Round-up: Chasetown break attendance record but Hednesford derby ends goalless

The Pitmen had a perfect chance to score inside the first minute of this Northern One West encounter with a free header that was put over the crossbar.

Chasetown then took over and Kieran Boucher was forced into a low save at his near post from George Cater. Skipper Danny O’Callaghan was then a whisker wide of the post with a shot from 20 yards.

Hednesford were close just shy of the half-hour when Tom Thorley fired a right-footer inches wide of the upright.

O’Callaghan rattled the crossbar from a Kris Taylor corner in an exciting end-to-end game.

Six minutes after the interval, Hednesford were reduced to 10 men when James McQuilkin was sent off for a straight red card offence. The Scholars went close again midway through the second half when former Pitmen boss Danny Glover’s cross zipped across the surface and Jordan Evans drilled the ball against Boucher’s right-hand post.

Boucher then denied substitute Jayden Campbell twice in quick succession as the 10 men hung on.

Substitute Jack Langston also saw an injury-time shot blocked by the Pitmen’s defence.

In the Southern Central Premier, stuttering Stourbridge wasted a string of chances as they were undone by a first-half penalty in their opening game of the new year at home to Redditch United.

At the end of a drab first 45, Reece Flanagan stepped up from the spot to slot home in what proved the decisive moment for high-flying Redditch, who made it six wins on the spin.

Neither keeper had been fully tested up to that point though – Ethan Freemantle went closest to scoring on 11 minutes when his fierce drive was blocked by a sliding Calum Flanagan as the ball looked destined to hit the back of the visitors’ net.

As the half went on, Jack Fletcher hit a bouncing ball wide of the post and Freemantle tried an audacious overhead kick, but the Glassboys never really threatened breaking the deadlock as they looked to claim a third straight home win. Then deep in injury time, Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton was brought down in the Stourbridge box by Joel Kettle – captain Reece Flanagan then made no mistake from the spot and arrowed the ball into the top corner to put the visitors ahead.

After the restart, Stourbridge started with real purpose and should have equalised on 50 minutes when Reece King rose highest in the box from a corner, but his bullet header was somehow kept out by Adam Harrison in the Redditch goal.

The Reds’ keeper was needed again shortly after to deny Jack Fletcher and then Harvey Portman, as Stourbridge continued to knock on the door, but to no avail.

And Boldmere St Michaels made it a double over Northern One Midlands rivals Sporting Khalsa with a narrow 2-1 victory at Guardian Warehousing Arena.

In the battle of ninth versus 11th, the hosts raced out of the blocks fastest – albeit with a lack of conviction in their finishing.

Johnny Johnston drew a superb save from the legs of Benjamin Whiting, denying a half-volley on the run inside Sporting’s area on 26 minutes, with an even better save to follow to keep out O’Shane Stewart’s bending drive.

It was a shot across the bows which Khalsa needed, forcing Ian Rowe’s men to up the ante in search of the opener.

But with Chay Tilt’s long-ranger deflecting off target and Curvin Sanderson-Ellis skewing wide of the mark, it ended goalless at the break.

Within five minutes of the start of the second half, Andre Brown’s drive across the far side of Benjamin Whiting’s goal was turned inadvertently into the net by the despairing Dominic Perkins for the breakthrough.

Sanderson-Ellis spurned another golden opportunity, this time with a free header from Tilt’s centre that was sent straight at the goalkeeper.

Then came the killer blow, as O’Shane Stewart’s third ambitious attempt of the afternoon finally bore fruit.

Finding himself 25 yards from goal, the midfielder looped the ball over the rooted Sporting keeper to stun the home crowd. With eight minutes remaining, Jordan Clarke would race through and slide home a response, with fellow substitute Liam Armstrong threatening to level immediately afterwards with a rasping volley that deflected over, but Khalsa were beaten.

Halesowen Town’s trip to Alvechurch was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, following a morning pitch inspection. Lye Town’s clash with Walsall Wood in Northern One Midlands had already been called off because Wood instead travel to Coalville Town in the third round of the FA Trophy tonight (7.45pm).

The match has already been called off three times, so was switched from Wood to Coalville as per Football Association rules.