Firstly the Staffordshire Senior Cup Quarter Final draw has seen the Pitmen handed a home tie against either Walsall Wood or Wolverhampton Sporting Community – with the winners of that tie being decided in the new year.

This game is due to take place at Keys Park the week commencing 6th February 2017.

We have also been informed that our Evo-Stik Northern Premier League away fixture at Ilkeston FC will take place on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

You will remember that the game was abandoned with five minutes to go in September due to floodlight failure while the re-arranged game was also moved due to our involvement in the Staffordshire Senior Cup.

The draw for the Birmingham Senior Cup Quarter Final will be made on Thursday, 15th December.

The Pitmen will host Uttoxeter Town of the Midland Football League on a date to be confirmed, week commencing Monday 05 December 2016.

The full draw is as follows:

09 Newcastle Town v Winner of Tie 5 (Port Vale/Bilston Town Community)
10 Leek Town v Chasetown
11 Hanley Town v Winner of Tie 2 (Stoke City/Sporting Khalsa
12 Stafford Rangers v Kidsgrove Athletic
13 Wolverhampton Casuals v Heath Hayes
14 Hednesford Town v Uttoxeter Town
15 Rushall Olympic v Rocester
16 Walsall Wood v Wolverhampton Sporting

It was the home side who had the first chance of the game as Chris Boast was snuffed out by Pitmen defender Ben Bailey just as he prepared to shoot in the fifth minute.

Hednesford goalkeeper Lloyd Ransome then denied striker Anthony Malbon before Town’s Danny Glover saw his shot saved on the line after being set up by Paul Ennis in the 26th minute.

Six minutes later Hednesford’s Sean Williams saw his shot shave the post on the way behind before the Pitmen finally made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute.

A corner was cleared as far as Glover and his shot was saved, but the rebound looped up to Tom Peers who headed home.

Hednesford started the second half on the front foot with Mo Cham seeing a header saved before Peers was denied in a similar vein on the hour mark.

These would prove to be crucial as the home side equalised in the 71st minute when former Town man Nick Wellecomme turned and fired home from 12 yards.

Kidsgrove almost won it twice in normal time when first with ten minutes remaining Wellecomme saw his shot saved before in the last minute of stoppage time Lewis Bergin fired inches wide from the edge of the box.

That would be the last chance before extra time began which the Pitmen dominated in the first half but really failed to test the home goalkeeper.

It was Kidsgrove who would find the breakthrough in the 108^th minute when Malbon slotted home into the corner of the net after holding off his defender and firing past Ransome.

Six minutes later though the visitors levelled the scores when Ennis found the corner of the net from 12 yards to send the game to penalties.

The shootout saw both sides score their first spot kick but also see their second attempts being saved, with Kyle Patterson missing for the Pitmen. The next three players from both sides found the back of the net only for Hednesford’s Phil Trainer to see his kick saved leaving it down to Ashley Hodgkinson to win it for his side.

Kidsgrove Athletic: Pickering, Smith, Bergin, Hodgkinson, Taylor, Sherratt, Woolley, Davidson, Boast (Wellecomme 62 (Donnelly 120)), Malbon, Morris

Subs not used: Simms, Bailey, Maddison

Hednesford Town: Ransome, Thomas, Truelove, Bailey, Fitzwater (Digie 91), Trainer, Glover, Williams, Peers (Patterson 68), Cham, Ennis

Subs not used: Crane, Thorley

Attendance: 172

Star Man: Tom Peers

Entertainment Rating: Three Stars

The semi-final clash with Kidsgrove is subject to a 4pm pitch inspection though with heavy rain having fallen overnight and throughout the early part of today.
NOTE: Pitch inspection now brought forward to 2.30pm

This will be just our second ever competitive fixture against our North Staffordshire rivals, with the first clash having taken place some seven years ago. On that January evening in 2009 a 3-1 triumph for Dean Edwards’ side saw us move into the fourth round of the Northern Premier League Cup.

Our hosts this evening have had a mixed season to date and currently sit in 17th position in the Evo-Stik First Division South league.

They do have two former Hednesford players among their ranks, with midfielder Ross Davidson and striker Nick Wellecomme both now appearing for Kidsgrove.

