A first half performance up there with The Pitmen’s best of the season set up Hednesford Town for an important win against a Matlock Town side unbeaten in seven matches.

The home side came back at Rob Smith’s team in the second half but the damage had already been done with two superb goals by Ben Bailey and Francino Francis.

Darren Campion hit a rasping half volley against the crossbar on ten minutes before an Elliott Durrell corner hit low was converted by a brilliant diving header from Bailey on 13 minutes.

Another corner from Durrell on 40 minutes was only half cleared by Matlock and Francis scored with an overhead kick from six yards to double his team’s advantage.

A rampant Pitmen performance was rightly cheered off at half time by the vociferous away support but Matlock halved the arrears on 54 minutes when Massiah MacDonald’s shot was deflected past Dan Crane.

Any chance of a comeback from the home side was emphatically snuffed out five minutes later when Aaron Rey scissor kicked a loose ball into the roof of the net to register the goal of the game.

Crane saved well from a McDonald header with 22 minutes to go and Matlock scored a late consolation when Joe Leesley found the bottom corner but The Pitmen saw out the victory to reduce the gap to North Ferriby at the top of the table to six points ahead of their FA Trophy clash with Solihull Moors on Saturday.

Matlock Town
Kennedy, Harcourt, Roe, Foster, Yates, Lukic (c), Leesley (90), Ashmore, McDonald (54), McMahon, Davies,

Subs
Gaughan, Griffiths-Junior, Grayson, Wilkin, Buxton,

Hednesford Town
Crane, Disney, Campion (c), Bailey (13), Barnes, Francis (40), Osborne, Durrell (Bottomer 79), O’Connor (Harvey 79), Rey (59) (Lennon 66), Melbourne,

Subs Not Used
MacPherson, Morris,

Attendance – 253
Entertainment Rating – 4 Stars
Star Man – Ben Bailey

Match Action

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