Today it was confirmed that we have been drawn to face Peterborough Sports FC in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy.

This tie will be played on Saturday 30th October with a 3pm Kick Off and gates opening at 1pm.

Full ticket details will be advertised soon on our website via the ticket and events page https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/events, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.

A surefire big draw, as one of the teams who currently (at the time of writing) are sitting top of our division, as they travel to Keys Park for the first time in around a year and a half, where the last encounter finished in a 3-3 draw, in what was an end to end game.

Definitely a game not to be missed!

Get yourselves down and make some noise……be the twelfth man and show your support.

#OneClubOneBadge

The Citizens are midtable in the Southern League Division One and through to the first round proper of the Trophy after beating Isthmian League Premier outfit Horsham on penalties. Their last game, a 3-2 loss to Bedworth United, ended a run of seven games without defeat.

Pitmen manager Keenen Meakin-Richards took a few minutes out from preparing for the tie to talk about Saturday’s win against Romulus FC and his thoughts on the Welwyn Garden City game;

“It was a good second half seeing some of the youngsters come through and play and good to see the ethos running from the youngsters to the first team. Saturday was about getting back to the identity and getting some minutes. Fair play to Welwyn Garden City, they have done well to get this far. They are a big team who score a lot from set plays and quick on the counter. We will not play to the occasion but will relax and play to our identity. When we play physical teams we need to make sure we dominate the ball and pass it well on the floor, then the game becomes about intelligence and technique. It’s a tricky tie on a Tuesday night but I am confident that if we do not get caught up in the occasion, do things properly and control the tempo we will come away with the win.”

Utilita Stadium

Kick Off 7.45pm

The draw for the Third Qualifying Round was made at lunchtime today (Monday) and will see the victors of the game at Marston Road tomorrow evening facing the prospect of a trip to National League North side Chorley.

The date for the next round of FA Trophy matches is set for Saturday 26th November 2016.

Hednesford Town relinquished their involvement in the FA Trophy for the 2015/16 season at the first hurdle as Southern Premier League high-flyers Leamington scored three second half goals to put a hitherto evenly contested tie to bed in the swirling Warwickshire rain.

This third round qualifying tie had all the tell-tale signs of a possible upset as The Pitmen, struggling for a run of form under manager Bernie McNally in the National League North, visited Leamington, currently second in the Southern Premier League, one rung above their hosts.

In the opening period Hednesford looked set on putting talk of an upset firmly away as, with a strong wind on their backs, their midfield, specifically Paul Ennis and Sean Williams, did well to stifle any early threat from the home side and made the better of the first 20 minutes.

An Ennis free kick drifted into the penalty area and as the Leamington defence stood and watched, the ball cannoned back off the top of the upright before Ahmed Obeng’s follow up was superbly blocked by a sprawling defender.

Ennis had another shot bravely blocked just a minute before the first goal of the afternoon was scored by Andy Todd after 14 minutes, but all the work was done by captain Ben Bailey.

His long throw found its way back to him on the left wing and he executed a superb turn, lobbing the ball over the defender before hitting a powerful volley which took a deflection before being steered in past the desperate lunge of Tony Breeden by Todd.

Unfortunately, just six minutes later, Leamington levelled when the first of several aerial challenges were lost as The Pitmen struggled with the commitment of their opposing forwards, as Lee Moore headed the ball back into the six yard box over Dan Crane and Rob Ogleby finished from a yard out.

Ennis saw a free kick at the death of the first half fly just over the bar as both teams went in to the interval feeling a place in the next round was theirs for the taking.

Unfortunately for The Pitmen it was Leamington who showed that desire more in the second half as Richard Taundry volleyed home from the edge of the area on 58 minutes and after that point, despite substitute Kyle Perry spearheading what became a three man attack, Hednesford were never really back in the game.

The home team’s third goal came when Crane struggled to deal with a ball in the box and Ben Mackey lashed the ball in on 70 minutes. Bailey quickly reduced the arrears but as The Pitmen chased in vain for an equaliser, Mackey scored from the spot to end matters with 15 minutes to go.

