Two goals in the final six minutes saw the ten men of Hednesford Town fall to defeat against Hyde United.
It was the home side that started the better of the two teams with the Pitmen’s 41-year-old stand-in goalkeeper Jose Veiga denying Tom Pratt when the ball fell to the striker inside the penalty area in the third minute.
Hyde would go even closer in the 16th minute when Jerome Wright moved forward but his low 20-yard effort hit the inside the post before rebounding away to safety.
Hednesford showed some life at the other end soon afterwards with Reece King seeing a header easily saved before defender Rudy Misambo headed well wide at the far post.
However, the visitors were reduced to ten men in the 29th minute when King’s challenge was deemed too strong and he was given his marching orders. Manager Rob Smith was incensed by this decision and followed his midfielder into the stands soon afterwards, having also been shown the red card.
In the 41st minute the home side broke forward but Veiga made a good block from Wright before making a fantastic fingertip save to turn a Grant Roberts dipping effort over the crossbar.
HT: 0-0
After an even start to the second half the hosts broke forward in the 58th minute with the ball finding its way to Grant Roberts but his low effort was fired well wide of the upright.
As the minutes ticked on Hednesford started to probe the hosts backline more and won a number of set pieces, however they were unable to really test Peter Crook in the Hyde goal.
In the 68th minute Dan Sweeney controlled a ball forward and his low effort was saved by Crook.
The hosts were becoming increasingly frustrated as the game wore on with Veiga coming to claim two successive corners with relative ease as they looked for an opener.
Meanwhile at the other end Hednesford broke forward and Nathan Fox’s low fizzing effort could only find the side netting after 81 minutes.
Hednesford’s resistance was finally broken three minutes later when a deep ball in was left by the Pitmen defence thinking it had gone out of play, only for Kyle Brownhill to keep it alive and cross into Connor Simpson who was able to score from six yards out.
Just as the game was reaching the 90th minute the home side doubled their lead as they broke on the Pitmen and Chib Chilka was able to slot home under Veiga to confirm the three points.
Hyde United: Crook, Harrison (Platt 55), Brownhill, Daly, McCombe, Fagbola, Wright (Chilka 72), Roberts (Haydock 88), Simpson, Pratt, Porritt
Subs not used: O’Connor, Nyaupembe
Hednesford Town: Veiga, Curley, Fox, Mendez-Jones, Misambo, Griffiths, Gatter, Fitzpatrick (Howard 88), Cockerline (Davies 72), Sweeney, King
Subs not used: Craddock, Coyle, Lycett
Attendance: 462
