Matlock Town 3 Hednesford Town 3 - Report

Hednesford would start the game well on top and almost went ahead in the ninth minute as Lewis Archer picked out Nathan Fox but the fullbacks low driven effort was cleared off the line.

A minute later they would take the lead though as Sweeney was fouled in the box. The striker picked himself up to score into the corner from 12 yards out.

Sweeney was in the action again in the 12th minute as he charged down a clearance but the striker couldn’t find the net from the edge of the box when through on goal.

His strike partner Archer would see a header saved in the 22nd minute before 60 seconds later Sweeney robbed the ball off the goalkeeper but saw his effort headed off the line.

Hednesford would be awarded a second penalty in the 34th minute as Sweeney was taken out in the box. The Solihull Moors loan man was again clinical from 12 yards out to double his sides lead.

The home side were awarded a spot-kick of their own nine minutes later as Reece King fouled his man, with Craig Westcarr sending Josef Bursik the wrong way in the Pitmen goal.

Three minutes into the second half Hednesford regained their two goal advantage when Stefan Galinski headed down a freekick to Sweeney who controlled before firing home into the back of the net.

Hednesford almost added a fourth in the 55th minute as Dan Cockerline just failed to get onto a low effort that flashed across the goal.

This would prove crucial as Matlock grabbed a second in the 61st minute when Bursik failed to hold onto a freekick and Jamie Jackson scrambled the ball into the net.

Seven minutes later the home side would equalise when Jackson did well down the right side of the pitch and his deep cross in was slid home by Westcarr at the far post.

The Pitmen almost went back in front as Adam Yates shinned the ball narrowly wide of his own goal after being put under pressure from a corner.

The game was now end-to-end though and Matlock should perhaps have won it four minutes from time as a loose back pass let in Billy Whitehead but the young striker was denied by Bursik before the goalkeeper made a follow-up save from Westcarr.

In the end though both sides had to settle for a point as the Pitmen were left to rue a missed chance as they recorded their first draw of the season.

Teams

Matlock Town: Durrant, Lemon, Beatson, Vince, Beevers, Yates, Green (Wood 28), King, Westcarr, Marshall (Whitehead 33), Jackson

Subs not used: Chappell, Hall, Pierrepont

Hednesford Town: Bursik, Mendez-Jones, Fox, Fitzpatrick, Galinski (Cockerline 51), Griffiths, Curley, King, Sweeney, Coyle (Craddock 82), Archer (Archer 77)

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Veiga

Attendance: 444