Hednesford 1-2 Alvechurch - report

The Pitmen were back in league action at Keys Park taking on fellow strugglers Alvechurch, looking for a much needed response to the 9-1 mauling handed out last week by Tamworth.

An evenly contested first half saw the visitors take the lead in the 17th minute when Alvechurch sprung the offside trap allowing Jed Abbey to sweep home. The Pitmen equalised just over ten minutes later from a corner, player manager Danny Glover flicked the ball on at the near post for Todd Parker to slam the ball past Daniel Jezeph. Alvechurch were on the scoresheet again on 35 minutes when scorer Abbey teed up a freekick for Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton to make an assured finish past Ronnie Hollingshead.

A tetchy second half featured a number of bookings for both sides and a number of controversial decisions by the referee. James McQuilkin was bundled over in the box, without a spot kick being awarded. Riley O'Sullivan and Ash Carter were both yellow carded for the altercation that followed. Two more penalty shouts were turned down firstly when O'Sullivan was tripped in the area and then a blatant handball from an Alvechurch defender ignored. Kyle Bennett smashed the ball into the net for what appeared to be an excellent equaliser only for the referee to disallow the goal for a handball offence. There would be no further goals as Alvechurch rather fortunately took all three points.

Hednesford Town; Hollingshead, Ison, Morley, Thorley, Redfern, McQuilkin, Bennett (Watkins 88), Parker, Glover, O'Sullivan, Payne (Tilt 78). Subs Agustien, Williams.

Alvechurch; Jezeph, Dugmore, Burton, Hallahan (Edge 84) Williams, Carter, Abbey, Taylor (Texiera 60) Waldron, Concannon (Willetts 49), Skeen- Hamilton. Subs, , Randle, Soule.