AFC Telford United 5 Hednesford Town 3
AFC Telford United surged to the top of the Skrill Conference North on New Year's Day after getting the better of Hednesford Town in another thriller.
After a 3-3 draw at Keys Park on Boxing Day, the teams went two better but it was Liam Watson's side who got the five they needed to see off the visitors.
The floodgates opened on a boggy New Bucks Head pitch, which was only made playable by an army of club staff and volunteers prior to kick off, on just eight minutes.
A one-two between Dave MacPherson and Nathan Blissett carved Telford open and set the latter free to slot under goalkeeper Ryan Young one-on-one, as Hednesford broke the deadlock.
The home side ploughed forward in search of an equaliser and drew the first save of the game from goalkeeper Dan Crane in the 15th minute, who pushed wide Adam Farrell's shot at point-blank range.
From the resultant corner, Matthew McGinn's corner from the right was met at the near post by Farrell that beat Crane this time, his header rippling the net before the shot-stopper could dive.
But Hednesford exposed frailties in Telford's defending from set pieces to regain the lead 10 minutes later and leave the hosts, again, chasing down a deficit.
Former Bucks junior Elliott Durrell floated in a free-kick which was met with a towering header into the far corner by captain-for-the-day Francino Francis.
After the break, the home side upped the tempo and scored goals past the Pitmen for fun as they battered the visiting defence.
Just five minutes into the second-half, Andy Owens' long throw was missed by Crane and seized upon by Mike Phenix and Charlie Barnett, the latter getting the touch to turn the ball home.
Just like in their first meeting, Telford went 3-2 up just three minutes later when Barnett set up Farrell to bomb forward and finish to the left of Crane's goal.
Four minutes later, Phenix got on the score-sheet after arriving first this time to convert past Crane at his post, from Owens' header down into his path.
Hednesford set up a tense finale by pulling a goal back with 14 minutes to go, another Francis header not dealt with by the Telford defence as Blissett touched the ball into the net.
But Farrell's hat-trick strike with 11 minutes to go ensured Telford would not be denied the three points they needed to lead the table for the first time this season.
His goal tally surged from six to nine for the season and he made off with the match-ball for his latest strike, rifling past Crane's dive and into the far corner from outside of the box.
