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Hednesford should be disappointed with a result that sees the loss of two points from a game that they should have won comfortably.
Colin Lambert headed the opening goal in the 67th minute. Hednesford had dominated the game from the off, Comyn's shot struck Essex before rebounding clear, Essex failed to make contact from close in with Taylor's knock-back and Fitzpatrick headed narrowly wide from Collins' cross.
Taylor was just off target and soon after caught marginally offside when running clear onto McNally's through ball. McNally then brought the best out of Horne with a 25 yard drive that was tipped just over.
The goal, when it arrived, was a simple affair. Devine's right flank pin-point cross headed firmly home at the near post by Lambert. Two minutes later Horne made a splendid save from Taylor's header.
Ironically Dover then proceeded to have their best spell without however seriously troubling the Hednesford defence and it was a shock when they snatched an equaliser four minutes from the end. Stebbing was adjudged to be fouled just outside the left edge of the penalty area and his angled free kick was headed home by the unmarked Jimmy Strouts.
Despite the lack of goals, the 1400 plus crowd saw a fine match at Keys Park tonight.
It was never a dirty game that five cautions and tw sendings off might suggest.
Steve Devine and Dave Venables received their marching orders in the 63rd minute following a clash that on another night might only have attracted yellow cards.
The game was an end-to-end affair. Taylor raced towards goal for the Pitmen and Gallagher had to dash from his penalty area to clear. Then Cattlin's effort for Stevenage struch Comyn and rebound for a corner.
Fitzpatrick made a splendid break into the heart of the Borough defence but Webster came to the rescue, forcing Fitzpatrick to check the eventual cross, making it too long for Lambert.
More Hednesford pressure saw Carty brought down just inches outside the penalty area and just before the break Cattlin wastefully hit the side netting.
The second half produced more of the same, Gallagher racing from his area to deny McNally, Carty losing control at the crucial moment, and within seconds, Bignall breaking through to strike Cooksey's left-hand upright.
Carty steamed through yet again to be thwarted by Gallagher and then Barrowcliff fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Browne produced a smart effort that brought the best out of Cooksey and Bignall looked a certain scorer five minutes from time only to be robbed by a saving interception from Essex that ensured both teams taking a deserved point.
Hednesford fielded the same team that had beated Northwich Victoria 3-0 in midweek, but it was the home side who opened in impressive fashion forcing Hednesford back on the defensive.
The spell of early pressure was ended when O'Connor's shot was saved by McIlhargey and then with the home side back on the attack, Monk wasted a good chance by firing into the side netting.
Hednesford had weathered the early pressure and began to play their way back into the game when Street almost put them in front but he saw his left foot shot brilliantly saved by McIlhargey. From the resultant corner kick Andy Comyn saw his header well saved again.
As Hednesford kept up the pressure, McNally headed a half chance past the far post. On 38 minutes it came as no real surprise when Hednesford went in front.
Colin Lambert's long clearance found Joe O'Connor who outpaced his defender and slipped the ball under the advancing keeper for his fourth goal in successive games.
Morecambe began the second half very positively and Jackson was unlucky not to equalise when his shot curled past the far post. Andy Comyn then came to the Pitmen's rescue by clearing off the line and then Hednesford had a chance to go further in front.
Street's pass was played perfectly into the path of O'Connor but the Hednesford hotshot's effort was straight at the keeper. However, in the 68th minute the hosts equalised with a goal out of the blue. McKearney picked the ball up, advanced a couple of paces and thumped a fine 20 yard shot past Cooksey.
The home side's joy was shortlived when just three minutes later Hednesford went back into the lead again. Street's early ball sent O'Connor away and as he attempted to round McIlhargey the Morecambe keeper brought him down. Up stepped McNally to blast the penalty home despite a valiant effort from McIlhargey.
Morecambe though refused to give up and were close to drawing level when Norman's header hit the post. Ten minutes from time they drew level again and it was from the second penalty of the afternoon. Comyn brought down Jackson and up stepped McKearney to easily convert the spot kick and claim his and Morecambe's second goal of the game.
The remaining ten minutes saw the home side searching for the winner and both Monk and McCluskie came close to adding a third.
Hednesford Town continued their recent impressive form with this excellent victory over Bromsgrove Rovers that takes the Pitmen up into fourth place in the Vauxhall Conference.
The home side made a perfect start by taking a 17th minute lead. Rover's keeper Chris Taylor, misjudged Kevin Collins' side footed shot at the far post for his second goal of the season.
