The Pitmen ease through to the next round of the Staffordshire FA Senior Cup after another five star performance.
Manager Rob Smith unsurprisingly made a raft of changes to the side that defeated Nantwich on Saturday with seven players coming in to the starting eleven. The opening 15 minutes of the game were fairly uneventful without any clear cut chances despite Hednesford enjoying the bulk of possession.
In the 19th minute Jordan Graham picked the ball up on the left hand side before rounding Clough in the Lichfield goal and passing the ball into the net.
Danny Glover doubled the lead just after the half hour mark when he headed home from close range an accurately guided cross from the right. Mason Walsh and Matt Curley both had chances to add to the score line before the Pitmen took a deserved two goal lead into the half time break.
HT:2-0
The second half began with Reece King forcing a neat save from Jon Clough.
Following a rare corner for Lichfield, the Pitmen were able to break at pace with Lawrie teeing up Louis Harris in the box who slammed the ball home to put the game out of the visitors’ reach in the 50th minute. A moment later it was James Lawrie again, as he fired a shot just wide of the upright. A number of good chances came and went for the Pitmen, including a chip from Fitzpatrick landing on the roof of the net.
In the 75th minute Clough could only parry a fierce shot from Danny Glover straight back to the Hednesford number 9 whose second effort was blocked; James Lawrie was at hand to chip the ball into the net from close range.
The Pitmen were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Lichfield area when Callam Mendez-Jones’ run was abruptly ended by a Lichfield defender. Again Clough could not get hold of Lawrie’s shot from the free kick and Jordan Graham was brought down as he went for the loose ball.
Danny Glover dispatched the resulting penalty to make it five for the Pitmen for the second game running and booking a place in the 3rd round against Newcastle Town.
Pitmen: Veiga, Mendez-Jones, Curley, Bailey (C), Mutton, King, Walsh (Fitzpatrick 40), Harris (Thorley 68), Glover, Lawrie (Butlin 84), Graham.
Subs not used: Oji, Wren
Lichfield City: Clough, Howard, Bache, Cornforth, Roberts, Allen, Speck, Thurstance (C), Green (Hanna 63), Lewis (McLoud 59), Sheppard (Tolley 67).
Subs not used: Saunders, Keating.
Attendance: 229
