Danny Bloomfield scored twice on his City debut as a rousing finale salvaged a home point for the Lilywhites in this see-saw encounter at Milton Road.
Bloomfield, signed on loan from Bournemouth earlier in the week made the starting line up at the expense of Matt Clements. Rob Nightingale started the game on the right with the new man partnering Darren Collins in attack.
City battled to gain the ascendancy in the early stages as little pattern developed in the opening exchanges. Adam Wilde, who appeared to have been given a free role behind the strikers, didn’t allow this week’s transfer speculation unsettle him as he proved influential in the first few minutes.
On six minutes Wilde’s out-swinging left wing cross picked out Rob Nightingale who fired wide under pressure from the Pitmen’s back line. A couple of minutes later the visitors carved out their first opening. A through ball down the inside left channel found Steven Piearce with his back to goal, he laid the ball inside to Graham Lancashire but the former Burnley man sliced a speculative effort wide of the post.
Soon afterwards Hednesford came close to opening the scoring, a poor clearance was played back in towards the penalty spot. Stuart Ryder was first to react and his smart left foot shot was tipped around the post by a fully extended Martin Davies.
There then followed a period of City dominance, centring mainly around good work from Adam Wilde. Popping up on the right wing Wilde cut inside dangerously forcing a corner.
Darrens, Collins (9) and Simkin
engage in an aerial battle
He then combined well with Nightingale, allowing the latter to float in a curling ball with his left foot which was just too high for Darren Collins. As City maintained the pressure an accurate Tim Wooding clearance put Darren Collins in down the left. The big striker delivered a quality cross which Rob Nightingale headed just over the bar.
Wooding was again the architect as City took the lead on 24 minutes. A well flighted through ball gave Collins the opportunity to challenge Adam Jenkins in the air. The keeper spilled the ball under pressure and the ball fell to Danny Bloomfield who rounded one defender before planting the ball in the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Hednesford almost levelled within two minutes. Piearce and Lancashire combined to free Shaun Wray who whipped in a dangerous right wing cross, forcing Tim Wooding to put the ball behind from in front of the posts.
As City countered Darren Collins again found himself wide on the left. Another accurate cross found Rob Nightingale who laid the ball back across the face of the goal but there was nobody on hand to apply the finishing touch.
A head injury to Stuart Ryder caused a lengthy hold up which disrupted the flow of the game. The next significant action saw a crunching challenge by Che Wilson leave Darren Simkin prostrate on the turf. Whilst the referee seemed undecided on whether or not to stop the game, the City attack continued down the right. With the Hednesford defence apparently distracted by the injury Bloomfield saw his powerful drive parried by Jenkins at point blank range, the loose ball falling to Wilson who fired over.
City ended the half in the ascendancy with Rob Nightingale continuing to probe down the right, the home side leaving the pitch to generous applause at the interval.
Hednesford boss Ian Painter made a double substitution at the start of the second period, Kevin Francis and Stewart Airdrie replacing Shaun Wray and Steven Piearce.
Visiting 'keeper Adam Jenkins, gets
down to smother at Bloomfield's feet
Despite a brief scare when Darren Collins charged down an under-hit back pass this double change inspired the Pitmen who turned the game on its head within 15 minutes. Airdrie’s pace down the right gave the visitors an attacking outlet and created the platform from which they mounted their comeback. On 52 minutes Davies, under pressure from Lancashire and Chris Brindley, failed to hold on to a lofted free kick. As the ball broke loose the City keeper felled Darren Simkin in a vain attempt to atone for his error. The resultant spot kick was routinely dispatched by Simkin to the delight of the vociferous away following.
Eight minutes later and City conceded again. With the physical presence of Kevin Francis causing problems in the air City were forced to defend a succession of corners.
With the giant striker occupying the attention of the City rearguard, Carl Adams’ expert delivery picked out Brindley who powered home an unstoppable far post header.
In the ensuing minutes both Lancashire and Collins picked up yellow cards. City strove to level the scores but some resolute defending kept them at bay. Wilde played in Collins but under challenge from Brindley the City striker fired over.
As City pushed on they inevitably left gaps at the back. The pacy Airdie looked to have exploited this on 70 minutes when he surged towards goal only to be thwarted by a superb Shane Wardley challenge.
Rob Nightingale picked up a yellow card for a tackle from behind on Ashley Williams as City’s mounting frustration came to the surface. It was to be his last meaningful involvement in the game as Matt Clements was introduced into the action at Nightingale’s expense with 15 minutes to go.
The speedy wing man was quickly into the action racing on to an intelligent flicked header from Collins he fired low across the box only to see the alert Jenkins get to the ball before Bloomfield. City were now mounting sustained pressure on the Hednesford goal. A deep centre from Wignall nearly found Collins but Williams nicked the ball away at the last moment.
As the game entered the last ten minutes the hugely influential Wilson fed Clements who flashed another centre across the face of the goal.
With 85 minutes on the clock Kevin Wilkin replaced Shane Wardley, at the same time the visitors replaced Graham Lancashire with Mark Jones. Almost immediately Airdrie got behind Colin Vowden in a re-organised City defence and squared the ball to Francis with only Davies to beat. The City keeper dived bravely at the feet of Francis however to make a crucial save.
As the game switched frantically from end to end City were level. On 86 minutes Tim Wooding fired in a left wing corner and from almost under the crossbar it was the diminutive Bloomfield who powered home a fierce header. With time almost up City swarmed forward in search of a winner. Collins got the better of Simkin but the defender recovered to clear for another corner. With Hednesford unable to clear their lines Wilde set up Bloomfield whose ferocious left foot volley was brilliantly saved by Jenkins whose full length tip over denied the loanee striker a debut hat-trick.
There was still time for City to carve out two more match winning chances. Wilkin fed Wilde on the left edge of the box but again Jenkins made an excellent save when the ball appeared to be goal-bound. Within moments Wilde and Bloomfield combined to feed Wilkin who saw his dipping effort sail narrowly over the bar.
The drama wasn’t over however, first Paul Ware netted only to be flagged offside and then in a heart stopping moment for City fans Tim Wooding appeared to make contact with his hand inside the penalty area whilst attempting a last gasp clearance. Fortunately for the home side Mr Chittenden interpreted this as ‘ball to hand’ and honours finished even.
City’s biggest home crowd so far this season will have left disappointed that City failed to find a winner in a thrilling finale but overall both sides will probably be satisfied with this result.
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