Stafford Rangers earn derby bragging rights
Stafford Rangers took the bragging rights in the first league El Staffico for four years.
A total of 1,826 fans piled into Marston Road on Boxing Day, leading to a 10-minute delay.
Both clubs created a number of half-chances in a lively opening and it was Stafford who took the lead on 22 minutes after a failed clearance.
The ball was played into Kyle Perry on the left-hand side of the box and he struck the ball across goal and neatly into the right-hand corner.
Hednesford had slowly been working their way into the game as the half progressed and they were rewarded on 36 minutes when Tom Thorley picked up a loose ball in midfield and played it out to Danny Glover on the right wing, who cut inside before finding the back of the net with a crisp shot from the edge of the area.
A scrambled effort from Josh Gordon five minutes after the restart was disallowed for Stafford.
But it was only a matter of time before Boro regained the lead, a sustained period of pressure resulting in Jack Sherratt's free-kick being headed in at the near post by Kieran Morris on 62 minutes.
Stafford continued to have the upper hand but their inability to add to their tally led to a few minutes of panic towards the end as Hednesford struck the post in the last minute through Courtney Wildin.
Stafford: Whitehouse, Griffiths, Bowen, Morris, Bailey, Tolley, I Reid (Sanders 89), Sherratt, Perry, Gordon (Dwyer 90+3), Batchelor. Subs not used: Taylor, L.Reid, Gunnell.
Hednesford: Crane, Haynes, Wildin, McNaught, Brenan, Caines, Thornley, Sammons (McDermott 73), Clarke (Weir-Daley 67), Sheldon, Mukendi (Glover 21). Subs not used: Matthews, Rowley.
