A 9am pitch inspection was held with the decision being made shortly afterwards.

No new date for the fixture has yet been arranged.

Firstly the Staffordshire Senior Cup Quarter Final draw has seen the Pitmen handed a home tie against either Walsall Wood or Wolverhampton Sporting Community – with the winners of that tie being decided in the new year.

This game is due to take place at Keys Park the week commencing 6th February 2017.

We have also been informed that our Evo-Stik Northern Premier League away fixture at Ilkeston FC will take place on Tuesday 17th January 2017.

You will remember that the game was abandoned with five minutes to go in September due to floodlight failure while the re-arranged game was also moved due to our involvement in the Staffordshire Senior Cup.

The draw for the Birmingham Senior Cup Quarter Final will be made on Thursday, 15th December.

This shall be followed up with a trip to Stourbridge on Monday 15th August and Ashton United on Saturday 20th August to complete the first week of the new campaign.

August Bank Holiday weekend sees us playing host to Whitby Town on Saturday 27th before making the short trip to Halesowen Town two days later. The return game against The Yeltz will take place on Monday 2nd January 2017 at Keys Park.

League rivalries with Stafford Rangers shall be renewed when we travel to Marston Road on Monday 26th December. The return game at Keys Park doesn’t take place until Easter Monday, 17th April 2017.

The Pitmen end their season with a trip to Whitby Town on Saturday 22nd April.

The full set of fixtures will be up online shortly, alternatively check out the league website http://www.evostikleague.co.uk/match-info/fixtures/357132/2016-08

As the club looks to work hard off the field in order to try and regain a place back in the National League set-up at the first attempt, we are delighted to welcome Carl Cooper into the role as General Manager.

Over the course of the last two years, Carl has become a familiar face around Keys Park, while since May 2015 he has been the Safety Officer for the Pitmen – overseeing match days and numerous other tasks which that role comprises.

Carl began his new job at the start of this week and will be based in the Commercial Office at the club between the hours of 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday and he is now looking for the support of Hednesford fans and local businesses.

He said: “After being at the club for a couple of years I have seen the passion that the Hednesford Town fans show and how much support they want to give the club.

“I relish the challenge of improving local links with the club and making both match days and functions a more enjoyable experience.

“It’s exciting times at Keys Park with the announcement of the appointment of Liam McDonald as first team manager and more announcements due in the next couple of weeks, so supporters will see a new chapter starting for the Pitmen.”

Anyone wishing to get in touch with Carl can do so by either visiting the football club, by calling 01543 422870 or by emailing office@hednesfordtownfc.com

4,412 supporters jammed into the ground to see Hednesford follow North Ferriby United’s lead by gaining promotion to the second tier of non-league football.

Goals from Neil Harvey and Jamey Osborne in the first half were enough to see Town over the line despite Mike Norton reducing the arrears in the second period, as FC United were made to rue a third straight Play Off Final defeat.

The Pitmen made the perfect start to the game when they opened the scoring after just 88 seconds. Evo-Stik League Player of the Year Elliott Durrell was able to get to the byeline and his low cross wasn’t dealt with, leaving Harvey with the opportunity to slam the ball home.

In poor weather conditions both sides failed to really play how they would have wanted with the wind dictating where the ball was ending up on more than one occasion.

Despite this Hednesford were able to make it 2-0 on the half hour mark. Michael Lennon pounced on a loose ball in the corner and was able to pick out Harvey who in turn set up Osborne to slot the ball into the corner of the net.

Keys Park was now rocking, although right on the stroke of half-time things could have been quietened a little had Oliver Banks not blazed over when well positioned 12 yards out.

FC did manage to find a way back into the game after 56 minutes though. The visitors were able to win a corner and from the resulting flag kick Norton was given all the time in the world to plant a header into the middle of the goal.

Hednesford were now on the back foot and just three minutes later Matthew Wolfenden struck the crossbar for FC, whilst on the hour mark Banks drilled a free kick just wide of the Hednesford upright.

The game was now end to end and in the 75th minute FC felt they should have had a penalty for an infringement on Norton whilst sixty seconds later Durrell struck the post at the other end following a free kick into the penalty area.

