Hednesford Town boss praises cool heads and fitness levels in dramatic promotion

Jubilant boss Kelvin Davis praised his players for keeping cool heads amid the play-off final heat in Hednesford Town’s dramatic late penalty shootout success.

The Pitmen bagged a 90th-minute equaliser against Warrington Rylands at a packed-out Keys Park before winning 5-4 on spot-kicks.

It capped a successful first three months at the helm at Keys Park for Davis as promotion from the Northern Premier to National League North was secured at the second time of asking having missed out on the title on the final day.

“We spoke before the game about play-offs being big games,” said former Wimbledon, Ipswich and Southampton goalkeeper Davis after securing the club a second consecutive promotion.

"It's about controlling your emotions and remembering what got us this far. There's a process, a team shape and plan in place and to try not to deviate too far away from that.

"When you get into a game you get fatigued, it's about being able to make decisions automatically.”

Defender George Williams was the late hero with the equaliser and skipper Joe Doyle-Charles netted the winning penalty after Rylands’ George Waring hit the crossbar.

The Cheshire visitors found the same woodwork seconds earlier in the dying stages of extra time.

"We lost our way a couple of times but we brought it back,” Davis added. “The work ethic has been absolutely top, the fitness levels and tempo in training has gone right up.

"I think it took us right into the last minutes to win the game. Everyone has been very welcoming to us and our ideas and now can enjoy this as a reward for hard work."