The Pitmen were at home for the third successive game, playing under the lights at Keys Park against Bamber Bridge. It was the visitors who had the better of the opening 15 minutes, and the Pitmen were thankful to Chris Hussey for a brilliant piece of defending that prevented Isaac Abankwah from having a chance to open the scoring. A cross from Emerich Poilly found striker Ewan Bange who shot straight at Tony Breeden. The Pitmen began to find their feet in the game when Dom McHale played a superb pass behind the Bamber defence, but Montel Gibson saw his shot blocked. Dan Trickett-Smith volleyed the ball over the bar from Hussey’s freekick, as the Pitmen went close to breaking the deadlock. McHale was the provider in the 23rd minute when some skilful play on the right found Ollie Harrison on the penalty spot who was able to guide the ball into the net. Jermaine Hylton appeared to be fouled in the box as he was crowded out by three Bamber Bridge defenders, however the referee declined the claim for a penalty. Harrison went close to adding a second when he volleyed Jamie Morgan’s cross wide of the post. Before the break the Pitmen should have extended their lead when Hussey’s corner was headed on by Ryan Wynter, finding Gibson who headed over the bar from a couple of yards out.
HT 1-0
The Pitmen largely controlled the second half, substitute Dan Turner put a dangerous cross into the area just after the break but no one was able to get on the end of it, before Hussey whipped a freekick into the Bamber area forcing goalkeeper Aidan Dowling to punch the ball away. Substitute Akheem Rose went on a brilliant run down the left, producing a telling cross for Turner who was able to find an excellent finish to double the Pitmen’s lead in the 71st minute. In reply Bamber’s Nathaniel Okome had a shot from distance which Breeden saved easily. Turner forced another good low save from Dowling after a Pitmen counter attack, before he combined again with Rose producing a shot which was again saved by the Bamber stopper. Rose tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area but saw his shot deflected behind for a corner. During the five minutes of added time another eye-catching run from Rose, saw him out pace and out muscle two defenders and with just the keeper to beat, he slid his shot just wide of the far post. In the 93rd minute Turner provided an excellent cross for Rose who span on the penalty spot and fired the ball into the top left corner of the net to give the game an emphatic conclusion and all three points for the Pitmen.
Hednesford Town; Breeden, Morgan, Hussey, Labadie (Maye 59), Harrison, Wynter, Trickett-Smith, Doyle-Charles, Gibson (Taylor 68), McHale (Turner 32), Hylton (Rose 59). Sub not used; Parke
Bamber Bridge; Dowling, Abankwah, Baxter (Molloy 74), Okome, Knight-Percival (Grand 74), Bailey, Allen, Potts (Benns 74), Bange (Bould 66), Moore, Poilly.
Attendance; 1236