The final few minutes saw few chances for the visitors and it was actually Hednesford who might have extended their lead as first Durrell was denied by Kyle Jacobs before Nathan Woolfe blazed over the bar.

As it was though it wouldn’t matter as Town saw out time to earn their place in the Conference North after a fantastic 2012/13 campaign which saw them lose out on the title only on goal difference.

Following the game Rob Smith was quick to praise his players for the way that they had bounced back from the disappointment of not winning the Northern Premier League last weekend:

“This set of players have been fantastic all year. They have answered everything I’ve asked of them and have done it again today. I asked the lads to go out there and just do it one more time for me and that is exactly what they have done.”

He added:

“I thought we caused them a lot of trouble at the back in the first half but perhaps didn’t exploit it as much as we should have. Then they score and you’re watching the clock, we just never do anything the easy way! Towards the end though I thought we got more into it and were reasonably comfortable.”

Smith meanwhile was looking forward to what lies ahead:

“I think this club deserves to be in Conference North, we are all set up for it. Visiting places like Stockport and AFC Telford is going to be fantastic for all who are involved at the club.”

Hednesford Town:
Crane, Disney, Campion, Bailey, Francis, Macpherson (Melbourne 64), Osborne, Durrell, Harvey (Woolfe 90+3), Lennon (Rey 66), Taylor

FC United Of Manchester:
Worsnop, Jacobs, Neville, Birch (Tierney 77), Scott, Masirika (Cotterill 42), Wolfenden, Banks, Norton, Wright, Mulholland (Greaves 42)

Att: 4,412

Match Action

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Photos courtesy of Hednesford Town FC Photos on Facebook
Volume 1 | Volume 2

The Hednesford supporters’ nerves will still be somewhat frayed after the most dramatic of victories over AFC Fylde on Tuesday night as Dan Crane showed outstanding strength of character to save two penalties in the shoot out, after allowing a long ball by keeper Ben Hinchliffe to sail into the net in stoppage time.

Pitmen Boss Rob Smith praised not only the attitude of Crane but of his entire team to prevail after a truly epic game that will live long in the memory of all who witnessed it.

‘Most teams I have managed in the past have shown some degree of character in coming back from losing positions but the list would be endless with this team with how many times they have been put down and got back up fighting. They are a unique set of players.’

Keys Park’s record attendance of 3216, set in a FA Cup clash with York City in 1997, is likely to be smashed on Saturday for what is undoubtedly the biggest league game The Pitmen have played since their heady days in the then Vauxhall Conference over a decade ago.

Smith agrees that the match will be a huge occasion for both of sets of players, no doubt added to by the fact Hednesford and FC United have felt play off heartache five times between them in the last three seasons, but the manager was keen to also point out that, in a one off game, history has no bearing.

‘It is quite possibly the biggest fixture a lot of the players will have played in but we do have experience in our squad and again history, form, league positions, previous encounters all go out of the window. It’s down to who performs on the day.’

Should The Pitmen prevail on Saturday and win entry to the Conference North at the third attempt, the ghosts of Bradford Park Avenue, Salisbury City and Chippenham Town will be firmly laid to rest.

If the final has even half as much drama, passion and excitement as the Fylde semi final, the thousands of Pitmen supporters packed into Keys Park will undoubtedly have seen the most committed and exciting Hednesford Town team for many a year secure a historic promotion.

Pitmen Form – WWWWWW(aet+pens)
Previous Result – Hednesford Town 3 AFC Fylde 3 (Hednesford won 3-1 on penalties) – Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division Play-Off Semi Final – Tueday 7th May 2013
League Position – 2nd

FC United of Manchester Form – WWWWWW
Previous Result – FC United of Manchester 3 Witton Albion 1 – Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division Play-Off Semi Final – Tuesday 7th May 2013
League Position – 3rd

KO – 3pm, Saturday 11 May 2013
Address of Ground – Keys Park, Keys Park Road, Hednesford, Staffs WS12 2DZ

Words hardly begin to describe the most incident packed of games as 1360 fans packed a raucous Keys Park and the majority wildly celebrated a Hednesford victory which saw Crane gain sweet redemption after Fylde goalkeeper Ben Hinchcliffe levelled the scores at 2-2 in stoppage time with a long ball from inside his own half.

