Playing just a couple of miles from the Sizewell B Pressurised Water Reactor, this wasn’t quite an atomic performance from Hednesford but they still had more power than Leiston and deservedly made the long journey back home with the three points.
The Pitmen made three changes from Saturday’s FA Trophy win over Sutton Coldfield with Ben O’Hanlon, James Hurst and Andre Brown replacing Izak Reid, Osebi Abadaki and the suspended Tom Elliott in the starting eleven. Leiston made six changes from their last game with manager Glenn Driver returning to the club after leaving Braintree Town.
It was a great start for the visitors as they took the lead after just seven minutes. Elliott Hodge played the ball back to James Hurst whose long-range effort was pushed out by Charlie Beckwith but only as far as Andre Brown who scored. Another chance arrived just after when Ben Bailey’s long throw was flicked on by Reece King but Danny Glover put his effort wide. Leiston responded with a series of attacks down the Hednesford right, their best chance coming on 35 minutes when a cross was headed straight at Andy Wycherley. Earlier, Ben O’Hanlon had been yellow carded for a pull and he was followed into the book by Leiston’s Byron Lawrence. In the 40th minute the Blues replaced Kyle Hammond with Sebastia Pons Llado.
HT 0-1
During the interval the visitors replaced Ben O’Hanlon with Izak Reid but the second half started as the first with Andre Brown grabbing his and Hednesford’s second just four minutes after the restart, turning his marker and firing home. Kristian Scott then came on for James Hurst and Leiston took off Joshua Hitter and Louie Bloom with Rhys Henry and Harrison Bacon replacing them before Keiron Morris was booked. In the 68th minute Hednesford extended their lead. Andre Brown’s cross was headed back by Danny Glover for Kristian Scott to head home from close range. Andre Brown could have completed his hat trick soon after, cutting in from the right but he slipped as he went to shoot, with the ball going over the bar. This was to prove to be his last contribution to the game as he was replaced by Tom Fry on 80 minutes to great applause from the visiting fans. Play moved from end to end with Jack Hallahan shooting just wide before Leiston had a spectacular effort clear the bar although the linesman had flagged for offside. Tom Fry did have the ball in the home side’s net but he too was ruled offside.
Hednesford Town: Wycherley, Curley, O’Hanlon (Reid), Bailey (Capt), Morris, Hurst (Scott), Hallahan, King, Glover, Hodge, Brown (Fry).
Substitutes: (not used): Chambers, Gatter.
Attendance: 168
