Express & Star

Hednesford Town 1 Stafford Rangers 1 - Report and pictures

[gallery] Simeon Maye's equaliser five minutes from time robbed Stafford Rangers of a famous derby day victory at Keys Park in the FA Trophy second qualifying round and set up a Tuesday night replay at Marston Road.

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Analysis

For most of the game it looked like Stafford Rangers were going to win their first Staffordshire derby in 11 years.

Neil Kitching's physical Boro side bullied Hednesford Town and thanks to Sean Geddes's 16th-minute goal against his former club, they were five minutes away from closing out a famous victory at Keys Park.

But then Simeon Maye's thumping equaliser from a corner in the 85th minute ensured the two teams will do it all again on Tuesday night in a replay at Marston Road.

Considering the red hot runs both teams are on right now, it was hardly surprising neither lost.

Hednesford had won all five of their previous games, which may explain why National League side Solihull Moors have approached Pitmen boss Liam McDonald about their vacant managerial position.

Rangers, meanwhile, are now on an unbeaten eight-match run that includes six wins and two draws.

There was no fewer than five former Pitmen in the Stafford starting line-up, but this was anything but a friendly affair.

Both sections of the segregated crowd made sure the match had a typical derby feel to it and there was even a smoke grenade thrown onto the edge of the pitch from the home end in the second half.

One of those former Hednesford players in orange was Sean Geddes.

The midfielder gave his old club a warning two minutes before his opener, flashing a first-time volley wide after a flick-on from Kyle Perry.

He didn't catch his next effort nearly as well, but his scuffed shot at the back post bounced slowly past Dan Crane and into the far corner.

Geddes, who left Keys Park under a cloud just a few weeks ago, then took pleasure celebrating in front of the scowling home fans.

The goal sparked the derby into life, and not long after both Cohen Brammall and Joshua Gordon were booked for a spot of mud wrestling that had both dug-outs on their feet in anger.

Gordon, who was lucky to escape a second booking when he lifted his foot into Tom Thorley's midriff, was in the thick of the action.

The diminutive Boro winger should have doubled the lead with a header at the back post but put his effort into the side netting from a few yards out.

Town didn't threaten until the last 10 minutes of the first half, and they struggled after the break too.

It was Stafford who looked more likely to score, even though Rangers are 16th in Evo-Stik Northern Premier while Hednesford sit in fourth.

Richie Batchelor should have settled the game with a free header from a brilliant Kris Taylor free-kick, and in the end the visitors were made to pay for those spurned chances.

In fact, Hednesford nearly stole the match soon after Maye's equaliser when Ashley Sammons grazed the crossbar in the 89th minute, but that would have been harsh on Kitching's side.

This is a competition that both teams have pedigree in. Boro lifted the Trophy twice at Wembley in the 1970s and the Pitmen beat Canvey Island in a famous 2004 final at Villa Park.

After today, both teams are still in it.

Whether McDonald is still Pitmen boss come Tuesday remains to be seen.

Key moments

16 GOAL STAFFORD - Sean Geddes miscues a volley at the back post but it bounces past Dan Crane into the far post and the former Hednesford midfielder celebrates in front of the home crowd

19 Both Cohen Brammall and Joshua Gordon yellow carded after a wrestling match in the mud

25 Kieran Morris booked for unneccessary shirt-tug on the halfway line

35 Gordon lifts his foot into Tom Thorley's midriff while already on a yellow but nothing is given

39 Gordon should double Stafford's lead with a free header at the back post but he puts it into the side netting from three yards out

43 Hednesford winger Gurjit Singh turns and shoots in the box but his effort is easily saved

52 Kris Taylow booked for a lunging tackle

54 Someone from the home end throws a flare onto the edge of the pitch

73 Richie Batchelor should score when Kris Taylor's free-kick finds him 10 yards out but he heads wide

83 Danny Glover floats a cross to the far post for George Carline but his effort is well-saved by Adam Whitehouse

85 GOAL HEDNESFORD - Simeon Maye thumps home an equaliser from a corner

89 Ashley Sammons nearly wins it for Hednesford but his shot grazes the crossbar

Teams

Hednesford Town: Crane, Williams, Mutton, Flanagan, Brammall, Singh (Glover 58), Maye, Thorley (c), Carline, Matthews (Phipps 73), Sammons. Unused subs: Wagstaff, Martin, Hutton.

Stafford Rangers (4-3-3): Whitehouse, Morris, Bailey, Townsend, Griffiths, Batchelor, Geddes (I Reid 70), Taylor, Gordon, Perry (L Reid 87), Hodge. Unused subs: Tolley, Bowen, Lee.

Referee: R Dadley

Attendance: 910

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