Nantwich Town 1 Hednesford Town 5 - Report

The game get off to a slow start but the Pitmen’s Sam Oji had to react quickly to deny Steve Jones in the 17th minute as the striker fired in an effort inside the penalty area.

Two minutes later a long ball down the middle found Hednesford’s James Fitzgibbon but his effort from the edge of the box was saved.

In the 25th minute the Pitmen’s Mason Walsh turned his marker inside out before flashing an effort inches wide of the post while four minutes later Joey Butlin lifted an effort over the cross bar for the visitors.

Hednesford continued to press and Joe Fitzpatrick saw an effort saved before the hosts picked up on a wayward ball and only a superb last ditch stop from Pitmen goalkeeper James Wren denied Sean Cooke in the 37th minute.

Four minutes later the hosts were awarded a penalty when Charlie Gatter was adjudged to have fouled Jones and Harry Clayton stepped up to powerfully fire his side into the lead.

Wren was forced into action again in first half stoppage time as he ensured Hednesford went in only one behind.

Five minutes into the second half Hednesford were unfortunate not to be level when Walsh saw his effort cleared off the line.

The Pitmen would equalise in the 55th minute though when Butlin was fouled inside the penalty area and James Lawrie sent Krystian Burzynski the wrong way from the spot.

Three minutes later and Hednesford were in front as Lawrie played a free kick into the Nantwich box and defender Callam Mendez-Jones powerful fried home from six yards.

Nantwich were reduced to ten men in the 61st minute when Joel Stair was given his marching orders for questioning the officials one too many times.

The Pitmen were now well on top and a third goal arrived in the 74th minute as Walsh found Lawrie who fired a wonderful effort into the top corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Six minutes later Hednesford added a fourth as captain Tom Thorley closed down goalkeeper Burzynski and stole the ball off him before rolling it home from 18 yards.

A rampant performance from Rob Smith’s men was completed in the 86th minute when Walsh played a crossfield ball to Jordan Graham and his layback found Danny Glover who swept the ball into the corner of the goal.

Teams

Nantwich Town: Burzynski, Morgan, Wildin, Stair, Bourne, Hall (Cotterell 70), Hughes, Bell, Clayton, Cooke, Cole (Jones 7 (Mwasile 66))

Subs not used: Phillips, Forbes

Hednesford Town: Wren, Mendez-Jones, Curley, Fitzpatrick, Oji (Bailey 77), Gatter, Walsh, Thorley, Butlin (Glover 67), Lawrie, Fitzgibbon (Graham 81)

Subs not used: King, Mutton

Attendance: 404