The Pitmen came out on top away at Cleethorpes Town after a very tight game of few chances for either side.
In the fourth minute a deep cross from Pitmen skipper Joe Doyle-Charles was headed over by Jake Jervis, before Chris Hussey was called upon at the other end to head clear a freekick delivered into the box by the home side. Omari Sterling-James saw a cross collected by Owls’ stopper Lloyd Allinson who also gathered in a corner taken by Hussey as the visitors looked to take the lead. Cleethorpes’ skipper Jack Vann went into the referee’s book for a foul, Hussey sent the subsequent freekick into the home area where Montel Gibson headed inches wide for the Pitmen, however an offside flag was raised. Jervis appeared to be hauled down in the area without the award of a penalty and Gibson shot wide from Ollie Harrison’s long throw in what turned out to be a half of a few half chances.
HT 0-0
Early in the second half a foul on Gibson gave the Pitmen a freekick, Hussey found Gibson whose turn and shot went over the crossbar. Harrison headed wide from a corner before Vann shot wide for Cleethorpes. Jamie Morgan fired the ball well over the bar for the Pitmen from Hussey’s cross into the area as the visitors continued to apply pressure on Cleethorpes. From a Cleethorpes corner, Sterling-James broke away down the pitch supplying the ball to Gibson who shot over the bar on the turn. Morgan cleared a shot from Callum Ainley off the line before the Pitmen won a series of corners; Allinson parried the first corner allowing substitute Dom McHale a shot at goal which was deflected behind for another corner from which Gibson saw his shot from distance blocked. The game was won in the in the 83rd minute following a Cleethorpes foul on Jervis in a crowded box. Sterling-James stepped up to take the spot-kick, sending the ball into the back of the net to Allinson’s left. The win kept the Pitmen in second place, behind Hebburn Town on goal difference going into the final game of the season.
Cleethorpes Town; Allinson, Gallimore, Boateng, Vann, Blunden, Foster, Wright (Braithwaite 77), Conway, Walker, Hughes, Ainley (Phuthi 84). Subs not used; Ackroyd, O’Grady, Gibson-Booth
Hednesford Town; Breeden, Morgan (Rose 74), Hussey (Wynter 83), Kinsella, Harrison, Williams, Hylton (McHale 67), Doyle-Charles, Gibson, Sterling-James, Jervis. Subs not used; Trickett-Smith, Watson.
Attendance 855
