Top-of-the-table Pitmen enjoy home comforts

Oct 16 2008

Hednesford Town 2 Witton Albion 0

The Pitmen took full advantage of Ilkestown Town’s involvement in the FA Cup to return to top of the UniBond League after completing a 2-0 double over last season’s runners up Witton Albion on Saturday.

They then extended their lead at the top of the table with a resounding 3-0 win at home to Buxton on Tuesday night.

The visitors’ physical tactics soon forced the Pitmen into a change in the third minute a bad tackle by Paul Donnelly forced Sean Platt to be carried off.

The former Walsall player was sent to hospital as a precaution on an ankle injury which is likely to leave him on the sidelines for four weeks. Sam Hall who was earlier in the week on the verge of a move to Gresley Rovers came on to replace Platt.

In the 16th minute Ross Draper intercepted a back pass inside the Witton penalty area then with only Greg Smith to beat his shot was blocked by the keeper as he closed down the angle. The ball rebounded back to Elliott Durrell who with the keeper out of position shot wide.

The opening goal of the game came in the 22nd minute when Elliott Durrell dispossessed a Witton defender in his own penalty area, the lively midfielder took the ball to the left hand bye-line before pulling the ball back into the six yard box for Tyrone Barnett to tap home from a yard out.

Further goal scoring chances were not taken with Durrell, Barnett and Dyer all going close.

The misses made by the Pitmen nearly proved costly when with half time approaching Witton's Lee Thompson broke forward, changing the direction of play he switched the ball to the left for Ross Thaker who with only Stuart Brock to beat scuffed his kick ,sending the ball well wide of the left hand post.

After another good chance was not taken in the 52nd minute when Greg Smith the Witton keeper left his area to tackle Ross Dyer. The Pitmen forward won the challenge and laid the ball back to Barnett. Despite being 30 yards from an open goal Barnett surprisingly hit a cross field pass to Durrell and the chance was lost as Smith and his defenders had returned back to block his effort, Ross Draper who gave a captain’s performance won his side a penalty in the 58th minute when he was up ended in the box by Dan Schwartz as he dribbled his way past a number of defenders. The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty which Ross Dyer strode up to take. The striker made it two goals in two games as he sent his kick hard and low into the net despite Smith’s efforts to stop the ball.

Elliott Durrell who had caused the Witton defenders problems all afternoon was crudely fouled by Garry Burke. The Witton centre half was rightly cautioned for the tackle which forced the midfielder off the pitch for lengthy period of treatment.

If the Witton defenders thought that their bully boy tactics would stop Durrell they were wrong as once he was back on the pitch he took a pass from Dyer to hit a fierce shot which Smith did well to block. Barnett followed up to hit another shot towards the goal but his effort was deflected out of play for a corner kick.

A rare mistake by Decio Gomes presented Dan Schwartz with an easy chance to pull a goal back but somehow with only Brock to beat he pulled his shot wide of the left hand post. The second caution of the game was for another poor tackle on Durrell. It was Witton sub Geoff McGraw who saw yellow in the 75th minute. Two minutes Durrell received a standing ovation as he was replaced by Chad Sheppard.

Sheppard went close with a firm shot which sailed just past the left hand post after Sam Hall had set up the chance. With the three points safe the Pitmen enjoyed long periods of possession and even had the crowd shouting olé.

- Hednesford Town extended their lead at the top of the UniBond Premier to points after an impressive 3-0 win at Buxton on Tuesday night.

Ross Draper gave Hednesford the lead with a header after a Mark Briggs free kick had been parried.

Buxton were not helped when they were reduced to 10 men before the break after Pitmen striker Tyrone Barnett was grabbed around the throat. Elliott Durrell added Hednesford’s second with a cracking effort and Anthony Maguire bagged the third.