Rovers though battled back well and Crisp was unlucky when his effort was deflected wide. Seven minutes before the interval, Rovers suffered a major blow when influential skipper, and former Hednesford player, Kevin Richardson was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury.
The home side came out for the second half in determined fashion and on 49 minutes Colin Lambert doubled the lead to put Hednesford in the driving seat.
Cooksey was then forced into a fine save and Clarke volleyed just over the bar before Hednesford went further in front.
Tyrone Street played an early ball over the top of the defence and Joe O'Connor shrugged off a defender to lob over the advancing Taylor and complete another fine evening's work for Hednesford Town.
This game was billed as the Vauxhall Conference match of the day and at the end of a sparkling 90 minutes it certainly had lived up to its top billing.
Both sides deserve an enormous amount of credit for serving up a feast of entertaining attacking football in a game that did the Vauxhall Conference proud.
Before the game, Slough were on top of the Conference league and were the leading scorers with 22 goals from ten games and, in Mark West and Garry Abbot, had a potent strike force who between them had already scored 15 goals this season.
Slough began the game in a positive manner and on just four minutes a good build up between Smart and West set up a shooting opportunity for Bolt whose left footed shot was only just wide of the far post.The Rebels kept up the pressure and Blackford's dangerous cross was headed out by Essex for a corner.
Gradually though, Hednesford began to weather the home side's early opening burst and began to get into the game almost taking a tenth minute lead when Steve Devine's excellent free kick was tipped onto the bar by Miles in the Slough goal and out for a corner. Six minutes later the Pitmen were in front and they had to thank that man Joe O'Connor. Paul Carty's through ball was missed by Bateman and O'Connor was on it in a flash and he slipped the ball past the advancing Miles. It was a typical O'Connor goal and a few minutes later he almost doubled the lead. Once again Carty provided the service but this time O'Connor's shot was blocked and the danger cleared.
The Pitmen had little problem dealing with Slough's attacks until two minutes before the interval, when Simon Stapleton hit a fine volley from 20 yards with his right foot into the back of the net.
Tyrone Street put Hednesford back in front five minutes after the break when he scored from close range after Ben Miles mis-handled a corner kick.
Hednesford had plenty of chances to extend their lead but paid the price for their missed opportunities when Mark West put the home side back on level terms in the 61st minute. West volleyed past Scott Cooksey after getting on the end of a Gary Abbot cross.
Hednesford really should have won, with ex-Albion man Bernard McNally hitting the bar and O'Connor blasting the rebound wide of the open goal.
There were goals disallowed at both ends with a strike from West declared offside while O'Connor put the ball into the net only to find his effort ruled out for a foul on the Slough keeper by Steve Essex.
How Hednesford keeper Cooksey maintained his sanity after being bombarded unceasingly by the beating of drums from the Slough fans is anyones guess. I don't think the drums stopped for a second except for the welcome half time interval
Rushden have had their problems adjusting to life in the Conference, but they certainly left them behind when they arrived at keys Park tonight.
A point was surely theirs for the taking and had their enterprise matched their endeavour they would most certainly have claimed all three.
Amazingly they were condemned to return to Northants on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline courtesy of a magnificent strike by Bernard McNally in the 30th minute.
Diamonds had the Pitmen at full stretch early on but failed to create a clear-cut chance and it was a Hednesford break-out that threatened to bring the first goal. Lambert's shot was blocked and Carty's attempted cross from the rebound was cleared by Stott.
Hednesford were having trouble dealing with the visitors' neat approach play and Kevin Wilkin should have put Rushden ahead on the half-hour but allowed Cooksey to make a competent save.
The miss was to prove incredibly costly. Within seconds the ball fell to McNally on the volley 25 yards out, and his shot screamed past Davies' left hand into the top corner of the net.
The referee had done well at that point, ignoring an offence by Collins and only administering the caution after the goal had been given. He was not so popular with the home spectators four minutes later, when O'Connor was dragged down by Rodwell when clean through on a run to goal. A free-kick outside the box and a yellow card for the offender hardly seemed a suitable punishment.
O'Connor can also consider himself unlucky with his effort in the 52nd minute. He evaded a tackle and hit the back of Davies' net but an off-side flag denied him the goal.
Street also threatened to put the game beyond doubt but miscued at the far post after a corner kick had found him unmarked.
Cooksey, however, was covering himself in glory at the other end with a double save, first from Wilkin's drive and then Cramman's rebound header.
The Hednesford keeper was constantly in the action as Hednesford struggled to contain Diamonds somewhat muscular approach.