Ahead of the game manager Frank Sinclair said:

“We won’t be taking the challenge that Kidsgrove pose lightly. They will be seeing it as a chance to knock out a side that are higher up the pyramid.

“For us though we are going into the game looking to get that win which will see us playing a cup final on a league ground at the end of the season.”

Andy Todd is set to be the only absentee as he continues his recovery from injury. The game kicks off at the usual time of 7.45pm.

Ground Address:
The Novus Stadium
Holinwood Road
Kidsgrove
Stoke on Trent
ST7 1BQ

Admission Prices:
£7 Adult
£4 Concessions Free U16s

You will remember that the game should have been played the week before Christmas, only to fall victim to a waterlogged pitch at Marston Road.

Our hosts tonight are currently on course for promotion from the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One South, sitting some 18 points clear of their nearest rivals after an excellent season to date.

After suffering two postponements in our last two league matches we are hoping that tonight’s game goes ahead as planned, despite the freezing conditions of late.

Manager Frank Sinclair has been rocked by the loss of striker Tom Peers though who has been recalled by his parent club Chester FC, less than a week into his second month at Keys Park.

Otherwise only Andy Todd misses out on the fixture with the midfielder recovering from a broken arm.

The Pitmen will play in their away kit for this fixture.

The Pitmen started on the front foot and after Ahmed Obeng was denied in the fourth minute they took the lead ten minutes later. Paul Ennis was able to nick the ball off a Chasetown defender, although the away side called for a foul, and he fed Andy Todd who fired home from the edge of the box.

Jonathan Gould almost grabbed an immediate response for the visitors, only to see his shot whistle over the bar before Tyrone Williams headed an effort wide when under pressure from the visiting defence.

Chasetown didn’t let their heads drop though and almost grabbed an equaliser in the 36th minute, only for Crane to deny Francino Francis not once, but twice, on the line as the defender looked for a goal against his old club.

This would prove crucial as Town doubled their lead two minutes before the break when Danico Johnson muscled his man off the ball and slotted home past John Bateman.

Into the second period and as the gale of Storm Barney continued to blow around Keys Park, both sides tried to play football – forcing a number of corners at either end of the pitch.

Just after the hour mark came a real turning point as Crane was forced into two saves in quick succession, first from Stan Mugisha and secondly from Gould – with the home side knowing that a goal at that point would have let the visitors back into the tie.
Crane was called into action soon again as former Pitmen forward Paul Sullivan was denied with fifteen minutes to go.

Twelve minutes from time Hednesford secured the victory when Ahmed Obeng got down the right and he picked out Todd who fired home from inside the six-yard box.

Hednesford Town: Crane, T Williams, James (Disney 65), Bailey, Regan, Trainer (Digie 59), S Williams, Ennis (Perry 75), Johnson, Obeng, Todd

Subs not used: Robinson, Ransome

Chasetown: Bateman, Williams (Turton 75), Edwards, Thompson, Francis, Brown, Mugisha (Robinson 66), Washbourne, Wynter, Dance (Sullivan 54), Gould

Subs not used: Kiembi, Slater

Attendance: 282

Star Man: Andy Todd

Entertainment Rating: Four Stars

Bernard McNally’s side will be looking to build upon Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Solihull Moors as they look to make cup progression against the Scholars.

The manager is set to have all but one player available for selection with Tom Thorley missing the next five-six weeks of action following an operation on his right knee. Phil Trainer will be available again though after serving a one match suspension.

After going out of the Birmingham Senior Cup in the first round to lower league opposition Hednesford will want to avoid an unwanted double this season with a trip to Stafford Rangers waiting for the victors.

We are also grateful to Ansons Solicitors who are this evening’s Match Sponsors and we look forward to hosting them and their guests in the Chase Suite. Strikers Bar will be open to both sets of supporters.

Admission Prices:
Adults £7

Concessions £5

Under 16s £1

This will give supporters access to Main Stand and Terracing inside Keys Park.

Hednesford Town crashed out of the Staffordshire Senior Cup to Midland League Premier Division Walsall Wood as the game at Oak Park was played out in quite possibly the worst conditions in which this reporter has ever watched a non-league game, as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo brought driving rain, relentless wind and a disappointing result to the hardy Pitmen souls who braved the weather.