Leamington: Breeden ©, Fry, Kelly, Magunda, Hood, Tank, Ogleby (21), Taundry (58), Mackey (70, 74) (Green 87), Edwards, Moore,

Subs Not Used: George, Chilton, Baldwin, Caviezel-Cox,

Hednesford Town: Crane, T Williams, James, Bailey © (71), Regan, Dyer (Trainer 50), Williams, Thomas (Perry 55), Obeng, Ennis, Todd (14)

Subs Not Used: Johnson, Disney, Digie,

Bookings – Williams

Star Man – Ben Mackey

Entertainment Rating – 4 Stars

Attendance – 308

The full FA Trophy third qualifying round to take place the weekend commencing Saturday 28 November is as follows:

1 FC United of Manchester v AFC Telford United
2 Solihull Moors v Boston United
3 Leamington or Rushall Olympic v Hednesford Town
4 Stourbridge v Spennymoor Town
5 Harrogate Town v Curzon Ashton
6 Marine or Kidsgrove Athletic v Burscough
7 Corby Town v Tamworth
8 Gainsborough Trinity v Ashton United
9 Brackley Town v Worcester City
10 Chorley v Skelmersdale United
11 Warrington Town v AFC Fylde
12 Buxton v Bradford (Park Avenue)
13 Matlock Town v Blyth Spartans
14 Nuneaton Town v Alfreton Town
15 Sutton Coldfield Town v Stalybridge Celtic
16 North Ferriby United v Ilkeston or Stocksbridge Park Steels
17 Stockport County v Nantwich Town
18 Hastings United or Merthyr Town v East Thurrock United
19 Hampton & Richmond Borough v Maidstone United
20 Ebbsfleet United v Molesey
21 Maidenhead United v Bideford
22 Cirencester Town v Gosport Borough
23 Hungerford Town v Thamesmead Town
24 Tilbury v Bishop’s Stortford
25 Weston Super Mare v Haringey Borough or Hitchin Town
26 Oxford City v Marlow
27 Chelmsford City v Gloucester City
28 Lowestoft Town v St Albans City
29 Metropolitan Police v Wealdstone
30 Hemel Hempstead Town v Weymouth
31 Dartford v Whitehawk
32 Concord Rangers v Sutton United
33 Frome Town v Chesham United
34 Bury Town or Herne Bay v Thurrock
35 Dulwich Hamlet v Margate
36 Grays Athletic v Corinthian Casuals
37 Bognor Regis Town v Bath City
38 Havant & Waterlooville v Basingstoke Town
39 Hayes & Yeading United v Eastbourne Borough
40 Dorchester Town or Kingstonian v Truro City

Winning clubs will receive £4,000 from the FA Prize Fund.

Hednesford Town’s hopes of an extended run in the FA Trophy were extinguished at the first time of asking, following a 3-2 loss at AFC Fylde on Saturday, writes Scott Smith.

Despite a double from striker Danny Glover, it wasn’t enough to earn the Pitmen anything as they travelled to the Fylde Coast for the second time this season.

Following a morale boosting victory in midweek, Hednesford started very much on the back foot as the home side attacked at pace and it came as no surprise when Fylde took the lead in the 11th minute.

After the first attempted cross was blocked, the second effort found the unmarked Josh Wilson who headed home past Dan Crane from inside the penalty area.

The Pitmen responded well to this though and they saw half a chance come and go in the 20th minute. Following an initial free kick being cleared, the ball was ‘pinged’ back in to Steve Diggin but the striker slipped just as he was in the process of shooting and the chance was gone.

Undeterred, Hednesford continued to press and equalised in the 23rd minute. Following a mazy run by Jamey Osborne, a free kick was awarded 25 yards out and Glover stepped up to curl home a beautiful effort into the top corner past goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe.

The game was now very much end-to-end and there was a frantic finish to the first period with both sides having chances to take the lead.

First Glover saw a low shot saved in the 41st minute, before Francino Francis headed wide from inside the box. From that resulting goal kick, Hinchliffe found the unmarked Danny Lloyd and the striker’s initial shot hit the post before Crane made a good follow-up save.

That wasn’t the end of the action as a minute before the break Jamie Allen broke clear, but he was denied by Crane with Wilson pulling the rebound wide as the sides went in level at the break.

Five minutes into the second period the home side were back ahead as they were awarded a penalty when Francis brought down Wilson inside the box. Richie Allen made no mistake from the spot, despite Crane getting his fingertips to the effort.

It looked to be game over in the 59th minute as a whipped cross from Richie Allen found Lloyd, who slid the ball home from 12 yards out, despite the Hednesford defence appealing for offside.

It almost got worse for Town in the 66th minute as Crane was forced into a smart low save at his near post to deny Lloyd from a well-taken free kick.

Hednesford were able to grab a lifeline in the 76th minute though as they themselves were awarded a penalty after Ben Bailey had been hauled down. Glover took up the responsibility and sent Hinchliffe the wrong way to give the travelling supporters hope of a comeback.

The expected onslaught never really arrived though, with a flicked header from Marvin Robinson in the final minute of stoppage time all that the visitors could muster.

