Cammell Laird 1 Hednesford Town 1

Sep 25 2008

A 1-1 draw away would normally be received as a good result but it was two points dropped as the Pitmen took the lead with five minutes to go then allowed Cammell Laird to equalise in the 88th minute.

The Pitmen were handicapped by an injury in the 14th minute to goalkeeper Stuart Brock who with no sub keeper on the bench remained on the pitch despite being unable to move freely. Ross Dyer and Tyrone Barnett both managed to place headers on target but as they both lacked any pace or direction Richard Whiteside the Lairds keeper easily saved their efforts. Brock who could hardly move justified his decision to stay on the pitch when he saved a fierce shot from Neil Black low down at the near post after the Lairds centre forward broke down the right wing.

Brock was in action again in the 30th minute when he had to hold onto a long range effort by Eddie Jebb at the second attempt.

The Lairds in the second half started to trouble the Pitmen keeper with a number of high balls which he had difficulty in trying to catch because of the groin injury picked up in the first half.

The miss of the game came in the 53rd minute when Danny Harvey's clearance went straight to Neil Black who with only the injured Pitmen keeper to beat somehow managed to lift the ball well over the crossbar.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 85th minute when substitute Elliott Durrell raced onto a Ross Draper through ball to hit a low shot into the left hand side of the net. The Pitmen's joy was short lived as three minutes later a good pass from the left was met my Ian Cooke who equalised by placing a header wide of the injured Brock.

* Tuesday September 23 Hednesford Town 4 Matlock Town 0 Tyrone Barnett hit a hat trick in the Pitmen's 4-0 victory over Matlock Town whose evening was made even worse by the first half sending off of their centre back Ryan Laight.

The opening goal came in the 30th minute when Gladiators keeper Andy Richmond failed to clear the ball past the half way line, Tom Marshall sent a firm forward header for Barnett who outpaced the covering defender to slot the ball past Richmond.

Ross Draper made an attacking run into the penalty area where he was brought down by Ryan Laight just as he was about to shoot. The Referee had no hesitation in showing the Matlock defender a red card.

In the 64th minute, new signing Asa Charlton played the ball forward for Ross Dyer who sent a first time square pass to Barnett to run onto. Barnet drew the keeper off his line then placed the ball into the far side of the net.

Matlock despite being a man down continued to press for a goal and they were nearly presented with one when Danny Harvey headed a clearance straight back into the six yard box. Debutant keeper Danny Woodhall punched the ball away but only straight to Simon Barrowclough. The Gladiators Captain hit a fierce shot but was denied a goal by a spectacular save as Woodhall somehow managed to recover sufficiently enough to deflect the ball over the crossbar.

Elliott Durrell who was making his full debut scored the Pitmen's third only minutes after seeing another effort evade all of the defenders and pass just by the left hand post.

Barnett who was on the left played the ball infield to Mark Briggs who feinted to go one way, wrongly footing the defender which allowed Briggs to continue the move by passing the ball onto Durrell who from the edge of the box hit the ball into the back of the net.

Barnett' s hat trick goal came in the 87th minute when Durrell took a left wing free kick which found Barnett at the back post and from six yards he headed home despite the close attention of a defender.

Burntwood 61 Cleobury Mortimer 0 Midlands 4 West North Burntwood put their opening day disappointment behind them with a 10 try mauling of their visitors from Shropshire. They were 22 points up at the break and romped home in a onesided second half.

They made a positive start from the opening kick off with full back Paul Donnelly immediately joining the back division to take play into their opponents' half but winger Chris Smith couldn't hold the final pass.

Burntwood opened the scoring in familiar style with a penalty from Craig Seedhouse after 12 minutes. A second long range attempt 5 minutes later fell short but it mattered little as the first try was scored just a minute later. Line out possession was moved down the backs and this time Smith made no mistake, scampering in at the corner.

The 2nd try came near the half hour mark. Strong running by the forwards, notably Graham Shelley and Craig Goodall, took play up to the 5 metre line and Mark Partridge stretched over. Seedhouse converted.

Goodall was involved in the next try, making a break from half way before feeding Matt Bray. He dummied to the outside and then took off down centre field for a score under the posts. Seedhouse converted.

It took just 4 minutes to add to the tally after the break. A floated pass back inside was taken by Goodall who strolled in under the posts for another easy conversion by Seedhouse. Three minutes later Matt Watkins reacted quickest when the ball squirted out of a scrum in the Cleobury 22 and he crossed near the left corner.

With the game effectively won, Burntwood really turned on the style in the last quarter to add 5 more tries. Good handling by backs and forwards alike set up skipper Shelley for his try under the posts. Seedhouse converted.

A burst by Lloyd Shelley was the prelude for Watkins' 2nd try; right winger James Langford finished off a good passing move by the three quarters to take Burntwood past the half century and then the backs combined superbly from half way to release Smith for his 2nd try.

The final try scored in added time was probably the best. A sweeping move from long range was finished by outside half Seedhouse for a personal haul of 16 points to complete the white-wash.

Burntwood can take great confidence from their performance but they know there will be tougher tests ahead, beginning with their first away match of the new campaign at Leek this Saturday.

This Saturday Burntwood face Leek with the 1sts and 3rds away and 2nds at home. The veterans are TBA.