GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 1 HEDNESFORD TOWN 2: full match report...

Pitmen Dig Deep At Gainsborough

Gainsborough Trinity 1 Hednesford Town 2

The toss...

After damaging a tyre whilst parking in Charles Road and finding a nearby tyre company’s premises closed, I was duly concerned about my journey home to Solihull but I managed, just as Hednesford managed, just about, to secure all three points from the Northolme. It was close at the end though, with Trinity striking an upright and being foiled by an effective combination of ‘keeper Dan Crane and central defender Paul McCone, in the 4^th minute of added time. This was an end-to-end game for the most part but Hednesford always seemed to have a slight edge, often through the trickery of Marvin Johnson, but also as a result of Dave McPherson’s efforts in midfield. Charlie Anagho-Ntamark failed to reappear after the break, which was a pity, for his influence was marked for the visitors before the interval. Paul Barnes made a couple of important saves for the hosts and Simon Russell was all bustle, with Ciaran Toner passing with some accuracy and Darren Stamp perforated the Pitmen aerially, although to be fair when you are used to being underground, that was no surprise…

Black Country Pitpersons...

An early clearance by tall home defender Greg Young was magnificently aimed at a rear window of the Hednesford motor coach and hit the target, no doubt awakening the driver; maybe Young ought to have played in attack… An injury, probably to the face, left Grant Roberts of Trinity floored for a few minutes but the only real goal threat came from a cushioned header by Danny Glover for the visitors, following a cross by John Disney, which went begging. Town seemed the more efficient outfit and when Anagho-Ntamark fed the dangerous Johnson on the left, the dribbling Pitman did well at first but then ran into trouble, his one weakness. Suddenly, the visitors were ahead and the goal stemmed from a really incisive pass through the centre by the imaginative Anagho-Ntamark. Johnson, with three men around him, had attempted to wriggle free but a block had sent the ball to Anagho-Ntamark; the wide-man had made a move forward but the three Trinity players hadn’t and Johnson nudged his colleague’s pass past Barnes, who was advancing quickly, the ball rolling gently into the right corner of the net. 

Johnson is congratulated...

Hesitation by McCone and goalie Crane however, led to a quick equaliser for Trinity, when a long booted delivery sent Stamp stamping forward and his touch rolled the ball into the empty net as he collided with the ‘keeper, leaving Stamp prone and hurt. Stamp was sent post-haste to the sidelines to recover but wasn’t able to enjoy a goal celebration. 

He scored, but will this go in Stamp's album?

Josh Lacey blocked really well for Gainsborough when Hednesford pushed forward again, Stamp took a solid thump from behind from McCone, which infuriated the previously placid home supporters but the referee played on. Fine pace by Johnson on the left for the visitors saw him nutmeg Roberts neatly and he made for the byeline; the ball was cleared but in the third phase of the attack, the ball was headed forward by McPherson and Glover, possibly offside, hooked a half-hit volley, which beat Barnes and bounced up onto the middle of the right upright, from whence Barnes grabbed the loose ball. A weak chip by Tom Thorley, who worked tirelessly for the Pitmen, was collected by Barnes but Hednesford were certainly in the ascendancy by this point. A free-kick by Toner, left-flank and deep, was headed cleverly across the goalmouth by the experienced Stamp but Crane snatched the loose ball with Tom Davie hovering.

Phil Barnes, who had a kickin' good game...

McPherson’s challenges ended with skipper Darren Campion slipping a pass to Wayne Riley, whose 22 yard shot was claimed low to his right by Barnes. At the opposite end, Stamp used his body well to allow Toner a 20 yard strike at goal, which Crane beat out. Ben Bailey, defending stoutly for the Pitmen, was incensed by a Trinity challenge and was warned for his annoyance, then in another Gainsborough attack, McPherson’s clearing header was superb. At this point in the game, Gainsborough appeared to be getting to the loose balls more quickly and from a Toner free-kick, right-side, Stamp glanced a header across the goalmouth. Russell defended brilliantly, three times, as Hednesford ended the first-half strongly but it needed a good Barnes save to preserve parity. Glover passed the ball to Anagho-Ntamark, 19 yards out, centrally positioned and the forward’s low drive was well parried by the alert Barnes.

Half-time arrived, I chobbled my Kit-Kat, drank a little Oasis and wondered whether my tyre had gone down. It’s what you do.