The Walsall Wood supporters however, wildly celebrated their team’s victory as two second half goals from Leon Taylor and Drew Aiton made The Pitmen pay for some wasteful finishing throughout the match.

Steve Diggin, while still possessing a touch of class with his back to goal, failed to bring his proverbial shooting boots as he saw a glorious chance saved on 29 minutes when a Walsall Wood defender lost his footing in the difficult conditions, shortly after Jamey Osborne had capitalised on a similar mistake only to find Dale Faultless equal to his shot.

Lee Stretton headed wide when well-placed for the home side, but as the torrential rain soaked the watching spectators, some of which retreated to the relative warmth of the bar, and after Darren Campion’s corner was hacked off the line by the home side, Ben Bailey hesitated as the ball held up in the wind and Taylor slotted home to open the scoring.

Hednesford continued to create the better chances but to Walsall Wood’s credit they showed honourable heart and desire to defend stoutly and, as the Pitmen’s attempts got more desperate, the game was settled when Aiton powered the ball past Ryan Price on 85 minutes.

A late scrambled goal by Tom Peers forced a desperate push for an equaliser but the home team held on for a famous victory.

Rob Smith will no doubt be keen to take positives from a disappointing night and the return of Glenn Walker on the right wing was certainly one of few.

The winger, signed from Brackley in the summer, broke his foot against Gloucester City in August and hasn’t been available for selection since, but after playing just under an hour and showing some quality touches on the ball before being replaced, Smith’s darkened mood after tonight’s defeat may be lightened somewhat by the return of an important attacking option for his team.

Hednesford Town
Price, Ashmore, Campion ( c) , Bailey, Crowther, Love, Osborne, Melbourne (Peers 58 (90)), Glover (Robinson 76), Diggin, Walker (Thorley 61)
Subs Not Used: Crane

Walsall Wood
Faultless, Deakin, Haynes, Sauntson, Stretton, Joxon, Evans, Davies, Taylor (54), Harris ( c), Currithers,
Subs: Black, Evans, Aiton (85), Butlin, Fuller,

Bookings – Joxon, Crowther,

Star Man – Harry Harris

Entertainment Rating – 2 Stars

The Pitmen, having restored Nathan Woolfe, Aaron Rey and Dave Macpherson to the starting line up, started positively and saw Wayne Riley finish confidently past Joe Mellor on 5 minutes, only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.

Newcastle opened the scoring eight minutes later when Jordan Cole showed superb desire in crashing through two tackles and then calmly rounding Dan Crane to finish into an open net.

It was 2-0 to the hosts on 24 minutes when a cross was allowed to come in from the left and Thomas Urwin was left unmarked to finish with a brilliant diving header.

Riley continued to look lively for the away side and should have halved the deficit with a stunning volley from distance which crashed against the inside of the post and bounced clear.

The second half saw top-scorer Elliott Durrell introduced alongside Michael Lennon and the change almost had an immediate effect as Paul McCone headed a perfectly judged Durrell cross into the net on 48 minutes, only for the referee to disallow it for a push.

Newcastle were determined as The Pitmen camped in the hosts’ half, unable to break down a solid defence and could have scored themselves on the counter when Cole broke clear but saw his chip brilliantly blocked by Crane.

Kris Taylor hit the bar with a looping cross, Durrell struck a post from a curling corner and, after a great one-two with Macpherson, Riley was denied by Mellor as Newcastle held on and left The Pitmen free to concentrate on the small matter of a promotion tilt at the Conference and FA Trophy and Birmingham Senior Cup glory.

Newcastle Town
Mellor, Askey, Bridge, Ashman, Carter (c), Miller, France, Skelton, Cole (13), Sanders, Urwin (24)

Subs Not Used
Lowe, Hardiman, Ryder

Hednesford Town
Crane, Melbourne, Taylor, Bailey, McCone, Macpherson, Thompson-Brown (Durrell 46), Thorley (c), Rey (Lennon 46), Riley, Woolfe (Osborne 66)

Subs Not Used
Harvey, Campion

Entertainment Rating – 3 Stars
Star Man – Wayne Riley

Match Action