Trafford (H) .. Northern Premier League - West

[Del]

Saturday 12 August 2023 .. kick-off 1500hrs

We extend a warm welcome to first-time visitors and away fans, here's what you need to know about Keys Park.

https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/stadium

Local weather forecasts can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653883
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weat ... /gcqe9zm6y

[sheriff]

I will be returning after a two years absence

[PitmanKeith]

I will be returning after a two years absence

Good on ya mate.

[Del]

Trafford are on a roll in the Emirates FA Cup!

https://www.traffordfc.com/news/traffor ... 95861.html

[sheriff]

not surprised they weren't playing anybody

[Del]

Match Preview:

https://www.hednesfordtownfc.com/2023/0 ... v-trafford

[PitmanKeith]

Screenshot_20230811_092757_Chrome.jpg

August 2016.

Prices still very competitive

[Lee K]

I haven’t been to any of the friendlies since Wulfrunians (for a variety of reasons) so I might not be best placed but here is the team I would play tomorrow (the only injury I know of is Danny Glover as per tonight’s Express & Star article).

GK - Dan Crane
RB - Lewis Wright
LB - Jacob Gwilt
CB - Callam Mendez-Jones
CB - Michael Williams
RM/W - Jack Sang
CM - Tom Thorley
CM - Desean Martin
LW/M - Reinaldo Forbes
FWD - Rivel Mardenborough
FWD - Wembanvuanda Star Mayemba

Subs - Jack Richards, Sam Griffiths, Ryan Andrews, Liam Hallam, Kaine Butler.

No places in the squad for Jack Kelly, Sam Paddock, Harry Bower, Mikey Nelson, Max Dixon.

[Glyn]

the only injury I know of is Danny Glover as per tonight’s Express & Star article

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/fo ... PRKOrt2WE4

[Town Crier]

O yay and ding dong o yay
We go again today

[PitmanKeith]

Full Time

Hednesford 1-1 Trafford

Attendance 757

[PitmanKeith]

Danny Glover post match

[sheriff]

cant believe i left that game not taking all three points ref was a t0$$er, and Trafford were awful
Reinaldo menaced the defence and he must start Teusday
good point i'm happy with that start

[Perton Pitman]

Bit of a mixed bag if I'm honest. We started the game incredibly badly and for 15 minutes we couldn't get out of our half. We looked a bit nervy and if I'm being truthful we were very short on quality all afternoon. Trafford were pretty ordinary, but early on they looked well drilled.
THe second half was better obviously as Mardenborough (my man of the match) came into the game and his ability to run at defenders resulted in the sending off and the game turned at that point.

Until then we had mustered little, but Trafford went completely on the defensive . Suddenly we started to look threatening, especially from set pieces as we discovered that the Trafford keeper like to stay on his line. Really pleased for Griffiths with his towering, brave header flying into the net. It meant a lot to him, having spent the last couple of years playing in front of one man and his dog, and he was happy to take the adulation from the fans and his team mates.

Star had a very average afternoon, but he is capable of excellent things and I'm sure it will click for him soon. Mardenborough put a tremendous shift in and near the end he chased an opponent back to his own penalty area. We've not seen much of that from any of our players from a while. A very hard working display and I hope he is rewarded with goals soon.

Can't help thinking that our two starting wingers won't make the 11 on Tuesday. The two replacements did very well - albeit against a tiring opponent - and we got crosses into the box in the last quarter of the game when there had been nothing prior to that. Danny was right in his assessment as he recognised that the pace was too slow much of the time.

Martin and Thorley sat too deep in my opinion and having what was in effect a back six made for a painful afternoon of viewing when Trafford showed little ambition. Williams had a fine game at the back and looks a class act at this level.

A marvellous turn out from the people of the area. Let's hope they continue to show up in large numbers as there is no doubt that the players drew inspiration from the crowd as the game went on. The club is certainly alive and kicking, but now we have to stabilise and not expect too much in the way of success.

