stages of the second half, Matthew Fenton headed over the bar from a freekick and Breeden had to make a save from Hurst’s long-range effort. Connor Heath had a shot deflected for a corner as the Blues continued to apply the pressure onto the Pitmen. Hednesford replied with a series of set pieces, Hussey’s freekick was put behind for a corner, while another Hussey freekick was collected by Visser under pressure from Rose. Midway through the half Breeden was called into action tipping a goal bound effort from Weir onto the bar and out for a corner, which was cleared by McHale. Breeden’s safe hands were required once again a few minutes later when he was forced into making a great save from substitute Jordan Hodkin. In the 79th minute Rose did well to outmuscle new signing Charlie Hayes-Green and delicately lob the ball over the advancing Visser to double the Pitmen’s lead. A Leek corner was headed clear by Harrison before Hodkin got on the end of a deep cross from the home side, but his header was well saved by Breeden. The Pitmen were able to see out the five minutes of stoppage time and claim an excellent victory which consolidated their position in fourth place in the league table.
Leek Town; Visser, Buckley, Curl, Ndene, Fenton (Hodkin 68), Hayes-Green, Hurst, Reeves, Heath (Lawrence 89), Shenton, Weir. Subs not used; Heywood, Porter, Onyeka.
Hednesford Town; Breeden, Morgan, Maye, Hussey, Harrison, Wynter, Rose, Doyle-Charles (Freeman 84), Edwards (Trickett-Smith 60), McHale (Johnson 70), Turner (Jervis 84). Sub not used; Brown.
Attendance 702
