Bernard McNally's influence on his new club continues to bear fruit with the Pitmen extending their unbeaten run to three games courtesy of this Tyrone Barnett-inspired performance at the Hand Stadium

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New signings Liam Francis and Josh Craddock, who joined the Pitmen this week from Redditch United and Halesowen Town respectively, both walked straight into the team, with Darren Alexander and Sam Adkins making way for the duo. There was also a change at left-back, with Aaron Gibson restored to the number three shirt in favour of Zak Martin

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Struggling Clevedon were desperate for the points this afternoon to keep them afloat in their bid to avoid the drop to step four at the end of the season. Last weekend had seen them come away from fellow strugglers Hemel Hempstead Town with a 1-1 draw to leave the Seasiders sitting in nineteenth position in the table. Manager Nicky Tucker elected to stick with the XI that had come away from Vauxhall Road with a crucial point and looked to make it three league games unbeaten

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After a battling performance against Halesowen the previous week, the away side started confidently, with Craddock laying down an early marker with a powerful drive that Clevedon keeper Danny Greaves saved well, although the ball had taken a nick off defender Gary Colbourne en route

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The home side responded well, with Nan Baah testing Stuart Brock's reflexes on thirteen minutes; his header was turned over the crossbar for a corner kick, with the same player getting his head to the resultant corner but again found the Hednesford number one in commanding form, saving low at the near post

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The recently-returned Gomes was showing signs early on of the form that earned him the rave reviews at the start of last season, organising his young defence and playing with his trademark swagger

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Clevedon's Phil Hartnup probably should have done better with a great chance just before the half-hour mark, playing a one-two with Craig Loxton on the edge of the area, but his weak cross-cum-shot was easily fielded by Brock

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Four minutes later, Elliott Durrell - who seems to have responded positively to the change of management - broke Clevedon's flimsy offside trap after being played in by Craddock, but appeared to lose his footing at the vital moment and only managed to toe-poke the ball wide of the post

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The Pitmen were starting to win the fifty-fifty balls in midfield and dominate possession, with Craddock looking impressive in the centre of the park. He attempted a long-range shot that Greaves watched over the bar on thirty-nine minutes, with skipper Sean Platt missing everyone out with a low driven cross sixty seconds later

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Ross Dyer, whose goal touch seems to have deserted him in recent weeks, came closest to opening the scoring towards the end of the half, getting on the end of a Durrell cross with a header but watched as Greaves turned the ball away for a corner

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Half time almost came at the wrong time for the visitors, as they had built up a real head of steam in the final fifteen minutes. No matter though, as McNally's half time team talk seemed to have the desired effect. After Francis had beaten Greaves to a free-kick but headed wide, Platt's long throw-in found the head of Barnett, who got in above his marker to head firmly past Greaves via a deflection off the crossbar on fifty-two minutes

Loxton had an immediate chance to level the game once more, but he only succeeded in firing straight at Brock from fifteen yards out

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And that was about as good as it got for the hosts, as Clevedon's Chris Hartland was sent off for a second bookable offence after a poorly-timed challenge on Gomes. Indeed, Clevedon's physical approach was punished by the referee Mr Turner on a number of occasions in the second half, with three players going into the book in quick succession for fouls

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With the opposition down to ten men, it became one-way traffic for the remainder of the game, as Hednesford pushed forward in search of the killer second goal. Barnett could have wrapped it up on sixty-four minutes, getting his head to a Gibson cross, but this time heading high over the bar

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Barnett was giving Clevedon nightmares with his movement and pace, and it was little surprise it was he who grabbed his second goal with thirteen minutes remaining. After picking up the ball from Craddock, he turned Sam Main confidently, before bending the ball away from Greaves and into the top far corner of the net - a beauty of a goal

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Clevedon did get the ball in the net with ten minutes remaining - Baah netted after Brock had spilt Matt Walsh's free-kick, but was adjudged to have been in an offside position

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With six minutes remaining, Barnett completed a fantastic hat-trick to cap an excellent team performance. Durrell - who had been superb in a free role - fired in a long-range shot that Greaves could not hold, allowing Barnett to pounce on the loose ball and fire home from close range

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Durrell could have completed a perfect day in the final minutes, but Greaves made a great save to deny the Hednesford number seven

There was just time for another new player to make an entrance, with recent signing Dorryll Proffitt coming on for the impressive Craddock for a late run

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All in all, a great win for the Pitmen, who will be harbouring ambitions of gate-crashing the play-offs with a consistent run of games in the next few weeks. There are certainly enough games left to do so, but will McNally have the resources to make such a run? We shall see as they make another long trip down to this part of the world next week to face another struggling team in the form of Tiverton Town

 

Clevedon Town: Greaves, Main, Walsh, Colbourne, Barnes ▆, Townley, Hartnup (Adams 70), Loxton, Baah, Hartland ▆ ▆ (56), Cowan (Romdhane 45 ▆)    Subs Unused: J. Evans, B. Evans

 

Hednesford Town: Brock, Platt ©, Gibson, Bailey, Francis, Gomes, Durrell, Dunkley▆, Barnett, Dyer, Craddock (Proffitt 84)       Subs Unused: Chapman, Martin, Adkins, Flynn

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