Hednesford now prepare to travel to Leamington in the league next weekend as they look to get their season back on track.

AFC Fylde: Hinchcliffe, Hughes, Sumner, Langley, Hannigan, Barnes, Tomsett (Potts 32), J Allen, Lloyd, Wilson, R Allen (Rowe 80)

Subs not used: Dootson, Denson, Booth

Hednesford Town: Crane, Hurst, Campion, Bailey (Robinson 87), Francis, Thorley (Melbourne 63), Osborne, Walker, Glover, Diggin, Batchelor

Subs not used: Love, Sullivan

Attendance: 251
Star Man: Dan Crane
Entertainment Rating: Three Stars

When the draw was made it was clear that the Pitmen had been given one of the most difficult fixtures possible and their bad luck has continued with both Paul Sullivan and Chris Westwood being ruled out for up to a fortnight.

Westwood hobbled out of last Saturday’s defeat to Tamworth with a calf muscle injury which is expected to keep him out for weeks rather than days and Sullivan, a player who made a positive impact in the eventual defeat to the Lambs, aggravated a hamstring injury in midweek which will need further rest and recuperation.

Speaking ahead of the game, Hednesford assistant manager Larry Chambers also revealed Danny Glover will undergo a fitness test on a bruised rib, but the return of captain Darren Campion and Richard Batchelor from suspension sees the Pitmen’s squad, one which has laboured with injuries to key players all season, bolstered by the availability of the popular left back and influential midfielder for selection.

The Travel Club coach leaves Keys Park at 9.30am on Saturday morning while fans not making the trip can follow all the updates on the HTFCSA forum and via @hednesford_town on Twitter.

Although the hosts started well, with Dan Crane being forced into an early save in the Town goal, it was Hednesford who almost took the lead in the 11th minute. Gateshead goalkeeper Adam Bartlett cannoned the ball off Jamey Osborne, but the midfielder was unable to take control of the loose ball and the shot stopper claimed the rebound.

Just sixty seconds later the home side were ahead when the lively Colin Larkin picked out Josh Walker who swept the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Hednesford almost responded immediately though as Elliott Durrell saw his 30-yard effort rattle the crossbar, with Neil Harvey unable to stab home the rebound.

The game was very much end-to-end as the half wore on, with Gateshead exploiting any space that The Pitmen failed to fill. This was demonstrated when Larkin got away down the left and flashed an effort just wide in the 24th minute.

Hednesford continued to battle though, and they had a half chance after 35 minutes when good interplay between Kris Taylor and Durrell saw the latter break clear of the back line, but his shot was half-blocked by a Gateshead defender and was easily claimed by Bartlett.

Disaster would strike for the visitors right on the stroke of half-time though, as they conceded a second goal. A long ball down the middle wasn’t dealt with and James Marwood was able to capitalise by dinking the ball over the advancing Crane.

The second half saw Hednesford soaking up the pressure from the home side as they desperately tried to find a way back into the game. They were indebted to Crane for keeping the score to two in the 63rd minute as James Curtis’ point blank header was superbly tipped over the bar.

With eight minutes to go the visitors managed to reduce the arrears though when Durrell’s free kick into the box was spilt by Bartlett and Francino Francis was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

The Pitmen now had the home side rattled and they almost found an equaliser a minute later when substitute and new boy to the club Greg Pearson found space on the edge of the box and his curling effort was easily claimed by Bartlett.

Walker should really have had a second in the 86th minute when he raced clear only to drag his effort wide from the edge of the box before Hednesford then gifted the tie to the home side with a sloppy third. From the resulting goal-kick Jon Oster pounced on Tom Thorley’s square pass to find Joe Tait for a simple finish. Sixty seconds later it was 4-1 as Marcus Maddison tapped home from three yards out after Crane had made a brilliant save from Tait.

The Pitmen must now put this behind them as they prepare to take on Walsall in the Birmingham Senior Cup on Tuesday 3rd December at Keys Park, 7.45pm kick off.

Gateshead
Bartlett, Baxter, Sirrell, Chandler (Maddison 72), Curtis, Clark (Magnay 60), Larkin (Tait 60), Turnbull, Walker, Oster, Marwood

Subs not used:
Brown, Ramshaw

Hednesford Town
Crane, Disney, Campion, Bailey, Francis, Taylor (Melbourne 79), Osborne, Durrell, Harvey (Pearson 60), Riley (Lennon 70), Thorley

Subs not used
McCone, Woolfe

Attendance: 410
Man of the match: Tom Thorley

Match Action

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Photos by Colin Rogers