Hednesford Town: Keys Park

Hednesford Town 4-2 Stratford Town

An excellent afternoon’s entertainment but I (Adrian) wasn't at Keys Park as a first choice. My scheduled game between Nuneaton Borough and St Ives Town was called off due to coronavirus within the St Ives squad, so I headed north on the A5 into Staffordshire and to Hednesford a town adjacent to Cannock.
Hednesford Town have made a name for themselves in non-league football, some decent runs in the FA Cup, an FA Trophy win in 2004 and play at possibly the best-equipped stadium in the Southern League.
Keys Park has a main stand that straggles the half way line and three other covered stands on each of the other sides of the ground. Almost unheard of at this level.
The Pitmen have made a poor start to the season and following a home defeat on Tuesday sacked manager Andy Morrell.
Therefore today’s game was very much an unknown quantity for the locals as Stratford Town arrived in Staffordshire sitting 2nd in the table following a decent start to the season.
Nevertheless, it was the home side that started well, two opportunities in the first 5 minutes, and although Stratford did get into the game, it was Hednesford who blew their opponents away with 3 goals in 6 minutes.
Dan Turner tapped home from close range after excellent work on the right by Dan Sweeney.
Ex-professional footballer Louis Dodds, made it 2 with a looping header and Sweeney himself scored a third firing a shot past the keeper despite the close attentions of the Stratford defence.
In the second half, the visitors came more into the game as Hednesford seemed to tire, they had started to create chances and giving us a glimpse as to why they were 2nd in the table. It was no surprise when they pulled a goal back in 67 minutes.
Callum Powell squeezing a shot in from a narrow-angle beating debut goalkeeper Cameron Gregory who had arrived on loan from Shrewsbury.
This seemed to give the visitors hope and they were now dominating the possession and encamped in the Hednesford half.
The drama was not quite over with more goals in added time. Enoch Andoh headed home for Stratford making it 3-2 in the first minute of added time and chasing a leveller, the visitors went missing at the back to concede a 4th goal. A Stratford corner was defended well and with the keeper Ty Belford up in the penalty area, the goal at the other end of the pitch was unmanned.
Hednesford kept their composure and despite the vain effort of Belford to run back, it was Dan Turner that won the race and rolled the ball into the empty net from close range to great jubilation from the fans behind the goal. So much so that Turner was yellow carded for his celebration.
So another terrific game at this level, a deserved win for Hednesford Town, their first of the season, an attendance of 479, and an interesting altercation between stewards and a Stratford Town fan. The stewards were well and truly getting physical with the fan, but he managed to wriggle free and with several other fans getting involved he appeared to be let go. Unsure exactly what had transpired.

Hednesford Town

Sunday 2 November 2008

Keys Park

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