Hednesford much-changed line-up came up with an astounding result at Keys Park this afternoon, destroying UniBond Premier League new boys Stamford with a goalscoring master-class

 

Ashley Woolliscroft's sudden departure to Stalybridge in midweek opened the way for Chad Sheppard to make his re-appearance in a Hednesford shirt following his return to the club from Rushall Olympic in one of three changes to Phil Starbuck's side, whilst defender Daniel Wells and winger David Brown both made their first starts for the Pitmen after the departure of Dominic Heath and youngster Tim Sanders being dropped to the bench

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Mid-table Stamford arrived at Keys Park after an F.A. Trophy exit to league rivals Matlock Town in midweek, only their second defeat in the past nine games in all competitions. Manager Dougie Keast made four changes to his side for today's return to league action, naming ex-Pitman favourite Lee Colkin, veteran Brad Piercewright, Tyrone Kirk and Tony Battersby in place of Scott Taylor, Adam Jones, Rob Maddox and Martin Wormall respectively

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On an overcast afternoon at Keys Park, the 384 supporters witnessed a blistering start from the hosts, who essentially put the game beyond their visitors with a brutal opening quarter of the game

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However, Stamford had the first chance of the game in the third minute as Leon Mettam's deep free-kick found Daniel French unmarked at the far post, only for the midfielder to pull the shot wide of the post from close-range

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In the eighth minute, a flowing move from the Pitmen saw the ball come to Brown just inside the area which allowed the youngster to stroke the ball past Chris Sanna in the Stamford goal from fifteen yards out

 

Two minutes later, Brown justified his inclusion by doubling his tally for the day; Ross Adams played a firm pass into the feet to the winger, who again confidently found the net from just inside the Stamford area with a low strike beyond the reach of Sanna

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Although the Pitmen were firmly on top in the opening stages, Hednesford goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin was to have an excellent afternoon between the sticks and made the first of three great saves on fourteen minutes to deny Stamford's Steve Towers after the midfielder had headed French's cross at goal

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Towers was denied by Gilmartin three minutes later as his swerving free-kick was tipped over the crossbar by the Walsall loanee for a Stamford corner kick

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The home side extended their lead with their next attack on twenty minutes. Linden Dovey, who looked to have strayed into an offside position, collected another excellent ball from Adams to run through unchallenged and place a shot into the top right-hand corner of the net. Three shots, three goals

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Hednesford's joy was cut short just two minutes later when Stamford were awarded a penalty. Tyrone Kirk was sent tumbling after a clumsy challenge from home debutant Wayne Dyer, allowing veteran striker Tony Battersby to fire confidently past Gilmartin into the top left-hand corner of the net from the resultant spot-kick

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Brown's clipped cross to the near post on twenty-seven minutes saw Sanna make a brave stop at the feet of Dyer, smothering the ball before the striker could turn the ball home

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French went close to reducing the deficit further on the half-hour mark as the pacy French made yardage inside the Hednesford half before firing a shot narrowly over Guilmartin's crossbar

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Ross Dyer's season has been a mixed one so far as the striker had struggled with injury and having to play out of position on several occasions. However, this was to be his afternoon from here on in as he led Stamford a merry dance. He tested Sanna's resolve on thirty-four minutes with a scuffed effort wide of goal after receiving a pass from Sheppard

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Sheppard turned provider again for Dyer four minutes later with a quick reverse pass into the feet of the striker, who got the ball caught under his feet and tamely shot straight at Sanna

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After his couple of 'sighters', Ross Dyer grabbed the Pitmen's fourth in injury time at the end of the first half. His powerful run into the Stamford penalty area and shot was saved by Sanna, who could only parry the ball back to Dyer to fire home at the second attempt from ten yards out

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The second period was all one-way traffic in terms of goals, as the Pitmen continued to find the net at regular intervals. Dovey fired an early warning shot across the Stamford bows with a drifting effort on forty-eight minutes after an incisive pass from Wayne Dyer

 

A long ball out of defence from Gordon Simms was controlled by Mario Pedro and played into the path of Brown two minutes later, only for the winger to waste a good chance to grab his hat-trick with a wild shot into the Hednesford end stand

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Dyer could have made it a brace for himself on fifty-six minutes as he neatly sidestepped Colkin's challenge on the right flank and cut inside, only for his angled drive to easily be claimed by Sanna

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A delightful free-kick from Sheppard on the hour mark was floated into the Stamford penalty area and right onto the head of Dyer, only for his effort to come back off the top of the crossbar

 

 Dyer's second goal came just before the hour mark and it was a real beauty, showcasing the true talent he has with the ball at his feet. Brown's ball to Dyer found him with his back to goal, surrounded by three defenders. A quick shimmy to the right took all three out of the game, opening up the play to allow Dyer to turn left and curl a shot beyond Sanna for number five. Superb from the teenager

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Alan Nagington replaced Dovey on sixty-one minutes as Starbuck looked to get some match fitness into some of his squad players with several having a variety of fitness issues

 

Tim Sanders was the Pitmen's second substitute of the afternoon on sixty-six minutes replacing the slightly disappointing Pedro in midfield after last Saturday's matchwinner had found the going tough

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Sanders almost got his first goal for the Pitmen with seventeen minutes of the game remaining as his long-range shot seemed to swerve away from Sanna's goal en route and curled just wide of the post

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Gilmartin still had to be on his toes to deal with Stamford's threat going forwards and made two saves in a sixty-second spell; Towers was denied by the tall stopper as he parried the midfielder's long-range shot away to his left on seventy-six minutes

 

  The Hednesford keeper then made an even better save to deny Mettam with Stamford's next attack, somehow getting his body in the way of the shot and deflecting it away for a corner

 

With eight minutes remaining, Adams denied Battersby a certain goal for the Daniels as he threw his body in front of the striker's low shot and deflected it behind for a corner kick

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Dyer wrapped up a superb team and individual performance with a well-deserved sixth Hednesford goal - and his hat-trick - a minute from the end. There was an element of luck to the goal in the build-up as referee Mr Cunliffe missed a handball from Dyer in the build-up as he raced onto a pass from Brown down the right-hand side of the penalty area, before lashing a shot beyond Sanna from an angle

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Mettam was incensed that the handball was not spotted in the build-up and was booked by Mr Cunliffe for dissent before the away side kicked off once more

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It had been a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for anyone with Hednesford leanings, as the Pitmen had finally shown what they were capable of in front of goal after several frustrating performances in front of goal this term where they have created numerous chances and struggled to take any. The yo-yoing between league and cup games continues again next weekend as the Pitmen return to the F.A. Trophy with a home tie against league rivals Guiseley

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Hednesford Town: Gilmartin, T. Marshall ©, Adams, Simms, Wells, Pedro (Sanders 66), Sheppard, Brown (Fussell 85), W. Dyer, R. Dyer, Dovey (Nagington 61)      Subs Unused: None

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Stamford: Sanna, White (Maddox 24 ▆), Colkin, Piercewright ▆ (Hughes 56), Julian ▆, L. Marshall, Kirk (Wormall 45), Towers, Battersby, Mettam ▆,  French       Subs Unused: None

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