Hednesford Town v County- A Preview by Ian Watts

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Hednesford Last 5 Matches

H Leamington          L 1-2 (19th)
H Harrogate T         W 3-2 (13th)
A Gloucester C        D 0-0 (15th)
H Solihull Moors     W 2-1 (11th=)
A AFC Fylde  L 1-3 (16th)


 
Rob Smith.
Manager Rob Smith used the following players in their last game (previous clubs in brackets):

Dan Crane [G - West Bromwich A, Burton A, Moor Green (L), Rushden & D, Lewes (L), Cambridge U, Kings Lynn, Bromsgrove Rov, Corby T, Solihull Moors]
Jamie Ashmore [FB/M - Walsall]
Darren Campion [D - Birmingham C, Carlisle U, Workington (L), Solihull Moors, Redditch U]
Ben Bailey [D - Hednesford T, Sutton Coldfield T (L)]
Francino Francis [F/CD - Tamworth, Stoke C, Watford, Kidderminster H (L), Wealdstone (L), Redditch U, Quorn, Rushall Oly, Halesowen T, Willenhall T, Barwell, Tamworth]
Kris Taylor [D/M - Wolverhampton W, Manchester U, Walsall, Burton A (L), Hereford U, Port Vale, Darlington, AFC Telford U]
Jamey Osborne [M - Rushall Oly (L)]
Alex Melbourne [M - Wolverhampton W, Tamworth (L), AFC Wulfrunians, Rushall Oly, Hednesford T, Chasetown, Rushall Oly,]
Danny Glover [F - Port Vale, Salisbury C (L), Rochdale (L), Stafford R (L), Worcester C, Nuneaton T, Worcester C, FC Halifax T (L), Bradford PA]
James Hurst [D - West Bromwich A, Portsmouth, ÍBV [isl] (L), West Bromwich A, Blackpool (L), Shrewsbury T (L), Chesterfield (L), Birmingham C (L), Shrewsbury T (L), Valur [isl], Crawley T, Northampton T (L), Valur [isl]]
Tom Peers [F - Chester]
Substitutes Used
Marvin Robinson [F - Derby Co, Stoke C (L), Tranmere Rov (L), Chesterfield, Notts Co, Rushden & D, Walsall, COUNTY, Lincoln C, Macclesfield T, Oxford U, Cambridge U (L), Kettering T, Redditch, Nantwich T, Hednesford T, Brackley T, Oxford C]
Dominic Dell [F - Wolverhampton W, Port Vale, Worcester C(L)]
Malcolm Melvin [M - Aston Villa, Notts Co]

Last line of defence is Danny Crane who along with 5 other players has started every game. Danny was in goals when Rushden and Diamonds drew 2-2 at Edgeley Park against the bottom of the table Hatters in League 2 back in January 2006. He was also in goals for last season's visit to Hednesford, and kept a clean sheet in the return game as County lost again during our March slump in results.

 
Danny Crane, between the sticks last season against County.

The other 5 starting places have very much been swapped around as Town made an inconsistent start to the season, losing half their games to lie in 16th place. Last weekend saw another two new players brought in with the changes still being made to try and find some form.
As for goals, Danny Glover is top scoring with 3 goals but has not hit the net in the last few matches, giving loan signing from Chester Tom Peers the chance to become the most dangerous player in the Town side having scored in both the last two games. Hednesford's other two goals were scored by Jamey Osborne (who netted in last season's defeat) and Francino Francis.

Last season Hednesford had three former County men involved but Sam Barnes (now at Witton Albion) and John Disney (who left for Chester in the summer) have moved on. This leaves just Marvin Robinson who was with the Hatters back in 2005 playing just 3 games. Marvin has featured in every game so far - albeit it four of them as a substitute.

The County Side

It's a return to his footballing home of the last two seasons for Nathan Woolfe as County again look to build on a good home victory.

 
Nathan Woolfe.

Alan Lord isn`t  forced yet  to make changes to accommodate  Jamie Milligan's suspension, as this  kicks in on the 8th, which may mean same again  as far as the back five and midfield is concerned. 

 
Kristian Dennis v Bradford
Having broken a club record Kristian Dennis will be hoping he is one of the names in consideration for the spare starting place. Six men had scored in consecutive games as a substitute for the Hatters since Keith Webber became the first back in April 1972. He was followed by Tony Hancock (Jan 1989), Chris Williams (March 2004), Adam le Fondre (March 2006), Liam Dickinson (August 2007) and Cameron Darkwah (March/April 2012).  With his goal against Lowestoft Kristian was the first man to score in three games on the trot after coming off the bench.

Past Visits

Tuesday 25 July 2006 - Friendly Match
Hednesford Town (0) 0 County (0) 0
Hednesford: Ryan Young, Iain Screaton (Craig Marshall), Jamie March, Steve Brannan (Phil Hadland), Danny Jellicoe, Tom Marshall, Tom Franklin (Danny McGhee), Mario Pedro, Kyle Perry, Dave Whittaker (Ross Dyer) and Marlon Walters (Fabian Smith)
County: Tim Deasy, Jamal Henry (Danny Warrender), Michael Rose (Mark Robinson), Matty Burke (Michael Bowler), James Tunnicliffe, Rob Clare, Bryan Gilfillan, Greg Tansey, Liam Dickinson, Jamie McGuire (Adam Le Fondre) and Bryan Stewart (Gianluca Havern).

Saturday 14 July 2007 - Friendly Match
Hednesford Town 0 County 4 (Campbell, Pilkington, Proudlock 2)
Hednesford: Rene Gilmartin, Ross Adams, Tom Marshall (Gary Sucharewycz), Tom Ward (Banks), Gordon Simms, Paul Robinson, Joe Clarke (Jay Birch), David MacPherson, Peter Knox (Tony Brown), Alan Nagington and Liam Hebberd (Reece Styche)
County: Adam Legzdins, Steven Campbell (Keith Briggs), Adam Griffin (Tommy Rowe), Jason Taylor (Tony Dinning), Gareth Owen (Gianluca Havern), Ashley Williams (Michael Raynes), David Poole (Danny Ellis), Greg Tansey (Mark Innes), Anthony Elding (Chris Coward), Matty McNeil (Adam Proudlock) and Liam Dickinson (Anthony Pilkington).

Tuesday 14 Jan 2014 - Skrill Conference North
Hednesford Town 3 (Harvey 2, Osborne) County 1 (Dennis)
Hednesford: Danny Crane, John Disney, Darren Campion, Paul McCone, Francino Francis, Tom Thorley, Jamey Osborne (Kris Taylor), Elliot Durrell, Neil Harvey (Nathan Woolfe), Nathan Blissett and Robert Thompson-Brown (Dave MacPherson).
County: Ian Ormson, Kyle Jacobs, Scott Duxbury (Stephen O'Halloran), Nicky Platt, Jordan Fagbola, Adam Cowen (Mark Lees), Tunji Moses, Chris Churchman, Kristian Dennis, Phil Jevons and Iain Howard (Liam Dickinson)

The second Friendly was part of the compensation agreement after Ashley Williams came to County from Hednesford. Ashley went on to be capped by Wales for the first time some four years after his County debut and a couple of days before leaving the club for Swansea City. So whilst Ashley is with the Wales squad preparing to earn his 46th cap in their game in Andorra, if their 3G pitch has been cleared by UEFA by Tuesday, the fans who watched his early career in Staffordshire and Cheshire will be looking on as County look for a first competitive win at Keys Park.


Ian Watts.


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