|
After over
a week of heavy frosts, this game was still in doubt up until 9:30am on
the day of the game when the ‘game on’ call finally came through from
the midlands. And despite the skating rinks along the touchlines,
Fleetwood Town put together another superlative away performance as they
contained Hednesford’s best attacks, scoring three goals without reply.
Tony Greenwood fielded his current preferred line up with the exception
of Nathan Pond, out injured for whom Robinson deputised positionally,
and Alex Taylor, recalled from his loan at Kendal, taking his seat on
the bench in place of the unavailable Peter Wright.
Fleetwood
were confident from the off, Foster and Bell prominent in attack, but it
was Kieran Walmsley who spectacularly opened the scoring in the tenth
minute. Picking up the ball on the edge of his own penalty area, he left
a couple of would be tacklers in his wake and galloped into the
Hednesford half. A sweet one-two with Foster put him in to the edge of
their box from where he rifled a low shot into the far corner of the
net. Walmsley doesn’t do ordinary goals! This forced Hednesford to come
out of their shells and, although dominating the possession for much of
the half, they never troubled Mike Hale in goal. Fleetwood remained a
constant threat, however, and just before halftime, Foster got in to
volley a shot against the keeper, Milligan tucking away the rebound.
The second
half was more of the same, Hednesford restricted to no more than a
couple of chances whilst Fleetwood threatened with every attack, one of
which finally saw substitute Alex Taylor breaking through the last line
to slot home the third. This was another good team performance with
perhaps Shaun Beeley the pick of the bunch. A very happy Team Coach
headed home along the tortuous M6 after the game; probably as well
seeing that it broke down in the traffic jam around Knutsford.
Salutations to Mr Denney, however, who, with the coach marooned on the
hard shoulder, lead the debate into which member of the party we should
eat first! |
|
After a heavy
playing schedule since the start of the season the
recent two week break should have been of benefit
for the Pitmen but high flying Fleetwood Town were
in no mood to allow there hosts the chance of
gaining the points which the Pitmen required to
remain in touch with the club’s chasing a play off
place.
Fleetwood began the game brightly, the first chance
of the game fell to Steve Foster who in the 5th
minute turned just inside the box and hit a firm
shot which went just past the right hand post after
taking a slight deflection off Gordon Simms. The
first goal was scored in the 10th minute by Kieran
Walmsley who took the ball from just outside of his
own penalty area and into the Pitmen’s half of the
pitch, having played a one two pass during the build
up Walmsley, Fleetwood’s full back went on to hit a
shot from 25 yards which flew past Gilmartin into
the net. Ross Dyer playing the lone striker role was
put clear by a good ball down the right wing by
Steve Palmer but his progress was halted by the full
back who pulled him back, an action the match
officials somehow forgot to notice despite being
only yards away. Dyer shortly after was fouled on
the edge of the box but Chris Adam wasted the free
kick when he failed to get the ball past the first
defender. Mario Pedro won a corner in the 25th
minute, Chris Adam took a quick corner kick to Pedro
who turned on the bye-line to play a good ball
across the six yard box which was missed by everyone
and was cleared on the far side of the box. The
first chance for the Pitmen on goal came in the 26th
minute when Anthony Maguire shot wide after Ross
Dyer had created the opening. Walmsley was cautioned
for dissent after 28 minutes and was lucky to stay
on after clashing with Chris Adam minutes later on
the touchline. After Pedro had won a corner kick, on
loan Chris Hanna had a save blocked by Michael Hale
then as Hanna went for the rebound he lost his
footing when his feet was taken from underneath him
by a defender and with the home crowd calling for a
penalty the Referee surprisingly waived play on.
Fleetwood extended their lead in the 42nd minute,
Gilmartin was left stranded with two Fleetwood
players in front of him, he did well to block Steve
Fosters shot but was powerless to stop Jamie
Milligan who was on hand to strike home the rebound
from close range.
The Pitmen started the second half brightly and were
putting Fleetwood under pressure but without
troubling Michael Hale the Fleetwood keeper. Pedro
chipped a pass over for Dyer to run onto but on the
edge of the penalty area he lost the chance to score
when he lost control of the ball. A good move by
Fleetwood in the 68th minute began with Phillip
Robinson playing a good ball out to the right wing
to Phillip Denney, the Fleetwood substitute hit a
firm low cross into the box for the advancing Andy
Bell but just before the former Pitman could shoot
Gordon Simms managed to divert the ball out for a
corner kick. Two minutes later a poor pass inside by
Chad Sheppard allowed Fleetwood to break quickly
into the Pitmen’s penalty area and only another
deflection for a corner stopped Bell from scoring.
David Brown who replaced Chris Adam with half an
hour to go did well in the 72nd minute forcing a
defender to concede a throw in, from the throw in
Brown was fouled. Chad Sheppard took the free kick
and played a pin-pointed pass to Ross Dyer who
unchallenged headed over the crossbar from close
range. Another Sheppard free kick created another
scoring opportunity but Hale dropped down to save
Alan Nagington header, fortunately for the visitors
the keeper held onto the ball as Chris Hanna slid in
hoping to take advantage of any slip. In the 80th
minute the Pitmen played their best move of the game
moving the ball from the back with the final pass
finding Alan Nagington open on the edge of the
penalty box but he could only hit a weak shot
straight at Hale. Rene Gilmartin was forced into a
fine save in the 82nd minute when he had to punch
from under the crossbar Jamie Milligan’s corner kick
from the right. With the action flowing from end to
end it was the Pitmen’s Ross Adams who was next to
miss a chance when he scuffed a shot straight to
Hale when a late run found him open on the left. In
the 89th minute Gordon Simms failed to control a
long through ball which allowed Alex Taylor, the
Fleetwood substitute a clear run on goal and with
only Gilmartin to beat he placed his shot wide of
the keeper and into the net. Taylor nearly made it
four in injury time but his effort from the left
went inches wide of the right hand post. |