We will see plenty of red cards this season as the guidance is for less leniency for all of the nonsense that usually goes on. I'm all for that, but let's have consistency from the officials as I'm not sure we got it today.

THe season will be difficult - I hope we can keep up the levels of effort as the quality simply isn't there and we have to accept that.

Well done to the lads today - they all did their best and I can ask for no more.

Hoping to see plenty of fans at the game on Tuesday night

[Lee K]

First half was really poor. We just didn’t get going at all and went a goal down in the 4th minute. The referee had a dreadful first half, there was no way they should have had a free kick which they scored from, it should have been a free kick to us.
I thought we played well second half. We were helped by them going down to 10 men and playing very defensive but we put the pressure on, kept being patient and there was only one team that was going to win the game in the last 20 minutes. I think we deserved to win in the end.
Standout performances were from Williams (my MOTM) and Griffiths at the back, Kelly has a great left foot and put in some cracking crosses in the second half but Mendez-Jones had an off day and only added more to my belief that he is a centre half and not a right back.
Again Tom showed his best days are well behind him, Desean Martin grew into the game as it went on, but Jack Sang and Harry Bower were poor and not in the game. Star didn’t get into the game at all and Mardenborough battled hard throughout.
Both subs were useful, Dixon (who hasn’t looked good enough to me in the friendlies) played really well when he came on and Reinaldo was excellent. He or both must start the next game.
All in all we got better as the game went on. Still plenty to work on and to get better at but we’ve got a point on the board and a half decent performance so it’s good enough for now.
On to Newcastle Town now, a ground I frequented probably 9-10 times whilst I was at university there but only once in the last 20 years. It’s a good, friendly club with a small but decent clubhouse and a well prepared pitch so looking forward to it.

[jackiemaund]

I thought I would assess each player for a change giving them marks out of ten

CRANE Not troubled greatly no chance with goal needs to improve his distribution. Seven
MENDEZ. Definitely not a right back lacks pace and offers little going forward better has centre back. Five
WILLIAMS. Tower of strength in defence my player of the match. Nine
GRIFFITHS. An ideal partner for Williams scored goal with cracking header. Eight
KELLY. Not the quickest but strong in the tackle gets forward and crosses a ball well. Seven
BOWER. This guy really tries but lacks pace to get by players may be better inside has a link up player. Six
MARTIN. Battles but limited wastes a lot possession with poor passing. Five
THORLEY. Ok when he has time and space unfortunately seen better days has lack of pace shows. Five
SANG. Offered very little Four
RIVEL. Worked hard but received little service. Seven
STAR. Has his moments but again lacked service. Six
Subs
DIXON. Must admit when he came on to replace Bower my heart sank but I was pleasantly surprised
He gave their left sided defenders a torrid time and proved a real threat. Seven
FORBES. After just a few minutes everyone was saying why didn’t he start we finally had somebody who
Could go past players and get some good balls into the box he really must start next next match. Eight

I thought it was a poor first half Trafford were nothing to write home about and we struggled has a unit but the sending off and our subs changed the game altogether and we got a deserved equaliser.
Plenty of room for improvement but it will come hopefully starting Tuesday night.

[J shez]

First half as everybody had said was poor.the two centre mids sat far too deep an although Martin got stuck in an did that side ok,thornley ,as he's looked all pre season,is miles away from what we need even at the level.sang for me,as was his position when we signed him,should be given a go next to Martin as he's never a wide player an could link up ok with the front men.second half wasnt fantastic but was better but it was always going to be difficult against a side that had no interest in doing anything but sitting in after they scored.forbes changed the game and Dixon did well but would have liked to see him been moved central late against there big number 9 who cleared up most crosses when he moved into defence after the red card.we didnt give in though an got a deserved goal .big positives were Williams, although he does take risks,and mardenborough.a point on the opening day isn't a disaster and I think it's going to take another 4/5 games for the side to really gel.fantastic crowd and the noise when the goal went in was the best i can remember for along time.looking forward to Tuesday at Newcastle and with 1 or 2 changes I think we can nab all 3 points.

[Glyn]