Chasetown were the visitors to Keys Park for the second time this season, this time in the Second Qualifying Round of the ISUZU FA Trophy.
The Pitmen started the match well, with Duku getting onto the end of a flick on from strike partner Jake Jervis and forcing a good save from Pond in the Chasetown goal. A number of set-pieces were put into the Chasetown box but the Pitmen couldn’t find a goal whilst they were on top.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring on 14 minutes when Mitchell Clark thundered the ball into the roof of the net following a save from Jack Rose.
Back came the Pitmen and three minutes later a short freekick saw McHale take a snapshot but he could
only hit the side netting.
As the half hour mark approached, Daniel Trickett-Smith weaved through a couple of defenders and into the penalty area but was thwarted by Pond.
The heavens opened as a thunderstorm hovered over Keys Park for almost half an hour, turning the match into something of a scrappy contest in less than ideal conditions to play in.
It was all-square on the half-hour when Manny Duku nodded home Trickett-Smith’s corner from the left.
HT 1-1
Both sides had half chances but nothing of real note for the majority of the second half.
Just as it looked to be heading for penalties, a towering Joey Butlin met Jack Langston’s corner into
the area and headed past Hednesford keeper Jack Rose with eight minutes remaining.
Those eight minutes saw Langston let fly with a long-range volley which thumped against the post with Rose beaten and Jack Bearne becoming the latest Hednesford player to find Pond in fine form.
That was the last real threat on the visitors’ goal as they saw out a 2-1 win to progress to the next round.
