A 97th minute penalty from Ahkeem Rose secured a hard won three points for Gavin Hurren’s side, in this top-of-the-table clash in the north-east.
With neither team having been in league action since new years day, both started slowly producing what can only be described as a drab first-half with little fluency and fewer chances, giving no clue to a final frantic 10 minutes which would decide this game. With neither team willing to cede the initiative, it was a tale of two stoic defences. Amar Purewal ploughed a lone furrow in attack for Stockton, but got little joy from Hednesford’s centre-half pairing of Harrison and Wynter, whilst similarly, the battling Montel Gibson got no change from the Stockton defence, receiving a yellow card for his troubles after catching Nicholson with a stray elbow. By half time, each side had made few chances, with Breeden taking a tame header and a shot from distance from Purewal with ease, and Sterling-James ballooning a late half chance for the Pitmen high and wide.
HT 0-0
With management teams having had the opportunity to ‘concentrate the minds’ of their players over the course of half-time, the second half started far more positively, with Hednesford on the front foot in the opening minutes. A curling Omari Sterling-James free-kick from 25 yards was only kept out via a fine double save from Nathan Harker in the Stockton goal, who parried not only the set piece, but also Max Sheaf’s follow-up attempt. It was the home side however, who would finally break the deadlock on 56 minutes. Petitjean whipped in a fine freekick from the right-hand side over the top of the Pitmen defence, allowing Coulthard to finish past Tony Breeden at the far post. Breeden would be called into action on two further occasions to limit the deficit, making a near post save from the lively Michael Sweet and a sharp low diving stop to deny a Josh Scott header.
Aware that the Pitmen needed to assert their authority on the game, Gavin Hurren rang the changes, bringing Akheem Rose and Dan Turner into the fray in place of Niall Watson and Simeon Maye. On the 86th minute Hednesford finally found their equaliser. A Chris Hussey corner sent to the penalty spot was met by a strong Akheem Rose header and although Harker made a fine save, Montel Gibson headed the rebound back across the six-yard box for Omari Sterling-James to nod the ball over line and open his Pitmen account.
Hednesford continued to press the Stockton goal deep into stoppage time and eventually their persistence paid off. The hard-working Max Sheaf whipped a cross into the Stockton box, it eluded Akheem Rose, but as it skipped off the surface it caught the outstretched arm of Stockton defender Barrett. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and Rose made no mistake, burying the resultant penalty past the despairing Harker into the bottom corner of the net and sending the Hednesford travelling contingent into relieved ecstasy.
Whilst the home side will no doubt feel disappointed to take nothing from the game, the Pitmen will be delighted that their persistence was rewarded as they maintain their position at the top of the Northern Premier League table.
FT 1-2
Attendance: 907
Stockton Town: Harker, Barrett, Gallagher, King, Nicholson, Coulthard, Sweet (Steels 75), Painter (Bramwell 80), Purewal Am, Petitjean, Scott. Subs not used: Purewell Ar, Thompson, Faulkner.
Hednesford Town: Breeden, Morgan, Hussey, Maye (Turner 65), Harrison, Wynter, Watson (Rose74), Sheaf, Gibson (Taylor 88), Sterling-James, Trickett-Smith. Subs not used: Labadie, Parke.
Radio commentary recording: (no web commentary for this game)
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