Train (Sheffield-Derby) with £8 discount = £3-30
Train (Derby-Hednesford) = £19-20
Entry = £11
Tea = £1-50
Team sheet = 20p
Apples = 68p
Total £35-88
After a brilliant 2 weeks in Sicily, and my first week in a new job, I headed to my first game for a few months. My last game was England’s victory over Wales in the Euros, way back in mid-June. It felt surreal to be back, perhaps for my last collection of new grounds before our new arrival lands. Hednesford is in the direction of Walsall, and I found my way there easily enough, and even benefited from a rail voucher to get a discount (I think this was part of the refund for our much-delayed trip to Liverpool vs Watford in May).
Keys Park was a relatively short walk from the station, and after parting with £11 entry, I entered the ground. It was a low-key, cloudy afternoon and the ground was fairly empty when I arrived. There was ample terracing, and in my view the stadium could easily host National League games (or at least have the capacity to expand in future).
I managed to obtain a team sheet before kick-off but somehow lost it, so I shall rely on squad numbers here! Hednesford dominated proceedings in the first half, with 10 skimming the cross-bar early on, and efforts cleared off the line by Whitby. 10 also hit the post, and forced a magnificient tip around the post by the away keeper. In one bizarre attacking sequence for the home side, I noted down no less than 8 shots on goal, with none being converted. The North Yorkshire side did have the odd chance, mainly with counter-attacks (generally easily snuffed out without too much bother) or long-range efforts.
At half-time, a group of local schoolchildren braved the torrential rain and had a relay race on the pitch. They were soaked through by the end, but didn’t seem too bothered! The second half was more evenly balanced. 10 again had an early shot deflected over, whilst at the other end Whitby’s 14 rattled the cross-bar after a ricochet off a home defender. Just as it looked as though this was heading for a stalemate, Hednesford substitute midfielder/striker (17) made it 1-0 with a tap-in after a quick attack.
For their relative dominance of the match, they deserved to be ahead. But Whitby did not give up, and there was a warning sign when 12 hit the post late on. In the dying seconds, their 16 rifled in a low shot from near the edge of the box, and it flew in to make it 1-1. On the basis of the second half, that was a fair result, but Hednesford could perhaps be a little aggrieved they had not wrapped up 3 points today. So on a cloudy and muggy day in the West Midlands, my 2016-17 football season had started again.
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