Hednesford Town 0 Whitby Town 0 - Report and pictures
Hednesford Town were forced to settle for a point after being held to a goalless draw against Whitby Town on a frustrating afternoon at Keys Park.
After two weeks without a fixture the Pitmen almost made the perfect start to the game as defender Charlie Gatter saw his shot from inside the Whitby penalty area strike the inside of the post and rebound away to safety.
Hednesford did have a let off in the ninth minute as a cross into the Pitmen penalty area found Matthew Tymon at the back post but his free header drifted over the crossbar.
A period of any real action then followed before James Lawrie fired an effort well over the bar from 25 yards after the ball bobbled awkwardly in front of him in the 34th minute.
Three minutes later a great ball from Tom Thorley picked out James Fitzgibbon on the left wing who drove into the box before picking out Thorley but he couldn’t get his shot away when well placed.
In the 39th minute Charlie Gatter had to respond quickly to deny Whitby as they broke three on two but he was able to step across Lewis Maloney and deny the forward.
Hednesford ended the half on top with Mason Walsh beating two men and although he was just about able to keep his footing his effort from 10 yards went wide of the post.
Two minutes before the break Joey Butlin was fouled 25 yards out but Lawrie curled his effort a foot over the crossbar.
The Pitmen’s Sam Oji was called into action in the 49th minute when he denied Tymon a free shot on goal before Hednesford goalkeeper James Wren made a comfortable save a minute later.
In the 53rd minute Mason Walsh curled an effort well wide of the goal before substitute Danny Glover fired a low effort into the Whitby side netting just sixty seconds after coming on at the hour mark.
Fitgibbon saw another chance come and go in the 65th minute as he cut inside and curled an effort wide of the goal.
In the 71st minute the Pitmen were indebted to Wren as he made a great block to deny Maloney after the striker had found room inside the penalty area 15 yards out.
Five minutes later there were appeals for a penalty from the home side as Lawrie went down but nothing was given.
The Pitmen were to strike the woodwork again in the 78th minute as good football saw the ball find its way to Lawrie who saw his curling effort rebound off the post with Reece King heading the rebound over.
Although both teams forced corners in the final ten minutes nothing was forthcoming and both sides had to settle for a share of t he spoils.
Teams
Hednesford Town: Wren, Mendez-Jones, Curley, Fitzpatrick (King 70), Oji, Gatter, Walsh, Thorley, Butlin (Glover 59), Lawrie, Fitzgibbon (Graham 70)
Subs not used: Bailey, Harris
Whitby Town: Norton, Weledji, McWilliams, Burgess, Bythway, Snaith, Monkhouse, Fairley (Martin 66), Tymon, Maloney (Patton 80), Mondal
Subs not used: Hume, Fryatt, May
Attendance: 393