Elliott Durrell, John Disney and Kris Taylor converted their penalties in the shoot out but Crane was the hero, saving two spot kicks from Adam Farrell and Adam Sumner to secure The Pitmen a route to the final against FC United of Manchester on Saturday afternoon.

Fylde took the lead on 24 minutes through Matthew Blinkhorn but a rousing second half performance by Hednesford turned the tables with Durrell and MacPherson both scoring to seemingly win the match for The Pitmen.

There were dramatic scenes as Hinchcliffe equalised in the final seconds of normal time before Durrell coverted a penalty on 98 minutes to give the home side the lead and, after Fylde twice hit the woodwork, Farrell equalised on 105 minutes to send the game to an astonishing penalty shoot out.

Rob Smith’s side, so dominant in the regular season, held their nerve in the most glorious fashion to win a match which will live long in the memory of all those who witnessed it.

Hednesford Town
Crane, Disney, Campion (c), Bailey, Francis, MacPherson, Osborne (Woolfe 89), Durrell (56, 98), Harvey (Melbourne 89), Lennon, (Rey 99), Taylor

Subs Not Used
O’Connor, Barnes

AFC Fylde
Hinchliffe (90), Denson, Sumner, Hughes (c), Scott, Breeze (Booth 72), Farrell (105), Winter (Dean 76), Blinkhorn (24), M. Barnes, Cooke (McCarthy 87)

Subs Not Used
Dorney, Haslam

Bookings – Scott, Breeze, Blinkhorn, Campion, Harvey

Attendance – 1360
Entertainment Rating – 6 Stars
Star Man – Dave MacPherson

Match Action

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However Hednesford boss Rob Smith believes that Fylde will be a very different proposition tonight and is expecting numerous changes from the team who took the field at the weekend, the manager is also fully aware that, despite his team winning eight in a row, form means nothing in the Play-Offs.

‘I’m not sure our form is necessarily an advantage but I’d certainly rather be going into a game like this in good nick than not, and we can’t be in better shape at the moment.

‘We won’t have learnt much from Saturday’s game as Fylde will have a completely different starting line up tonight. We were aware of that going into the game but we know all about them anyway.’

The Pitmen have had their fair share of disappointment in the Play-Offs in recent years, losing in the final on penalties two seasons ago to Salisbury and exiting at the first hurdle against Chippenham Town and Bradford Park Avenue in 2009 and 2011 respectively but, with Keys Park buzzing with anticipation, Hednesford go into the game as favourites.

Their opponents tonight have also tasted play-off heartbreak losing to Chorley in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Division One final in 2010/11 and go into the game on an inconsistent run of form having played no less than ten matches during April to recover from the decimation of their fixture list earlier in the season.

The Pitmen faithful, buoyed by two cup wins in the space of a week, undoubtedly know their team will provide a tough test for the ambitious Coasters and a victory tonight would set up a potentially huge Play-Off Final against FC United of Manchester or Witton Albion at the weekend.

Pitmen Form – WWWWWW
Previous Result – AFC Fylde 1 Hednesford Town 2 – Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division – Saturday 4th May 2013
League Position – 2nd

AFC Fylde Form – LWWDLL
Previous Result – AFC Fylde 1 Hednesford Town 2 – Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division – Saturday 4th May 2013
League Position – 5th

KO – 7.45pm
Address of Ground – Keys Park, Keys Park Road, Hednesford, Staffordshire, WS12 2DZ

Hednesford knew they had to better league leaders North Ferriby United’s result if they were to have any chance of gaining the coveted one automatic place. Although they were able to pick up a fine 2-1 victory at AFC Fylde news elsewhere meant that it turned out to be almost irrelevant.

The Pitmen settled the better of the two sides in the blustery conditions and almost took the lead in the 9th minute, only for Michael Lennon to see his goalbound effort deflected behind for a corner.

It would be Rob Smith’s side who would make the breakthrough on the half hour mark as, following some quick interplay, Elliott Durrell burst forward into the box and finished delightfully right-footed into the far corner of the net from 12 yards.

Just two minutes later and the home side were level. A long throw into the penalty area wasn’t dealt with and just as Dave Macpherson went to clear the ball striker James Dean was able to nip in before him and bundle it home.

