Red Insure Cup Round 3

Pitmen Persevere To Break Cleeve Spirit

A classic battling performance saw Bishops Cleeve fight for every ball against their more illustrious opponents but when all said and done The Pitmen had that little bit of extra quality to win the game.

On a murky night at Keys Park Decio Gomes made a welcome return to the starting line-up and was his usual laid back self. In truth, Bishops Cleeve rarely threatened the back three with Bernie McNally testing out a new formation with Darren Alexander playing the holding role.

In a fairly even first half Hednesford had more of the possession but neither side created too many scoring opportunities. Sam Adkins screwed his shot wide after incisive build up play for The Pitmen and Tyrone Barnett’s flicked header was clawed out for a corner by Cleeve keeper Martyn Pearce.

The best chance of the half fell to the away side when James Vercesi’s looping header dropped the wrong side of Stuart Brock’s post.

When the impressive Aaron Gibson latched onto a Ben Bailey pass and drilled the ball past Pearce for the opening goal on sixty six minutes, Bishop’s Cleeve brave resistance crumbled. Two more goals followed with a superb shot into the top corner by Barnett four minutes later and a second for Barnett as he capitalised on a blocked clearance with a confident finish five minutes from the final whistle.

Hednesford Town progress to the next round and face Nuneaton Borough in a fourth round tie, date to be arranged. The Pitmen lock horns with local rivals Halesowen Town at Keys Park this Saturday in a game which sees them face a stern test of their outside promotion chances.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Platt (Chapman 48), Gibson (66), Bailey, Dunkley, Gomes, Durrell (Proffitt 48), Alexander, Barnett (70, 85), Dyer, Adkins,

Subs Not Used

Brannan, Flynn, Goodhead,

Bishops Cleeve

Pearce, Crowford, D. Avery, Jackson (Haddock 71), Mayo, S. Avery, Gascoyne, Sykes (Kennedy 71), Vercesi, Davis, Cant (Meadows 60),

Subs Not Used

King

Bookings – Dyer

Attendance - 84

Star Man – Aaron Gibson

Words by Chris Brewerton