The Pitmen, not for the first time this season, had to come back from conceding an early goal in order to rescue something from the game, a fact that will be of some concern to manager, Liam McDonald.
The home side started the better and after the Hednesford Town defence failed to deal effectively with a free kick into the area from the left, Matt Bell was able to strike the ball sweetly past Dan Crane to give them the lead after only five minutes.
Sean Cooke almost doubled the lead for Nantwich in the 18th minute when his cleverly executed lob looked to have beaten Dan Crane but bounced just wide of the upright.
Hednesford looked to be struggling to find their normal rhythm and although having a similar share of the possession were not making many clear cut chances.
It was not until the 26th minute that the first real chance came the way of the visitors when an Ashley Sammons free kick was headed over by Danny Glover. Sammons came close a few minutes later when a fierce goal bound effort cannoned off Gurjit Singh and went out for a goal kick.
The Pitmen came out with more purpose as the second half got underway and, after some good possession, Tom Thorley’s ball into the box was controlled beautifully by Gurjit Singh and then rifled into the roof of the net past former Pitmen goalkeeper Dave Parton.
However, the Dabbers continued to threaten and a free kick from Theo Stair came close and, in the 52nd minute, a free kick from the excellent Sean Cooke was headed over the bar by Ryan Brook.
The game continued to be a scrappy affair, with neither side in the ascendancy, however, the introduction of Sean Geddes from the bench in the 71st minute, seemed to give the visitors a few more options going forward.
Dan Crane was forced into action in the 78th minute to deny Wayne Riley with a great reflex save but it would be the Pitmen who would then have the best two chances to win the game in the final ten minutes of action.
In the 84th minute Gurjit Singh almost duplicated his earlier equalising goal but blazed his shot over the bar from six yards out and then, in the final minute, Simeon Maye broke away down the right catching the home defence outnumbered but his ball into the box was cut out by a Nantwich defender when a shot at goal may have been the better option.
In the end a draw and a share of the points was probably the fair outcome from a keenly contested game at Nantwich Town FC’s Weaver Stadium.
Nantwich Town: Parton, White, Touray, Harrison, Jones, Bell, Stair (Riley 71), Hall ©, Brooke (Walker 67), Cooke, Gordon (Hancock 58).
Subs ( not used) Bourne, Abadaki.
Hednesford Town: Crane, Wright, Bramall, Thorley ©, Mutton (Williams 58), Flanagan, Singh, Maye, Glover (Geddes 71), Sammons (Dunkley 80), Carline.
Subs (not used) Wagstaff, Logan.
Attendance: 249
Star Man: Gurjit Singh
Entertainment Rating: Three Stars