The action in the final minute summed up the entire game. McNally brought the ball out of deep defence to feed Fitzpatrick whose through pass saw O'Connor hit the side-netting. From the goal-kick Alford burst through but Cooksey raced from his area to boot clear.
An good game - very nerve-wracking for the Hednesford fans.
Hednesford's failure against Farnborough in their first Keys Park defeat this term sees the Hampshire side climb above them while the Pitmen slip to ninth. A close fought game settled by a silly goal but the pitmen can have few complaints.
The visitors took full advantage of the wind in their favour to give the Hednesford defence a severe first half examination.
Farnborough's Chris Boothe and Phil Wingfield seemed to be finding their way through at will and along with David Harlow, produced the best from Hednesford keeper Scott Cooksey time after time.
O'Connor went close for the home side but had it not been for the efforts of Cooksey, Hednesford would have gone in at the half time facing a deficit beyond recovery.
With conditions now in their favour, Hednesford began the seconnd half in a much more positive fashion and loud shouts for a penalty were ignored following a Colin Lambert challenge in the Farnborough box.
Lambert then struck a splendid 20 yarder which came back off the keeper for O'Connor to shoot home only for an off-side flag to wipe out the score.
On the hour, Cotterill's effort was cleared off the line and to be fair to Hednesford they lost the game trying to win it. In the 73rd minute striker George Lawrence was sent on to replace defender Steve Devine.
Farnborough exploited the space on the Hednesford left caused by Devine's absence and Baker's cross was fluked past the unfortunate Cooksey by Boothe for a 77th minute winner.
Six goals, near misses and non-stop action for ninety minutes - who needs the big boys for a good old cup tie ?
The Keys Park faithful got their money's worth today as local rivals Hednesford and Tamworth fought out a real belter.
Everything started well for Hednesford as they went two up inside the first 11 minutes. Tyrone Street got the first, following up after Tamworth keeper Tony Rowe could only parry the recalled Keith Russell's shot and then Russell himself added the second latching on to Bernard McNally's through ball to round Rowe and fire home.
But any thoughts of a Saturday afternoon stroll were quickly dispelled as Tamworth hit back in stunning fashion. Ian Bennett reduced the arrears within three minutes and for the next half an hour Tamworth caused their higher league neighbours all sort of problems. The pace of Bennett, Ian Hunter and Gary Smith was a constant threat to the Hednesord back line and after numerous near misses, including a disallowed effort from Smith, Tamworth deservedly drew level. The Pitmens defence was caught square and Smith strode through to slide a shot past Cooksey and send Tamworth's vociferous following into raptures.
Hednesford Manager John Baldwin was probably glad to hear the half-time whistle but whatever was said in the confines of the home dressing room clearly had an affect. Within ten minutes of the restart the Pitmen has regained their two goal advantage. Leading scorer Joe O'Connor finished off a neat move after 50 minutes and then the impressive Russell claimed his second of the game when he added the final touch to an excellent lob from Paul Carty.
Hednesford were in no mood to let their advantage slip for a second time although they were perhaps a shade fortunate to see Tamworth substitute Mark Whitehouse's goal disallowed for a foul on Cooksey.
A brilliant game full of excitement from start to finish.
Hednesford poached three valuable points with a smash and grab performance that sees them climb to seventh in the table. In an uninspiring game it was the Pitmen's resilience and organisation that won the day.
Kettering, smarting from Saturdays shock FA Cup exit, took the attack to the visitors but although Lynch went close twice, Hednesford's back line held firm to provide a springboard for the forwards to attack.
Keith Russell had a shot blocked and his follow-up effort was deflected over the bar before he eventually opened the scoring. His through ball to O'Connor was inch-perfect and when the striker was brought down for a clear penalty, Russell netted from the spot.
Kettering hit the woodwork in the second half but generally it was Essex and Hednesford man-of-the-match Andy Comyn who were in control. In the 69th minute the result was put beyond doubt when, after a scramble following McNally's corner, Comyn forced the ball home.
Today Hednesford surrendered 3 points in a lack lustre performance against a below par Southport.
Though Hednesford seemed to spend more time in Southport's half they were unable to
find the net, hitting the post and shooting wide and over were the order of the day.
Criticism from the Pitmen's supporters caused manager Baldwin to give some scowling looks
towards the stands.
One man was heard to say that he didn't mind losing to Farnborough because they looked a
strong side but there was no excuse for todays performance by Hednesford.
