Hednesford Town v Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Stafford Rangers lead twice but the Boxing Day derby ultimately went the way of the home side at a foggy Keys Park.

Visibility was just about good enough for the game to go ahead but it was barely a spectacle for the 2,500 fans who struggled to see from one side of the pitch to the other.

Rangers were missing Scott Wara who was suspended following his two red cards in the pre Christmas programme while Ras Alamu was not available as he is on loan from the Pitmen. Their absence enabled recalls for Ashley Fallon and Andy Burns while Ben O’Hanlon came in for Sam Fitzgerald who dropped to the bench.

Hednesford are starting to show that they have overcome many of their early season issues and enjoyed the better of the opening period.

On 11 minutes, Jake Jervis fired in to the side netting after getting away from Michael McGrath following a long clearance from Ryan Brown. A couple of minutes later, Simeon Maye drove wide from the edge of the area while Dan Sparkes wasted a good chance when he blazed over.

Rangers started to get into the game and stunned the home side by taking a 24th minute lead.

The goal came following O’Hanlon’s ball to Kaiman Anderson over the top of Ollie Harrison. Brown saved Anderson’s shot but, from the resulting corner, Callum King-Harmes’ shot was diverted into the net by the unwitting John Atherton.

Dominic McHale wasted another good chance for the home side with a nothing shot from a fairly impossible position some 30 yards out.

A bizarre moment on the half hour saw referee Andrew Biggin brandish a red card to Dale Belford. The Rangers’ manager inexplicably entered the field of play while the ball was still live and was sent to the stands.

Rangers’ keeper Cam Belford then almost gifted Hednesford with an equaliser when his attempted clearance was charged down by McHale but the ball looped up allowing Belford some time to recover and subsequently do enough to force McHale to put the ball wide.

At the other end, Brown also made a slip under pressure from Atherton but he too was able to recover.

Belford saved from Jervis who put the follow up wide but, just as Rangers looked to be taking the lead into the interval, Hednesford levelled the scores in the 3rd minute of added time.

Harrison’s long ball put Dan Trickett-Smith clear and he advanced to clip the ball over Belford.

Soon after the resumption, Jervis was denied by Belford and being sent away by McHale but it was Rangers who struck next, regaining the lead in the 59th minute.

Jimmy O’Neill – back in defence despite retaining the no 9 shirt – scored his fourth goal of the month with a back post header from an accurate Jack Burgess free kick.

Hednesford brought on Manny Duku to bolster their attack and Belford had to stand his ground to deny the substitute with his legs after the tall Dutch striker had escaped from O’Neill and McGrath.

But Hednesford struck twice in quick succession just after the midway point of the second half to put them in command of the game.

On 70 minutes, Jervis was unmarked as he converted a left wing cross from McHale then, just three minutes later, the roles were reversed as Jervis sent McHale clear inside the area to make it 3-2.

Rangers did have an opportunity to level when Burgess shot wide following a scramble but the result was put beyond doubt when Duku scored an added time penalty after Jervis had pounced on a slip by McGrath and Belford brought Duku down after the Hednesford man won the race to the ball.

Hednesford Town: 1 Ryan Brown, 2 Jamie Morgan, 3 Joel Taylor, 4 Joe Doyle-Charles, 5 Ollie Harrison, 6 Elliott Johnson, 7 Dan Trickett- Smith (16 Josh Endall 86m), 8 Simeon Maye (15 Manny Duku 64m), 9 Jake Jervis, 10 Dominic Michael (19 Omar Holness 79m), 11 Dan Sparkes (14 Jack Bearne 57m). Unused Subs 12 Jacob Gwilt

Stafford Rangers: 1 Cam Belford, 2 Callum King-Harmes (12 Callum Coyle 81m), 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 James McQuilkin, 5 Michael McGrath, 6 Andy Burns, 7 Ashley Fallon (14 Sam Fitzgerald 74m), 8 Jack Burgess (15 56m), 9 Jimmy O’Neill (16 Reinaldo Forbes 85m), 10 Kaiman Anderson, 11 John Atherton. Unused Subs 13 Oliver Sayer, 15 Joe Morley

Referee: Andrew Biggin

Cautions: Morgan, Harrison, Maye, Sparkes (Hednesford) McQuilkin, Anderson, Fitzgerald (Stafford)

Also Cautioned: Gavin Hurren (Hednesford manager) Graham Deakin (Stafford Assistant Manager

Dismissed: Dale Belford (Stafford Manager)

Attendance: 2,503

Report by Chris Elsley