‘Heartbroken’ Smith Calls On Young Squad To Show Repeat Performance As Chorley Up Next …

Hednesford Town boss Rob Smith has encouraged his squad to replicate the performance shown during Tuesday’s gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat against second-placed Barrow, as fellow play-off contenders Chorley visit Keys Park tomorrow afternoon.

The Pitmen, despite having to complete a 350 mile round trip, came within four minutes of shocking Barrow and inflicting what would have been only their second home defeat of the season, but two goals in those final four minutes meant that Hednesford came away with nothing.

Smith admits his side switched off and were punished but, with The Pitmen still only a point behind Saturday’s fifth-placed opponents, the season is by no means over just yet in the eyes of a manager who has led Hednesford to four successive play-off campaigns.

‘Tuesday showed we can compete with anyone in this league with our strongest side out. The eleven that finished the game were very young indeed and hopefully will learn from the experience but let’s be honest, their bench was probably equivalent to the budget of our eleven, so we can more than hold our heads up high.

‘It was heartbreaking. We had not looked in any danger but then switched off a couple of times and paid the price. We deserved at least a point but we know that if we repeat that performance on Saturday, albeit against an excellent Chorley side, we can cause another shock.’

Teenage debutant George McGee was almost the hero on Tuesday and his cameo from the bench will have done his starting chances no harm whatsoever with another new loan signing in attack, Nick Rushton from Wrexham, in the squad once his registration is processed.

Both Chris Westwood and Paul McCone are doubtful after picking up injuries, which could lead to the Pitmen being short in defence, but a performance for 95 minutes as opposed to 87 minutes similar to that on Tuesday will give the home team a great chance of three points.