Hednesford had the more chances in the first half with Southport keeper Stewart making stunning saves from Tyrone Street and a Keith Russell effort that he managed to palm onto the post.
Hednesfords usual crisp passing vanished after the interval while the defence was pulled everywhere by former Walsall striker Rod McDonald and Andy Whittaker.
The inevitable happened in the 51st minute when Whittaker took the ball behind the advanced Hednesford backs and with only keeper Cooksey to beat drove a good clean shot into the net.
Southport had at least two further good chances where they should have scored but their shooting was in general as bad as Hednesfords.
The Pitmen left the pitch with a very disappointed Hednesford crowd, some booing. Baldwin left with his head low unwilling to look at the faces of the supporters.
If Hednesfords performance is only as good as this, why did the players spend Thursday evening at the Sportsmans Night in the Chase Suite instead of in training on the pitch ?
What a difference a week makes !
Hednesford went out to todays match determined to go through to the 1st round proper of the FA Cup in only the second time in their history - the last time was in the season 1919/20 when Hednesford were beaten 2 - 0 by Castleford Town.
From the off Hednesford attacked relentlessly and in the 17th minute George Lawrence rounded a Telford defender to slam the ball into the net. The Pitmen then seemed to ease off which was a dangerous thing to do as Telford also had sights on the next round of the cup.
The ball was taken from end to end of the pitch with many high balls and loose kicking, especially by Telford. Keeper Cooksey was superb saving the many Telford shots and certainly a different result would have come had it not have been for him.
In the second half Telford drove forward many times only to be repelled by the Hednesford defence, but it was the team work between George Lawrence and Joe O'Connor that time and again had the Hednesford fans expecting the next elusive goal. In the 88th minute it came to Tyron Street to kick the ball into the net during a goal mouth struggle.
Hednesford and Telford both need to improve on their cornering technique as both sides seemed to get into the way of their own players by cramming the goal mouth during a corner. Non of them ever really looked like scoring from one of the numerous corners.
From the first Hednesford goal the sense was that another was needed to be sure of victory over a forceful Telford side and in the 88th minute (actually injury time) Hednesford sealed Telford's fate.
Next FA Cup match will be in the 1st Round against either Southport or Spennymoor on 16th November. If Southport beat Spennymoor I only hope that Hednesford do not play as badly as they did against them last week. At least Southport have not learned anything of Hednesfords real ability during that game.
The Pitmen had a good day at Welling after travelling over and under the Thames (Dartford).
Hednesford bombarded the home side in the opening minutes with Andy Comyn and Steve Devine both going close before the fifth minute opener.
The George Lawrence / Joe O'Connor partnership played magic with Lawrence's pass catching the Welling defence flatfooted and O'Connor ran on unchallenged to beat keeper Glen Knight from 18 yards.
O'Connor missed the chance of a second, blazing the ball high into the air from Paul Carty's cross.
After ridng the early storm Welling were gifted an equaliser after 26 minutes when Kevin Collins fell and handled the ball in the penalty area allowing Lennie Dennis to send Scott Cooksey the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Hednesfords winner came nine minutes before half time as a Collins free kick was headed across goal by Lawrence and the unmarked O'Connor volleyed home from six yards.
Before the game Wellings Lennie Dennis picked up a Mail on Sunday goalscorer award.
Hednesford swept into the second round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup following this easy victory over a youthful Port Vale side.
Manager John Baldwin gave a number of Hednesford's youngsters the opportunity of first team football and they took it in fine style.
Hednesford dominated the entire 90 minutes with Gavin Brant in goal haviing a very quiet game, hardly having any saves to make.
The Pitmen should have taken an early lead when a cross from Luke Yates found striker Dave Harnett but his close range shot hit the legs of Vale keeper Boswell before being cleared. The young keeper then made a fine save to deny John Cotterill whose fierce close range shot looked a goal all the way.
After 25 minutes Hednesford finally went in front. A shot from Harnett hit the bar and rebound for Gary Fitzpatrick to force the ball over the line. Three minutes before the interval the lead was doubled when Yates' powerful shot was blocked by Boswell straight to Harnett who scored easily.
The second half continued in the same vein with the only surprise being that only one more goal was added when a few minutes from time Harnett got his second of the night and Hednesford's third to round off a very comprehensive victory.
This was definitely a game of two parts. In the first half Hednesford seemed confident and in control of the game with numerous attacks on the Altrincham goal
Hednesford almost got a first half goal after five minutes as Altrincham keeper Mat Dickens failed to collect McNally's in-swinging corner. The ball fell to Tyrone Street but his shot was blocked on the line and scrambled clear.
