Nantwich Town were the Boxing Day visitors to Keys Park, with the Pitmen knowing a win against the 16th placed Dabbers could lift them off the bottom of the league table.

An action packed thriller played out at Keys Park, Jai Verma almost scored for the Pitmen in the 2nd minute forcing a fine save from Scott Moloney in goal for the Dabbers. The Pitmen controlled the early part of the game, but the good work was undone in the 13th minute when Nantwich broke and Byron Harrison drilled a low shot past Kieran Boucher to give the visitors the lead. The equaliser came within ten minutes when Dan Gyasi went on a run down the left hand side and cut into the box, placing his shot inside the far post. It was the visitors who scored next with a freekick routine, the ball came back off the crossbar and landed invitingly for Jake Kirby to send a low shot into the net. Gyasi provided a cross for Will Mellors-Blair who headed narrowly wide as the Pitmen searched for an equaliser before the half time break.

The Pitmen came out early for the second half and fought valiantly for a goal to level the scores, a series of corners were defended by the Dabbers and despite the home side’s dominance the goal did not arrive. Gyasi caught the ball on the half volley forcing a superb save from Harrison. The game drifted on to the final ten minutes with the Dabbers still in the lead. Verma scored the equaliser in the 84th minute, following a superb run down the left hand side, before cutting in and sending an unstoppable shot past Harrison. There would be late drama as the Pitmen were awarded a corner, Nantwich skipper Troy Bourne pulled down Josh Endall and received his marching orders following an earlier booking. Hednesford captain Tom Thorley stepped up to take the penalty and calmly slotted the ball to the right of Moloney. The Pitmen held on for six minutes of added time to claim all three points and move off the bottom of the table.