Leek Town will have travelled back from Hednesford slightly disappointed not to have earned a point after they put in a disciplined away performance against their spending title favourites but just came up short of doing so.

You wouldn’t have thought there were 14 league places between the teams as the Blues matched their hosts over the course of 90 minutes and only a set piece goal from ex-Leek player, Oliver Harrison, separated the sides at the end. Leek were also denied a possible penalty kick in the dying seconds to compound their disappointment.

Having scored earlier in the season at the F Ball Community Stadium it was typical that it would be Harrison haunting his old side again, and also telling on how Leek had played that the centre-half was selected as the Pitmens Man of the Match; as much for his defensive performance as for his goal with the defender always in the right place to clear most of the balls delivered into the box by the Blues.

Leek had started the game with three changes from the midweek home draw with Hyde United. Liam Edwards was welcomed back from injury with Jack Stafford dropping to the bench as the Blues began with a back four. In midfield, Ollie Shenton replaced Adam Porter whilst, up front, Conner Heath lined up alongside Tunde Owolabi with Louis Potts being unavailable.

The first 10-15mins had the home side slightly on top as Leek sat in to absorb any early pressure and looked relatively comfortable with the Pitmen showing no real urgency and failing to move the ball quickly enough with goalkeeper Dino Vissers only moment of alarm courtesy of a back pass from Liam Buckley that was a little short and Visser only managing to reach it a split second before Hednesfords Montel Gibson.

The Blues were certainly getting to grips with their opponents and started to create the better opportunities on the break.

Harrison produced his first important clearance of the game in the 14th minute, managing to cut out Alex Hursts cross intended for Owolabi after the Blues wide man had been released by Lucas Weirs pass.

Two minutes later Leek attacked down the left again with Owolabi forcing his way past ex-professional player Chris Hussey only to be tripped by the defender right on the corner of the area earning the first yellow card of the game. Hussey knew what he was doing as another foot and it would have been inside the area and would have been a certain penalty.

Heath took the free kick and drew a strong one-handed save from keeper Tony Breedon, who then followed it up with a punch clear of Weirs delivery from the corner.

Visser was eventually called into his first save of the day after 24mins but dealt with Omari Sterling-James swirling effort with relative ease before Leek then had perhaps the best chance of the half a minute later. A ball played forward saw Owolabi get the better of Harrison and then manage to raise a leg high enough to poke the bouncing ball round Breedon who had come out of his goal. However the striker was already off balance in doing so and although he got past Breedon he was unable to keep his feet and reach the ball to be able to take advantage of the unguarded goal.

And, as so happens in football, when Leek could have feasibly gone one up they immediately went one nil down. Hednesford won a corner on the left and when it was swung over there was no stopping Harrison as he climbed highest to meet the delivery and power his header home.

Despite going behind Leek were sticking to their game plan and continued to ask questions of the home side. A couple of further corners were won but came to nothing before some good interplay ended with Tom Curl breaking down the right add squaring the ball to Weir just outside the area. He took a touch and fired goalwards but it took a deflection to divert its path over the crossbar.
Liam Edwards was able to get on the end of the corner kick but his header under pressure looped wide.

Then, just before the break, Shenton produced a lovely turn to take the ball beyond his marker but saw his shot blocked by Harrison inside the area to preserve his side’s lead.

HEDNESFORD TOWN 1 - LEEK TOWN 0 HT

The opening stages of the second half saw Leeks Cullen Meadowcroft win headers at both ends of the pitch with mixed results. On 49mins the young centre-half produced a vital excellent defensive header to clear from a dangerous cross from the Hednesford left before going up for a Blues corner won by Owolabi on 51mins. The corner was curled into the 6yd box by Weir and was met by Meadowcroft for a great chance but he failed to get a good connection and direction on it and the ball bounced into a grateful Breedons arms.

The Pitmen had still not shown much of an attacking force from open play but were still causing some problems from set pieces. On 53mins Breedon drove a free kick from mid-way from his own half with real accuracy to find Sterling-James, who had pulled off the shoulder of Meadowcroft, and the striker hit it first time only to see Visser pull off a great save to concede the corner which he then punched away under pressure. Then, on 60mins, a long throw routine by the Pitmen saw Harrison’s back header flicked over his own crossbar by a Blues defender.

Hednesford were now pushing for a decisive second goal and thought it had arrived on 65mins when a cross from the right found its way through to Gibson who unleashed a powerful left footed half volley that produced a magnificent one handed save from Visser to keep his side in the contest.

Straight from the save Leek broke on the counterattack with Owolabi receiving the ball on the right flank before finding Hurst on the opposite side with a square pass. He had only one man to beat but Jamie Morgan showed good defensive work to force Hurst on the outside and then block the Leek man’s shot.

The game remained finely balanced at one nil as Sterling-James failed with an attempted lob over Visser at one end whilst Owolabi also failed to get his effort on target, lashing his shot high and wide after Billy Reeves had done well to win the ball and release his teammate on the break.

Further chances were exchanged as Leek continued to acquit themselves well against their opponents. Gibson produced a better lobbed effort over Visser after latching onto a long ball forward but it still had too much on it and landed on the roof of the net whilst at the other end Owolabi got on the end of Heaths header across goal but skewed his volley wide.

As the game neared it’s end Leek threw on Hayden Campbell into the attack and it nearly reaped it’s reward in the 94th minute. Heath managed to flick the ball on to Campbell inside the area who then looked to be pulled down by his marker with a sharp tug of his shirt. However the referee deemed there to be no foul and waved play on only to then halt the game to deal with the Leek protests and book Weir in the process for something said.

The game restarted but Hednesford were able to run out the remainder of time to secure a narrow victory

HEDNESFORD TOWN 1 - LEEK TOWN 0 FT

The Blues have a full week to prepare for the next game which is away against Ilkeston Town on Saturday 31 January - this brings to a close a very busy month with seven games. We then return to home comforts the following Saturday against Gainsborough Trinity

MATCH REPORT BY WINNERS LAD

Match Photo gallery courtesy of Jim Booth HERE