Both sides, who had five summer signings in their starting line up, made a cautious
start but Hednesford settled the more quickly and had a good chance after just four
minutes. O'Connor played the pabb in from the left for Norbury who's shot from 12 yards
was well off target. Then Norbury and Ntamark combined on the right and from the centre
Ntamark, O'Connor was just too high from a glancing header. At last Southport put it
together, a dangerous attack which was stopped when Blones fouled Mitton. From the free
kick taken by Mitton, Deary drove the ball over the bar.
Southport survived Hednesford's early pressure and were close to taking the lead in the
11th minute when Whittack turned the ball in the area to Farley whose first time shot was
turned over the bar by Cooksey. Hednesfored went behind after 15 minutes when Southport
took the lead following a five-man move. It was finished off by Kielty whose 25 yard shot
failed to be covered by Cooksey and the ball was deflected by Simpson, the goalkeeper was
left stranded as the ball curled into the top corner of the net.
Shortly afterward, Whittacker laid on another chance turning the ball across the face of
the goal to the in-running Mitten who could only turn it wide of the far post from close
range.
Hednesford had faded out after their bright start and Cooksey had to move smartly to to
hold a shot from Whittacker after Butler opened up the Pitmens defence with a run down the
right. On the stroke of half time Hednesford had another escape when Whittacker shot
clear, 10 yards from goal, following a superb pass from Horner.
Hednesford sent on Carty at the start of the second half in place of Ware and the
substitue made an immediate impact. He laid on a chance for Fitzpatrick but Stewart
managed to fingertip the ball behind for a corner.
Southport celebrated by increasing their lead after 55 minutes, with a gift from Ntamark
who was much too short with a pass, from 30 yards. The ball was collected by Whittaker who
dribbled round the stranded Cooksey and slotted the ball into the empty net.
Hednesford constantly attacked the Southport goal but it was as though there was a force
field around it, the ball went everywhere except in the net. The only bright spot for
Hednesford was when substitute Paul Carty finaly forced the ball into the net.
Hednesford : Cooksey, Ntamark, Collins, Simpson, Blades, Fitzpatrick, Ware, Lake, Norbury, Dennison, O'Connor. Subs : Ecclestone, Hemmings, Carty
Southport : Stewart, Farley, Ryan, Deary, Horner, Futcher, Kielty, Butler, Whittaker, Mitten, Formby. Subs : Ross, Dove, Thompson
Hednesford found themselves up against it from the start after their long trip to the
channel and went behind after only seven minutes to a free kick.
Although the Hednesford side looked to be the better one on paper, it started out as a
different story on grass as Dover's up and at them approach had the visitors on the rack
in the early stages. The Pitmen had already survived a couple of close calls before Dover
took the lead on seven minutes following Andy Comyn's foul on Dover's Ricky Reina. Dover
defender John Budden drove the free kick around a poorly organised defensive wall into
Cooksey's bottom left hand corner.
Hednesford's chances received an uneexpected boost in the 14th minute when Dover's central
defender and captain, Scott Daniels was sent off for a foul on Joe O'Connor. Although
Daniels' offence was probably only worthy of a booking, referee Mr. Hill, chose the more
devere option of dismissal.
Despite the numerical advantage, Hednesford did not offer any serious threat until the
latter stages of the first half. They might have equalised on 42 minutes when substitute
Tony Ecclestone's 20 yarder looked destined for the top corner before Ron Fearon produced
a splendid one handed save.
In the second half, Dover started to defend 10 yards deeper in an attempt to protect their
slender lead. As a result, Hednesford were given much more space and it came as no real
surprise when they equalised after 55 minutes. From a deep cross from the left, Paul Carty
volleyed goalwards to bring a fine save from Fearon but Joe O'Connor was perfectly placed
to head the rebound into an empty net. As the Pitmen got into their stride, they took the
lead some eight minutes later with a stunning goal. There seemed to be no danger as Carty
was pushed infield onto his weaker left foot, but the midfielder stunned the home crowd
with a blistering 25 yard shot into Fearon's top tight hand corner.
Dover were unbeaten prior to this game.
Hednesford : Cooksey, Ntamark, Collins, Blades, Comyn, Fitzpatrick, Carty, Ware, Norbury, Dennison, O'Connor. Subs : Lake, Simpson, Ecclestone.
Dover : Fearon, Munday, Palmer, Budden, Daniels, Stebbing, Wilson, Strouts, Reina, Le Bihan, Barber. Subs : Adams, Henry, McCabe.
Hednesford had never beaten Kidderminster in a Vauxhall Conference game before today and it was action all the way in this local derby with the fierce rivalry evident in the first few seconds as Pitman Micky Norbury was booked for a bad tackle on the Kidderminster goalkeeper after he had raced out of his area to clear a dangerous ball. It was only a short time later that Cooksey had to clear a similar ball in his own area, the ball ran loose to Kidderminster's Shepherd who attempted to lob it into the empty net but was way off target. A Kidderminster corner, taken by Deakin, was headed into Cooksey's arms by Brindley and with Hednesford crowding the goalmouth, Smith just failed to find Arnold with a through ball. A hopeful long ball from Deakin failed to trouble Cooksey.
Almost out of nowhere, Hednesford carved out a great chance to take the lead in the 18th minute when Dennison triggered the move with a 40 yard run and passed to O'Connor but Joe's shot was blocked bySteadman. Hednesford continued to press forward and Steadman found himself once again saving at the feet of O'Connor. At 28 minutes a corner for Hednesford, taken by Dennison, found the head of Norbury and was headed into the net from 6 yards. The home fans were ecstatic.
