The Pitmen made the long trek to Suffolk for their first game of 2022 following last week’s late postponement at Tamworth. Ninth placed Hednesford Town gave an immediate start to new signing Kyle Bennett, The Marketmen, with games in hand, were looking to improve on 16th placed following Tuesday’s home draw with Peterborough Sports.
The Marketmen took the lead in the 14th minute when Harvey Sayer curled an audacious freekick past Bradley Clarkson. Riley O’Sullivan produced a reply for the PItmen within two minutes squeezing an equaliser into the home net. The early goal action continued when Needham’s Callum Page picked out Kyle Hammond with a free-kick from the left who tapped the ball home from close range after 22 minutes.
A smart move from the Pitmen fed midfielder Todd Parker who found space in the right side of the Needham box, before producing a powerful finish into the far corner of the net. A late attack from the home side started by Page, saw Ben Fowkes lay a ball off to Luke Ingram, whose shot was blocked by a Pitmen defender leaving the game all square at half time.
Just after the hour mark had passed, Marketmen keeper Marcus Garnham parried Reece Flanagan‘s corner back to him, Flanagan did not think twice before hammering the ball into the far bottom corner of the net giving the Pitmen the lead for the first time in a tightly contested game. The lead lasted a mere seven minutes before Hammond again dangerously combined with Page, with the latter’s shot finding the net via a huge deflection off a defender and the inside of the post.
There would be no late winner scored in the final twenty minutes as both sides edged out a thrilling six-goal encounter to share the spoils in Suffolk. A fitting final game for Hednesford Town’s long serving physio Eve Littler, who is moving to Basford United, with the best wishes from everyone at Keys Park.
After the game Keenen Meakin-Richards commented; “We looked so exciting going forward and created so many chances, we had looked at that after the Rushall game where we did not create enough. The link up play was very good, but we have to be better at the back and tidy up when we need to. Needham are a good team, they have made progress in the FA Trophy and have won seven of their last ten games, so it was a good result today.”
Needham Market; Garnham, Dye, Sturgess, Hammond, K Morphew, D Morphew, Sayer, Collard, Ingram, Page, Fowkes. Subs; Maycock, Clark, Mpongo, Northwood, Cullum.
Hednesford Town; Clarkson, Atkinson, Lycett, Bailey, Ison, Flanagan, Cater, Parker, O’Sullivan, Bennett, Tilt. Subs; Landell, Riley, Master, Armitage, Webb
