Hednesford gave their flagging Southern League campaign a big - and unexpected - shot in the arm with a well-deserved victory at second-placed Chippenham this afternoon, with new manager Chris Brindley rewarded for his midweek wheeling and dealing as his two new signings made an immediate impact

 

Deadline day had seen Brindley dip into the transfer market to bring in two new faces ahead of the Pitmen's tough run-in, signing Cheltenham Town striker Luke Corbett on loan until the end of the season and the highly experienced David Moss - a former Swansea City, Doncaster Rovers and Falkirk midfielder - to add different options to his flagging side. Both of his new signings went straight into the side for today's game, with Derek Rae and Kevin Francis making way for the pair. Brindley also dropped himself to allow him to manage the side from the touchline, bringing in Stuart Ryder in his place at centre-back

 

Chippenham had continued to defy the critics in their first season at step two, moving into second place last week courtesy of a 2-0 win over Cambridge City as they continued their pursuit of runaway leaders Tamworth. Manager Tommy Saunders made three changes to the side that had beaten Cambridge, bringing Matt Rawlins back into the side at the expense of veteran forward Adie Mings, handing young striker James Constable a full debut and dropping Charlie Griffin for Richard Kear as the Bluebirds looked to continue a run of form that had seen them lose only two of their last ten league games

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With newfound urgency and some fresh faces in the side, Hednesford made a good start to the game through the wing play from Stewart Airdrie, whose whippet-quick run down the flank in the third minute saw him skip past two challenges before trying his luck with a slightly optimistic shot from range that was easily saved by James Bittner in the Chippenham goal

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The young Corbett - highly rated at Whaddon Road after scoring plenty of goals for the Robins' reserves - got his first shot in anger in on goal in the tenth minute, as his low drive from just outside the Chippenham box was again well held by Bittner

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Darren Simkin went close from eight yards out three minutes later, heading wide of goal as he met an Airdrie corner kick, although the former Telford man was off-balance when he met the cross at the far post

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Corbett justified his selection four minutes later, putting his new side in front with an impressively-taken goal; A strong run from youngster Ashley Williams saw the right-back get beyond Scott Walker and send over a fine cross that Corbett did brilliantly to loop a header over the head and out of the reach of Bittner, who could do nothing to stop the ball nestling into the corner of the net

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Williams did well at the opposite end of the pitch on twenty-two minutes, making a timely clearance off the Hednesford goal line to deny Chippenham debutant Constable a first goal after the former Cirencester man had slid the ball past Michael Bingham from twelve yards out

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The Pitmen still enjoyed the better of the possession and chances however, with Moss and Emeka Nwadike forming an immediate understanding in a sturdy-looking midfield after hurredly being put together this week. A great pass from veteran Moss on twenty-nine minutes set new skipper Steve Piearce on his way, with Hednesford's top scorer stepping past a tackle from Colin Towler before trying his luck with a curling shot that sailed harmlessly over the Chippenham crossbar

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Piearce was involved again for the Pitmen on thirty-two minutes, heading a great cross from Airdrie just wide of Bittner's goal after he had got goal side of Tom Gould

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A fantastic-looking challenge from Stuart Lake earned the burly midfielder a surprise yellow card on thirty-seven minutes, as his sliding tackle on Ian Herring was deemed too aggressive by referee Mr Vaughan

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Constable and Rawlins worked well together to set up Kear on forty minutes, only for Bingham to rush out of his goal and smother the midfielder's low shot before he could get his effort away

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Moss joined Corbett in having an immediate impact to his new club two minutes before half-time as he gleefully headed past Bittner from twelve yards out following a clever run and cross from Piearce in the inside-left position

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Brindley will have been delighted with his side's reponse to recent events, handing the high-flying Bluebirds a footballing lesson in one of the Pitmen's best halves of football in a long time

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Chippenham came back to the game after the break, with Kear testing Bingham with the first chance of the second half - Bingham pulling off a fine one-handed stop to deny the midfielder a goal on forty-nine minutes

 

Two minutes later, Bingham was called into action again to deny Herring on this occasion, pushing the midfielder's rising effort over the crossbar for a Chippenham corner kick

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Lake's powerfully-stuck free kick was punched away by Bittner on fifty-five minutes, followed by a half-volley from Nwadike a minute later that was deflected away from goal by the boot of Towler

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The hosts continued to plug away in search of a way back into the game, with Rawlins driving a shot well wide of Bingham's goal on the hour mark after Gary Horgan had played the striker in behind the Hednesford defence

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Chippenham got themselves back into the game nine minutes later in bizarre circumstances, with Kear's inswinging corner kick from the left hand side evaded everyone as it sailed over the head of Bingham and straight into the net

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Chippenham made a bold double change as they sensed a point from the game in the final fifteen minutes, pushing the Pitmen back into their own half as they looked to take the initiative. Rawlins headed well wide of goal from another inswinging Kear corner on seventy-five minutes, followed three minutes later by an individual effort from substitute Charlie Griffin after he had dribbled round three challenges before firing just wide of goal

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Both sides had appeals for a penalty turned down in the final fifteen minutes, with Piearce appealing to the referee on seventy-seven minutes after he had felt as though he had been pulled back by Gould, to no avail. A minute later, Rawlins' quick feet appeared to catch Small unawares, with the left-back appearing to trip the striker as he fell. Again, the referee was unmoved and the game continued

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Airdrie had run himself into the ground for his side, and was afforded a generous round of applause by the travelling Hednesford supporters on seventy-eight minutes as he as replaced by David Berks

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The Pitmen wrapped up a much-needed three points however, with a third goal for the visitors coming on eighty minutes. Moss was involved again, making a superb defence-splitting pass through to Piearce, who slid the ball past Bittner with ease for his fifteen goal of the season

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Corbett's long-range effort was palmed away by Bittner four minutes later as the on-loan striker looked to add an extra layer of gloss to a fine Hednesford performance, with Brindley making his final change of the afternoon with a minute left by bringing on Wayne Simpson for Lake

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Exactly the kind of result new boss Brindley needed at this point in the season, with the Hednesford management team and supporters pleased with the application of their team, as well as the fine result. It's a quick turnaround of games for the Pitmen again this week, as seventh placed Crawley Town visit Keys Park with seven games remaining

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Chippenham Town: Bittner, Charity, Walker, Towler ©, Gould, Badman, Herring (Andrews 72), Horgan, Kear (Griffin 55), Rawlins, Constable (Paul 72)     Subs Unused: Mings, Harrington

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Hednesford Town: Bingham, Williams, Small, Simkin, Ryder, Nwadike, Moss, Lake (Simpson 89), Corbett, Piearce ©, Airdrie (Berks 78)     Subs Unused: Lancashire, Francis, Jenkins