Five minutes into the second half Steadman somehow turned a blistering thunderbolt from Lake into the cross bar and behind for a corner. It was the 55th minute when Kidderminster's Brindley left the field with blood pouring from a head wound following a clash with Norbury.
Hednesford claimed domination of the game on the 60th minute when Norbury found the net for a scond time. Kidderminster tried to come back into the game, and in fact never gave up, but this was not the same team that had come second in the league last season. The sale of top players has severely damaged Kidderminster and it shows. Joe O'Connor put the icing on the cake with his goal in the 80th minute. This put Hednesford at 4th position in the league with 21 points whilst Kidderminster sank to 16th position with only 12 points.
Hednesford : Cooksey, Ntamark, Collins, Blades, Comyn, Beeston, Dennison, Lake, Norbury, Hemmings, O'Connor. Subs : Nibblett, Francis, Jeffers.
Kidderminster : Steadman, Smith, Prindiville, Weir, Brindley, Yates, Deakin, Willets, Shepherd, Arnold, Robinson. Subs : Brighton, Lilwall, Moore.
Hednesford are starting to knit together now. Tonight's game started off full of effort by a buoyant Hednesford side. They attacked the Telford goal constantly and if it was not for the Telford Goalkeeper, Jones, there could easily have been a double figure result. The only goal, claimed by Norbury was in fact an own goal from a ball that bounced off a Norbury shot. In the first half I thought that the referee, Mr. P. Eastwood, did a realy good job, allowing the game to progress, however after the half time break it appeared as if a different person was refereeing because Mr. Eastwood blowed his whistle for the least likely reason, giving the impression that most of the players ended up being booked, in fact Stuart Lake ended up getting the red card for a reason that eludes me unless it was disagreeing with the ref. and manager John Baldwin was also ordered from the sidelines at the same time. I would be surprised if Hednesford do not submit a complaint about the referee, he certainly spoiled the second half. Throughout the game Hednesford constantly looked like scoring again but the skill of Jones and his forcefield kept the Telford deficit down to only one goal. - Apart from the ref it was a very enjoyable game.
A trip to the oldest football ground in the ground resulted in a good game, which
Hednesford should have won. Hednesford attacked with vigour but just could not break
through the Northwich large defence until Robbie Dennison scored his first game of the
season for Hednesford in the 26th minute. It was a game which Hednesford supporters could
relax because their own team looked so superior to the Northwich team. On the few
occasions that Northwih found themselves in a position to shoot at the Hednesford goal,
they seemed unable to aim accurately and constantly shot wide except for the one occasion
that Hednesfords defenders slipped up and allowed a cross to Northwich's Tait to be
blasted into the net from around the penalty spot.
The Northwich manager had been to Hednesford to see the Telford game and obviously used
his observation of how Hednesford played to get his players to close Hednesford down.
A good enjoyable game which could only have been improved by Hednesford winning.
Hednesford were looking to get back on the winning track after last weeks draw at
Stevenbage but last weeks penalty hero, Robbie Dennison, failed to repeatr his success
having his spot kick well saved. The penalty miss failed to rattle the Pitmen who surged
forward in search of a goal and they were rewarded in the 75th minute when a pin point
cross from Dennison was headed against a post by O'Connor only to bounce back to the
waiting Norbury who made no mistake in blasting the ball into the net from 15 yards.
The Pitmen had brought Joe O'Connor back into their line up following last week when he
sat on the bench, today it was Tony Hemmings who replaced him on the bench. The Pitmen
were quick to penetrate a square looking Yeovil defence but failed to make the most of the
opportunities. O'Connor, for example, needlessly fouled Cousins in a chance for the ball.
Norbury then threaded a pass to the Hednesford striker but was crowded out on the edge of
the area. In the 7th minute Norbury cleverly beat the offside trap but his centre flew to
the far flank. Carty crossed again but by this time Yeovil were back in numbers and
Cousins headed clear. Yeovil won the first corner of the game in the 11th minute and
Engwell's cross clipped off a defender and just cleared Cooksey's bar. Yeovil wasted their
second flag kick but Cooksey nearly got his team into trouble byu slipping as he took the
goal kick. Luckily for Hednesford the ball flew between surprised strimers and defenders
alike.
In a slick Hednesford raid, O'Connor whipped the ball across Yeovil's six yard box forcing
Cousins to jhab it behind for a corner which brought no reward. Yeovil gave Hednesford a
real scare in the 22nd minute when Engwell curled across from the right and only inches
away from the head of Pickard at the far post.
A fowl by Browne on Ware, five yards outside his own box spelled a danger for Yeovil but
Dennison appeared to loose his footing as he took the free kick which hit the wall and
rebound to safety.
Two minutes before the break, Norbury managed to wriggle free on the edge of the area only
to mishit his shot. The Pitmen had a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were
awarded a 62nd penalty when O'Connor, moving onto a through ball from Carty was sent
tumbling by keeper Pennock who was booked after receiving treatment. However the Yeovil
keeper atoned for his error with a superb spot kick save from Dennison.
Hednesford : Cooksey, Carty, Collins, Blades, Comyn, Fitzpatrick, Ware, Beeston, Norbury, Dennison, O'Connor. Subs : Hemmings, Ntamark, Niblett.
Yeovil : Pennock, White, Engwell, Hayfield, Hannigan, Cousins, Fielder, Browne, Parmenter, Pickard, Stott. Subs : Kemp, Archer, Harvey.
Copyright � 1997 Dennis Dixon
Other
sites maintained by PackRat Publications for Dennis Dixon