City were punished for failing to turn their territorial superiority into goals as they were floored by the Pitmen’s last minute sucker punch on a wind battered afternoon.

The Milton Road faithful got their first chance to see loan signings Richard Scott and Lewis Cook in action whilst the fit again Lee Pluck and Rob Nightingale both made the bench. For the Pitmen only Ryan Young and Chris Gray remained from the eleven that started the League Cup quarter final between the two sides just over a month ago.

Robbie Simpson bursts past Chris Gray

City appeared to have the benefit of an unpredictable wind in the opening half and with only two minutes on the clock Richard Scott’s whipped free kick from wide on the right indicated that the weather would have a significant influence on proceedings, Darren Simkin alert to the danger diverting the ball behind for a corner.

The Lilywhites looked at their most potent when spreading the play. With a quarter on an hour gone a Cook through ball found an advancing Lewis Baillie who checked before switching play inside to Scott, the former Peterborough midfielder warming Young’s hands with a first time drive which the former Hucknall Town stopper gathered at the second attempt.

Following a Scott free kick more good work by Cook moments later created a half chance for Danny Bloomfield to the left of goal but Simkin was quick to react and complete an important block at the near post.

Hednesford struggled to come to terms with the conditions, their strikers rarely managing to hold play up, however, twenty minutes into the contest the imposing Steve Anthrobus flicked on intelligently into the path of Steve Piearce but the striker’s first touch was much too heavy and the ball ran harmlessly through to Martin Davies.

City’s next attack came from wide on the right hand side. Craig Pope and Carl Williams combined well allowing the former Hitchin midfielder to fire in a dangerous low cross which Lee Barrow intercepted at the expense of a corner.

With the game half an hour old the Pitmen were awarded a free kick wide on the right for a foul by Lee Chaffey. Les Hines left footed delivery illustrated that the creative use of set pieces could be the key to gaining control of the match, on this occasion however, Martin Davies, a virtual spectator up until that point, came off his line to deal decisively with the threat.

Lewis Baillie gets a taste of Steve Anthrobus' elbow

As City searched for the opener whilst they had the advantage of the wind Rob Miller and Robbie Simpson worked an opening for Danny Bloomfield, but with his back to goal and from the edge of the box, the Lilywhites top scorer shot narrowly high of the angle of post and crossbar.

The Lilywhites made a bright start to the second half and their attempts to keep the ball on the floor allowed them to counter the conditions and retain the upper hand over the visitors. It was the Pitmen however who had the first sight of goal, Young’s wind assisted clearance was helped on by Gray into the path of Piearce whose snap shot was deflected by Matt Langston who had closed down to good effect.

More patient build up by City down the right hand side saw Robbie Simpson play in Williams on the edge of the box, this allowed the Lilywhites midfielder to set up Bloomfield who flashed a header narrowly wide of the target.

With City in the ascendancy Bloomfield’s persistence enabled him to rob a ponderous Barrow on the half way line and sprint away only for the visiting skipper to tug at his shirt, conceding a free kick and earning a yellow card in the process but this was scant reward for the potential opening the former Bournemouth striker had created for himself.

Visiting boss Barry Powell attempted to shift the balance of power with a double substitution, introducing Steve Evans and Damien Charie at the expense of Steve Palmer and Anthrobus.

There was no immediate let up however as the tricky Cook wriggled clear on the left before delivering a far post cross which Simpson headed powerfully back across goal only for Young, displaying quick feet, to re-position himself and tip the ball over the bar.

New signing Lewis Cook is challenged by Jordan King

In attempt to find a late winner Gary Roberts introduced Rob Nightingale, Carl Williams making way. Within moments of the change the home side scorned a golden opportunity to secure all three points. A quickly taken Scott free kick into the feet of Bloomfield saw City’s number 10 angle the ball into the path of strike partner Simpson on the left hand edge of the area with only Young between himself and the net. The visiting ‘keeper did well to narrow the angle but City’s teenage striker seemed to be in two minds whether to place or blast his shot and in the end fired straight at Young who gratefully clung on to the loose ball after making the initial block.

A struggling Cook was then replaced by Stuart Niven.

As the game appeared to be coasting to an inevitable draw disaster struck for the home side. Having showed excellent concentration at the back and taking no risks in the difficult conditions, a quickly taken Hines free kick caught the Lilywhites on the back foot. Within a split second Gray found himself with space wide on the left, going for the by-line he cut the ball back dangerously onto the forehead of the onrushing Carl Palmer who powered a header past a stranded Davies and into the roof of the net.

There was no time for City to find a way back and the points belonged to the Pitmen as the Lilywhites were left to reflect on their continued difficulty in unlocking visiting defences to Milton Road.