Carty found space down the right but two through balls to O'Connor were a fraction too late. Hednesford went ahead on 22 minutes when Russell and O'Connor linked down the left. O'Connor's centre was well struck by defender Maddox but hit Russell who steadied himself and drilled a shot past Dickens from just inside the area. Two minutes later Carty cut inside but blazed well wide.
After 28 minutes the visitors' Beckford saw his cross shot cleared from under the bar by Simpson. Moments later Hardy headed wide from seven yards after a good run and cross by Heesom. Good play between O'Connor and McNally gave Russell a half chance that was scrambled away at the expense of a corner.
Five minutes before the interval, Altrincham drew level, Pritchard's low left-foot shot was blocked by Cooksey but Hardy thundered home the rebound.
O'Connor raced onto a long through-ball and unleashed a right-foot shot that hit the foot of the post. His follow up was blocked by Dickens.
The half time pep talk by Altrinchams manager, John King, worked wonders because in the second half Altrincham were constantly attacking Hednesford's goal causing keeper Scott Cooksey to work overtime.
Both sides came close to taking the lead in a lively start to the second period, O'Connor was saved by a point blank save and Heesom's free kick hit a Hednesford post.
It was inevitable that a further Altrincham goal would be coming and it did as Hardy claimed his second in the 61st minute.
Even though they were now behind, you wouldn't have thought it the way that Hednesford kept passing in their own half instead of driving forward. Eventually, from a free kick given for a foul against Hednesfords new signing Tony Hemmings, near the edge of the Altrincham penalty box, O'Connor kicked in from a rebound giving a desperately required equaliser.
Though both teams tried desperately to find the winning goal, it eluded them both.
In the end the result was fair but I am sure that Hednesford Manager John Baldwin would be having a few words in the dressing room after the match
Hednesford today won a trip to Blackpool for the next round of the FA Cup.
Hednesford had made a shaky start and in the second minute keeper Cooksey was in trouble following a teasing free kick by Gamble. He fumbled the ball under pressure from McDonald and was thankful to hear the referee's whistle as McDonald's effort trickled past the post.
It was McDonald again on five minutes who was causing the Pitmen problems. He latched onto a long clearance from keeper Stewart before turning neatly just inside the box only to fire wide.
Southport's intentions had become quite clear and from another long ball pumped into the box, Comyn cleared poorly and was fortunate to see Carty backing him up and completing the clearance. But then after ten minutes Lambert did well to retain possession in the middle of the park before finding Street with a short pass. Street released O'Connor down the right and his low cross was superbly tucked away by Keith Russell from about ten yards, the ground erupted as the home fans showed their appreciation.
This goal clearly lifted Hednesford and they almost added a second moments later when Lambert was only denied by a wonderful save from Stewart.
Hednesford continued the onslaught, with first Hemmings creating problems with a well struck cross and then Carty doing likewise from the opposite flank and Southport were relieved to scramble clear both crosses.
Leading scorer O'Connor got the Pitmen going forward again when he pounced on a sloppy pass in the centre circle to release Street down the right and only a last ditch clearance from Jones denied Russell the chance of adding to his earlier goal.
Hednesford were looking the livelier but Southport gave them a reminder of their danger on the break after 22 minutes. They were under further pressure after 25 minutes when Hemmings released Carty with a delicate slide-rule pass. Carty made good progress down the right and his low cross just avoided the on-rushing Street.
The home side opened the brightest in the second half and only a piece of brave goal keeping from Stewart kept the visitors in the match but the all-important second goal arrived on 68 minutes when Joe O'Connor siezed on a slack piece of Southport defending. He raced onto a loose ball and, as goalkeeper Stewart hesitated, toe-poked the ball wide of the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.
In the final minutes of the game Southport did find the net with a ball deflecting off Kevin Collins but it was too late for them to change the result though they did make strong attacks against Hednesford they could not break down the Pitmens defence a second time.
A good fast flowing game.
Hednesford : Cooksey, Carty, Russell, Simpson, Comyn, Collins, McNally, Lambert, Hemmings, Street, O'Connor. Subs : Devine, Brant, Essex.
Southport : Stewart, Anderson, Eyre, Horner, Jones, Butler, Clark, Whittaker, Preece, Gamble, McDonald. Subs : Davenport, Dove, Morgan
The Hednesford v Southport game sent to me via the Internet from a Southport fan - many
thanks
For further reports from 23rd November 1996 onwards click here
Copyright � 1996 Dennis Dixon
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