Tims 92

Hednesford Town

Keys Park

Ground No. 66 (return visit)

Visited - Saturday 30^th July 2011

Result - Hednesford Town 3-2 Warrington Town

Competition - Pre-Season Friendly

Attendance - 615

Visited - Tuesday 16^th August 2011

Result - Hednesford Town 3-2 Buxton

Competition – NPL Premier Division

Attendance - 510

People often ask what the rules of groundhopping are, what qualifies you to become a hopper, and whilst the 92 club have their own definition, the truth is that it’s a hobby really, and it doesn’t need any rules other than what makes you happy, however that said, there are some common traits, one being the tendency not to return to a venue. I often used to end these reports with something along the lines of “I’ll be happy to go back there again”, but the truth of the matter is that the vast majority of grounds I go to, I leave knowing that I’ll never be back again, however good or enjoyable a trip it had been. The urge to go somewhere new is usually overwhelming, and perhaps that’s what defines the hobby, seeing new places, gaining new experiences and just generally looking for something a little different each time. That aside though, there are grounds that do have a certain pull factor, usually for most people, local ones, and since visiting Hednesford Town in 2005, I’d been wanting to go back there for a while, with it turning out a little ironic that after pondering a return for the last couple of seasons, I’d end up making two trips within a short space of time.

Spotting that their pre-season friendly against Warrington Town was free entry, then it seemed a perfect opportunity to revisit on an otherwise blank Saturday, if for nothing else to go along and get some new pictures, but less than two weeks later, friends up from Kent had messaged to say they were in the area and did I fancy going to…. Well, why not!

The club have a long history that dates all the way back to 1880, although judging by the small amount of information available prior to the 1990s, then one might assume not a greatly successful one, having played largely in the West Midlands Regional League up until 1984 when they achieved promotion to the Southern League. One amusing event though occurred in the late 60s involving young Wolves fan and Hednesford defender Brian Horton, who showing promise playing for his home town team attracted attention from Port Vale, eventually being sold for the fee of ‘a pint of shandy’, the chairman at the time presumably not quite aware that he had a future top flight player on his hands, Horton going on to play with both Brighton and Luton in the old Division One. He’s not the only famous name to have kicked a ball around in the former mining town, Scott Dann had had a brief loan spell here whilst as a youngster, albeit gracing different turf to Horton, with the Pitmen having left their old Cross Keys ground in 1995 to move only 300 yards down the road to the newly built Keys Park. It was around this time that their fortunes had really begun to change. Gaining promotion to the Southern League Premier in 1992, they won the title three years later in their last season at the Cross Keys, the step up to Conference football coinciding nicely with the ground move. A six year spell at the top of the non-league pyramid saw them make headlines in the cups as well, reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1997 having knocked out league sides Blackpool and York on the way, before eventually bowing out in a narrow 3-2 loss away at Middlesbrough. They’ve reached the 1^st round proper stage on four occasions since then, which along with their 2004 FA Trophy win has helped see Keys Park be developed into the stadium, that on my first visit in 2005 left me pretty impressed with the facilities on offer, especially with it being my first visit to a ‘real’ non-league ground (technically speaking Gay Meadow had been the first, but…).

Going back then, I knew what to expect, but was still looking forward to it, and at free entry, who could moan. Since my first visit Hednesford had been relegated from the Conference North down to Step 3, switching from the Northern Premier League to the Southern League and back again during that time. The visitors, Warrington Town, were from the NPL Division One North, and after getting into the ground, it was good, if a little surprising to see that even for a friendly game that they’d travelled down in good numbers, with a number of flags on display.

The site of a former brickworks, Keys Park is located more in Heath Hayes than Hednesford itself, not that the two are greatly separate areas, merging with each other along with Cannock to the south. With Heath Hayes themselves and Chasetown all within a few miles of each other, then it’s a hoppers heaven really, with the Hednesford Hills Racetrack in the same area as well, for those with a passion for watching traffic! Driving into the ground, then a small car park sits behind the Main Stand, which stands tall with an attractive front entrance bearing the clubs name and badge on it. There’s not a great deal to see otherwise, however once in then you can’t help but be impressed. The Main Stand itself sits centred on the halfway line, and whilst only running for around a third of the pitch, does look imposing with a steep bank of seating, and the bar to the rear. There’s more seating to the left at the Hednesford End, where a smaller former terrace sits, raised slightly from pitch level giving a good view, whilst the other two sides are covered terraces, again both steep and big enough to offer a good view of the action, and perhaps more importantly, shelter with all four sides being covered, not that that was needed on a beautiful summers day.

