Dave Mcpherson’s stunning second half strike was followed by three goals in the final 12 minutes that ensured the Pitmen grabbed a somewhat flattering 4-0 win that secures their place in the Skrill North Playoffs.

It all went wrong for City in the final 10 minutes as Daniel Edwards limped off with a suspected broken ankle just eight minutes after coming on, and City were forced to play the final six minutes with 10 men with no substitutes remaining and were punished by a Hednesford side who dominated much of the second half.

An unchanged City, backed by nearly 80 travelling fans, held their own in the first half but Daniel Nti’s scuffed effort wide from distance after five minutes was as close as a City player came to troubling Pitmen stopper Dan Crane in a lacklustre opening 45 minutes.

Darren Campion and Martin Devaney briefly sparked life into a dull opening 10 minutes, clattering into the home dugout after chasing a loose ball after which players and staff from both sides were involved in minor handbags.

The subsequent fieriness failed to lead to any real chances on goal in an uneventful opening 20 minutes, but City were nearly gifted the lead as Ben Bailey’s defensive header looped just over his own crossbar from George Williams’s long throw-in.

The game livened up after the restart and neat interchange from Macpherson and Marvin Johnson down the Town left led to Johnson lashing his shot from the angle of the area wide of Leigh Bedwell’s goal via a deflection.
Johnson’s free kick from 30 yards out nearly caught the City stopper out moments later with his whipped delivery taking a wicked bounce off the turf that sent the ball hurling inches over the bar, before Paul McCone’s ambitious drive from distance dipped over the angle of the goal.

The Pitmen's second half dominance eventually paid off in emphatic style as former City striker Danny Glover teed Dave Macpherson who sent his half volley flying over Bedwell before crashing off the bar and nestling into the net from twenty-five yards on the hour mark.

City tried to force their way back into the game as the tall figure of Aaron Brown headed over from Ellis Deeney’s in-swinging corner six minutes later. But Hednesford continued their dominance and nearly forced home a second as Paul McCone’s looping attempt to head over Bedwell was too short and easily held by the on-loan goalkeeper.

Town doubled their lead in the 78th minute as Wayne Riley pounced on Wayne Thomas’s backwards header and stooped to head home from inside the six-yard area.

The desperately unlucky Danny Edwards limped off with a suspected broken ankle in the 84th minute after being accidently landed on by a Town player less than 10 minutes after he came off the bench meaning City had to play the final 6 minutes with 10 men.

Town heaped more misery on City after Graham Hutchinson clipped substitute Paul Sullivan as he entered the City area, and John Disney stepped up to tuck the penalty home to give the Pitmen a three goal lead with just one minute of normal time remaining.

Sullivan then found himself with the freedom of the City half after he pounced on a long ball and coolly jinked past Bedwell before stroking the ball into the empty net to put the game beyond doubt.

Aaron Williams had his injury time strike from outside the area saved by Dan Crane meaning that city couldn’t grab a consolation goal.

“There was nothing in the game first half. Hednesford were the better team in the second half but it was a very, very scrappy game and we’ve gone behind to great strike and the second goal was a bit of a killer for us. And then it’s all gone wrong. We’ve put Danny Edwards on to get him some minutes and he’s come off a few minutes later with a suspected broken ankle”, said Carl Heeley.

“We’d used all of our subs and it’s just one of those things. The two goals at the end have probably given an unfair reflection on the game. We’ve got nothing to play for and it’s been a mentally draining season and we looked tired today”, added the City boss.

City end the season on Saturday with the visit of Boston United to Aggborough on Saturday (3pm kick off).

Report by Alex Harris