Hednesford Town played out a nervous scoreless draw as they struggled to break down a resolute and determined North Ferriby defence to go four points clear of rivals FC United in the nail-biting race for the final play off position.

The Red Rebels meet bottom-placed Burscough on Wednesday and second-placed Northwich Victoria to end their season and The Pitmen’s final home game against Worksop Town on Saturday simply must be won to guarantee a fifth-placed finish.

Rob Smith’s men will look back on this game as an opportunity missed as Mark Beesley spurned two golden opportunity’s one-on-one with Adam Nicklin in the first half.

The first came on five minutes when the striker sprung the offside trap but, just as he pulled the trigger, the ball took a bobble and Beesley shinned his attempt embarassingly wide before, on thirty-three minutes, he curled an attempt just wide of the far post.

Elliott Durrell twice showed flashes of brilliance with two rasping drives which flew wide and over the bar while North Ferriby threatened intermittedly with Wayne Brooksby seeing a shot bravely blocked in a desperate scramble just before half-time and rattling the cross bar just after the interval.

As nerves around Keys Park frayed, The Pitmen failed to conjur a grandstand finish but now know that a win on Saturday will be enough.

Hednesford Town
Crane, Haynes (Jevons 83), Shaw, Dunkley, Johnson, Denny (c), Osborne, Clements, Wellecomme, Beesley (Landell 65), Durrell

Subs Not Used
Blakeman, Campion, Ordish

North Ferriby United
Nicklin, Lisle, Peat, Clarke, Anderson, Foot (c), Brooksby, Fry, Morris, Bradshaw, Bolder

Subs
Taylor, Belcher, Hunter, Denton

Booked
Shaw, Dunkley, Osborne, Wellecomme

Attendance – 412
Entertainment Rating – 3 Stars
Star Man – Elliott Durrell