Hednesford Town 1 Stafford Rangers 3 - Report and pictures

Adding to the occasion was the presence of numerous players who have represented both clubs, most notably former Hednesford skipper Tom Thorley lining up for the visitors.

A scrappy opening 10 minutes preceded a good spell of pressure for the home side.

The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Mike Howard strike was the perfect finish to a delightful cross from Nathan Fox on the left.

The visitors equalised in the 36th minute when former Pitman Kyle Perry went down theatrically on the edge of the area.

His claims for a penalty were waved away by the referee, however Izak Reid's sweetly struck freekick found the bottom right corner of the net.

Six minutes later Perry now revelling in his role of pantomime villain, found the deck again, convincing the referee of a foul.

Louis Briscoe struck a thunderous low shot which beat Daniel Eccles in the home goal to give the visitor's a fortunate half time lead.

A series of a substitutions and fouls from both sides disrupted the flow early in the second half. Jack Sherratt went into the book for hauling down the advancing Jed Davies.

It would be Sherratt though who put the game beyond doubt with a third goal for the visitors, volleying home from close range a freekick from Reid.

Sherratt's evening would end unhappily when another late challenge meant that Stafford would play out the final ten minutes a player down.

Despite the numerical advantage the Pitmen were unable to find a foothold to get back into the game. Perry inevitably tested the referee's once too often receiving a late booking for persistent fouling.

Teams

Hednesford Town, Eccles, Mendez-Jones, King (Grimshaw 58), Hollis (Dodd 46),Galinski, Gatter, Davies, Cockerline, Howard (Archer 58), Fox Subs Craddock, Griffiths

Stafford Rangers, Whitehouse, Banks, Askey, Jones, Coulson, Sherratt, Briscoe (Briscoe 62) Thorley, Perry, Reid (Green 80), Cuff ( Bailey-Jones 56)Subs Reeves, Marshall