Hardy supporters see Pitmen win again

Oct 30 2008

Hednesford Town 4 Cammell Laird 1

After the tremendous effort by the Keys Park ground staff to get Tuesday’s UniBond League game against Cammell Laird on, the below average crowd were treated to an excellent game of football by two in form teams.

The visitors who have climbed off the bottom of the league after a change of management, had not been beaten for the five previous games but they were soon a goal down when Tyrone Barnett scored in the 7th minute. The goal came after Elliott Durrell had hit a 25 yard low firm shot which Richard Whiteside failed to hold onto. The ball ran out to Ross Dyer who played the ball back into the six yard box for his strike partner to tap home from close range.

The Lairds were soon level when in the 12th minute a Decio Gomes clearance was blocked, the ball was switched from the left to the right for Ritchie Foulkes who from 25 yards hit an unstoppable shot which gave Stuart Brock no chance of making a save. A wag was heard to say that it was Bobby Charlton with hair. Certainly Sir Bobby would have been proud of the shot.

Ross Dyer made it 2-1 in the 22nd minute after Durrell hit a high cross from the right to the back post where Barnett headed the ball back across the box for Dyer. He missed the ball with his first attempt but quickly recovered to stab the ball home through a crowded area.

Alex Hay missed a chance to level the scores in the 30th minute when a good passing move created a shooting chance on the edge of the box but he pulled his left footed shot wide of the left hand post. Brock was soon after quick out of his area to foil Mark Reed and Ollie James as they were clear 20 yards from goal.

A quick break down the left wing by Ross Dyer came to an abrupt end when the Lairds John Collins cynically brought the Pitmen player down. The referee will not have an easier caution to administer for the rest of the season.

The Pitmen extended their lead ten minutes into the second half when Durrell’s free kick from the right hand touchline dropped over the heads of a packed penalty area and fell to Tom Marshall who after making a late run hit a left footed volley straight past Whiteside and into the back of the net.

Danny Harvey had a firm header blocked on the goal line but it was left to Elliott Durrell after being announced as the sponsors man of the match to hit the fourth in the 88th minute after he beat the offside trap and after holding off a defender he hit a firm shot past the Lairds keeper.

With two cup games coming up the Pitmen can take a break from the League in the knowledge that when they resume a week on Saturday they will still be sitting proudly on top of the league.