The reason for the free entry was that the club were launching their new kit for the 2011/12 season, but whilst the sight of three fine ladies wandering around the bar and pitch showing it off was welcome, it was the football I was more interested in seeing! From the off, despite the game officially being a friendly, it was clear both sides were looking to compete, and the hosts forced a number of early corners, taking the lead in just the eighth minute thanks to ex-Wolves striker Mark Danks. Despite the vocal backing of their supporters, who came equipped not only with flags, but a drum as well, Wire looked there for the taking early on as Hednesford pressed for most of the first half, but they went into the break level courtesy of Sam Finlay who scored a good goal after rounding the keeper to knock into an empty net halfway through. In the July heat, the pace of the first half couldn’t be kept up after the break, but the intensity certainly was with things spilling over late on as a couple of fights broke out between the two sides who still both clearly wanted to win with feisty tackles going in all over the pitch. It was to be the hosts’ game though, and with full time approaching, they took the lead thanks to Nick Wellecomme, the substitute slotting home ten minutes from time after capitalising on defensive mistakes by the visitors. Warrington still had time though and pressed for the late equaliser, but it wasn’t coming, and come the end of the match then you could tell that even with no league points at stake, they were disappointed to have lost.

After leaving I’d been quite happy to have visited, not only had it been a good game to watch, but just to remind myself what a great ground it is, so when Tonbridge Angels cum Derby fans Brian and Alison were up staying in Stafford a few weeks later and asked if I fancied meeting up for a game, then I was more than happy to return!

League action had resumed by this point, and having won 1-0 away at Bradford Park Avenue at the weekend, Buxton were due to be the first visitors of the season to Keys Park, with a Tuesday night match under the lights (or at least the second half of it, still being in August!).

Coming straight from work and meeting up in Stafford we made our way down to the ground, heading in and up to the bar for a couple of pre-match pints before the game. Buxton had lost 3-2 at the weekend, and from the off it looked like it could be another difficult match for the Derbyshire side, with Hednesford piling on the pressure early doors, taking a sixth minute lead through Danny Quinn who fired home in off the post to make it 1-0. It was all the home side in the first half, but like the Warrington game, they ended up going into the break with scores level, and once more from a soft goal. Failing to clear their lines from a corner, the ball found its way through to Kieran Lugsden who had no problem in slamming it home from close range on the half hour mark.

Perhaps it was the confidence from braving the early storm, but after the break, the visitors came out the brightest and coming up to the hour they took a deserved lead. A great ball over the top was chased by Lugsden, who outmuscled the defence and hit home his second of the night to give Buxton the lead and it was the signal of some intense pressure on the home goal, with the Pitmen looking like they had run out of both ideas and energy. Ex-Willenhall manager Rob Smith though saw the need for change and making two subs in around the 70^th minute paid off, finding themselves level shortly afterwards thanks to Chris Clements, who converted a fairly dubious looking penalty, which substitute Nick Wellecomme had won after being fouled in the box. It was a pivotal point in the game, and brought the home side back in the swing of things, forcing visiting ‘keeper Scott Hartley into a number of good saves. Despite his sides efforts though, he could do nothing to stop Hednesford taking all three points with a cruel injury time goal by Cheyenne Dunkley who rose highest to power home a header from a free-kick into the box. It was heart wrenching for the visitors and a real smash and grab effort from the hosts after an indifferent second half, and you really had to feel for them after leaving, even if it had been a great end to the game.

After leaving and getting dropped off in Stafford again, then I made my way home glad to have made trip number three to the ground, even if it was so soon after the second! Whilst it might not be hosting Conference football any more, there’s no doubt that this is one of the best non-league grounds in the country, built for a level perhaps even higher than that, looking like it’s more than capable of hosting league action. Whether that proves to be the case in the future, we’ll just have to wait and see.