Saturday October 14th sees Hednesford make the journey up to Hooton in Ellesmere Port to play Vauxhall Motors in their latest Northern Premier League West Division fixture.
Hednesford will go into the game on the back of two much improved performances against Uttoxeter in the Staffs Senior Cup and Runcorn Linnets in the league while Vauxhall have lost their last three games, 0-1 against Stocksbridge Park Steels in the FA Trophy followed by league defeats at Kidsgrove (1-2) and 1874 Northwich (0-2).
Vauxhall’s home form has seen them pick up just one win this season, 3-2 against City of Liverpool, a draw on the opening day against Witton Albion (2-2) and a 0-3 defeat at the hands of Prescot Cables. Connor Harwood and Michael Burkey are their leading scorers with three goals each.
Saturday’s game will now take on an even greater importance after midweek wins for City of Liverpool and Nantwich Town saw Vauxhall drop to 18th place and Hednesford into 19th in the league table.
The two clubs have met four times previously in the league and once in the FA Cup. Of these five games Hednesford have won twice, Vauxhall once with two draws. The Pitmen’s wins both came at Keys Park. They won 2-0 in September 2013 with two goals from Elliott Durrell while the 3-0 FA Cup win in 2005 saw Heath, Bell and Brindley on the scoresheet. The two draws were both at Rivacre Park, 0-0 and 2-2 when Wayne Riley and Francino Francis found the net for the visitors. The Motormen’s only win was 1-0 at Keys Park.
Rivacre Park is now known as the vanEupen Arena and is in Rivacre Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH66 1NJ. It has a capacity of 3,300 with 350 seats while the record attendance is 1,752 v Chester in 2012. Kick off will be at 3pm and admission is £8 adults, £5 concessions and £2 under 16s while the matchday programme is £2.50.
