Hednesford Town claimed the Mike Hughes Memorial Trophy with a 4-2 aggregate victory following this entertaining 2-2 draw with Stafford Rangers at Marston Road.
The Pitmen were boosted by the return to their ranks of midfielder Tom Thorley after his release from AFC Telford United and they started the game very much on the front foot with striker Nathan Modest heading wide at the back post in the fourth minute, after being picked out by the midfielder.
Five minutes later Town appealed for a penalty when Marvin Robinson went down in the box but nothing was given.
At the other end Ben Haseley almost got on the end of a through ball after 21 minutes only for Town’s Dave Parton to deny him by quickly racing off his line.
Four minutes later Hednesford took the lead when John Disney fired home from inside the box after being set up by Paul Ennis.
It should have been 2-0 ten minutes before the break, only for loanee Chris Spencer to fire over while Haseley headed wide with the goal at his mercy minutes later.
In the second period, Stafford came out with renewed vigour and eventually equalised in the 71st minute as Christian Dacres swept the ball home at the back post.
The scores were level for just three minutes before Town’s Adam Thomas was released and he fired home to make it 2-1.
Just as it looked as if Hednesford would make it a double over their rivals, Dacres headed the ball into the net from a tight angle to level the scores on the night with the last touch of the game.
Hednesford now head into their first league of the season on Saturday at home against Stalybridge Celtic.
Stafford Rangers: Whitehouse, Melbourne, Morris, Reid (Thomas 68), Daniel, Miles (Wood 46), Craddock (Wynter 76), McNaught (Dance 46), Wellecomme (Dacres 46), Haseley (Cope 59), Edmunds (Curtis 59)
Sub not used: Wren
Hednesford Town: Parton, Disney, Tilt, Bailey, Williams T, Thorley (Williams S 56), Ennis, Spencer (Digie 56), Robinson (Thomas 66), Modest (Heath 56), Todd (Sanders 66)
Sub not used: James
Attendance: 436
Ben Bailey collects the Mike Hughes memorial Trophy after the 4-2 aggregate win over Stafford Rangers.