Marvin Robinson replaced Anagho-Ntamark for the guests at the break, Disney was in trouble for a challenge, which the referee reacted to like an animated character in a Disney cartoon, before a speculative shot by Campion wasn’t too champion, rising well over the crossbar. Gainsborough replaced Davie with Caine Winfarrah, mainly to force another awkward name onto my match report I guess and Johnson threatened on the right with a shot-cum-cross from a tight angle, forcing a low one-handed save by the very competent Barnes. Glover made way for Paul Sullivan for the guests then McPherson appeared to be felled as he raced through but the official waved play on. Barnes then excelled himself as Hednesford attacked on the right again; Johnson tricked Lacey, crossed right-footed and McPherson leaned in to head downwards at the far post but the agile Barnes, getting across his goal-line, flung out a strong right hand to turn the ball aside, as it bounced up towards the roof of the net.

God watches...

Roberts then received a neat pass to free him in the Town penalty-box at inside-right but he chose not to shoot and his delivered pass was awry, squandering a real opportunity for the hosts. Tonor was cautioned then Riley’s glancing header from a right-side flag-kick was hacked away by Trinity; Curtis Bateson replaced Stamp for the hosts and the game was in the balance again, becoming open, but it was the Pitmen who struck the richer seam. Sullivan made the running on the right, surrounded by three defenders but his low cross was sliced goalwards by home skipper Dom Roma, I think, forcing a goal-line headed clearance by Roberts, only for Riley to out-jump Roma and nod the ball down into the bottom right corner of the net.

Riley likes the celebrations but checks the hair anyway...

Gainsborough responded with a nasty shot by Bateson from 22 yards, which took an unlikely bounce and Crane did really well to throw up his right arm as he fell left, to push the effort away, with the very switched-on Campion completing the clearance. Liam Davis replaced the ever-willing Jono Margetts for the hosts and the wily Michael Lennon was introduced, at the expense of Johnson for Town. Davis soon managed a header just past the right post from a long Barnes free-kick, Lennon then worked his way to the right byeline and crossed straight at Barnes, whose punted clearance struck Robinson on the back, a ‘misdemeanour’ which earned the forward a caution. With Gainsborough throwing everything into offense and Lennon attempting to waste moments in corners, Trinity threw Barnes forward for a free-kick in the final minute of added time and what a finale followed! Tonor’s free-kick was headed away by the towering McPherson, then knocked forward by a Trinity player for Davis to hook across goal from 7 yards and the ball cannoned off the left upright to Young, who seemed certain to score but McCone threw himself at the shot, with Crane diving behind him, like a wader plunging for a freshwater tench and somehow, between them, possibly off McCone’s arm and then the ‘keeper’s torso, the ball stayed out; Crane gathered it, other defenders whooped and hollered and the official blew for full-time.

Survived!

Won!

Home-time, Gainsborough Lads...

A brave fight by Gainsborough, a resilient finish by the Pitmen and despite Toner’s efforts, plus Russell’s and Jamie Wootton’s busy contributions, Trinity didn’t exercise Crane enough, whereas Hednesford, roared on by their Black Country crew, whose hard-done-by accents made me want them to achieve success, forced Barnes into more saves and in Johnson, possessed an individual likely to undo any defence at this level.  

The Hednesford coach driver had watched the last-seconds’ melee from the safety of his seat, over a wall, which made me smile; I returned to my car and wondered whether my tyre would be flat but it wasn’t and I was able to drive all the way home, carefully, without further mishap. Maybe it was the dock leaf I had acquired on the way to Gainsborough, which brought me a little good fortune, or even the random sad, yellow plastic duck of luck I had found in the same lay-by, but all the same, I had to keep both. It’s what you do when you are a superstitious Truro City fan… Sad not to have seen Francino Francis in action, for I watched him many times in Barwell colours, during their fine run of form some years back… 

No, I wasn't joking...

Teams:

Gainsborough:  Paul Barnes, Dom Roma (Capt), Tom Davie; Josh Lacey, Grant Roberts, Greg Young; Simon Russell, Ciaran Toner, Darren Stamp, Jono Margetts, Jamie Wootton.

Subs: Johno Williams, Liam Dickens, Caine Winfarrah, Liam Davis, Curtis Bateson.

Hednesford:  Dan Crane, John Disney, Darren Campion (Capt); Ben Bailey, Paul McCone, Dave McPherson; Wayne Riley, Marvin Johnson, Danny Glover, Charlie Anagho-Ntamark, Tom Thorley.

Subs: Paul Sullivan, Robbie Thompson-Brown, Marvin Robinson, Michael Lennon, Francino Francis.