Hednesford thought they had regained the lead just four minutes before the break as John Disney slotted home after Durrell had seen an effort saved, only for the offside flag to deny the defender.

As the second half wore on and news of a second goal for Ferriby filtered through to the Hednesford supporters, the game went into a bit of a lull as both sides contemplated the thought of taking on each other again in the play offs in just a few days’ time.

Chances were seemingly at a premium with Lennon for Town and Aaron Fleming for the hosts both misfiring when in front of goal.

The final ten minutes saw Hednesford press forward for the three points just in case there was to be any slip up from Ferriby and both Durrell and Alex Melbourne saw efforts cleared away from in front of goal in the space of a few seconds.

However a winner would arrive for Town in the 85th minute. Substitute Aaron Rey was able to get past his marker before superbly slotting home to send the hordes of travelling supporters into raptures as they hoped for some late drama elsewhere.

In the end though it wasn’t to be and following three minutes of stoppage time the Hednesford team were applauded from the pitch after picking up the runners-up trophy and medals for their fantastic efforts over the course of the last nine months.

Smith must now prepare his team for Tuesday evening’s play off clash with Fylde which will take place at Keys Park, 7.45pm kick off.

AFC Fylde:
Hinchliffe, Haslam, Carden, Taylor, Steel, Dorney, Booth, Winter, Dean, McCarthy, Berry (Fleming 55)

Subs not used: Farrell, Denson, Breeze, Hughes

Hednesford Town:
Crane, Disney, Campion (c), Bailey, Francis, Macpherson (Woolfe 64), Osborne (Melbourne 53), Durrell, Harvey, Lennon (Rey 75), Taylor

Subs not used: O’Connor, Barnes

Attendance: 563

Match Action

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The Pitmen, winners of both the Staffordshire and Birmingham FA Senior Cups, have shown league winning form beyond reproach but, much to the credit of North Ferriby United, The Villagers have kept Rob Smith’s side at arms length all season long.

The current league leaders have occupied top spot since mid-October but one slip-up, one nervy performance, one final choke on the last day of a superb season will give Hednesford the opportunity to win the league in the final 90 minutes of the 42nd league match.

Despite the possibility of a famous result on Saturday, Pitmen boss Rob Smith was keen to stress that his players are keeping their feet on the ground and are mentally preparing for the play-offs, should results not go their way.

‘To be fair we are a pretty level headed bunch, the players are just looking forward to the game, not looking at anything else. In our minds we are prepared for the play-offs. Winning against Fylde is a hard enough task in itself without worrying about any other results.’

Hednesford will have a fully fit squad going into the game but Kyle Patterson, an integral part of the side which came so close to promotion against Salisbury City in the 2011 play-off final, has returned to his parent club after his loan deal expired.

Meanwhile AFC Fylde or Ashton United have a chance to play a defining part in the dramatic league title race and either dash the dreams of The Pitmen faithful or give Hednesford a helping hand in their quest to win a first league title since 1995.

The pressure, however, is squarely on North Ferriby. Should The Villagers record a 9th win in their last 12 matches, Hednesford would require a hugely unlikely double figure victory over Fylde to overhaul them on goal difference but, should their nerves twitch, The Pitmen could suddenly, after 3780 minutes of league football, be in the box seat.

Hednesford have played in their fair share of dramatic matches over Rob Smith’s three season reign but, should The Pitmen hold aloft the league trophy, Saturday will have topped the lot by some distance.

The loyal supporters of the Club, the majority of whom will be making the journey to the North West on Saturday morning, will travel more in hope than expectation and those not attending will no doubt be feeling utterly helpless as they watch @hednesford_town on Twitter or wait for updates from friends, praying for one final, historic, glorious twist to the tale.

Pitmen Form – WWWWWW
Previous Result – Hednesford Town 4 Sutton Coldfield Town 1 – Birmingham FA Senior Cup Final – Tuesday 30th April 2013
League Position – 2nd

AFC Fylde Form – WLWWDL
Previous Result – AFC Fylde 1 Rushall Olympic 3 – Evo-Stik Northern Premier Division – Tuesday 30th April 2013
League Position – 5th

KO – 3pm
Address of Ground – Kellamergh Park, Bryning Lane, Warton, PR4 1TN