Report from Heanor Town website by Stan Wilton Heanor Town returned to Cropston Road, scene of an 8-0 triumph last season, to turn in another seven star performance led by Jaylee Hodgson. Hodgson’s nap hand against nine-man opposition would have turned him into the Lions first six hitter since Don Brown in 1958 had he not missed a 34th minute penalty. With George Walker, Nathan Junor, Josh Wain and Phil Austin all on holiday the Heanor management brought in new signing central defender Daniel Cox from Borrowash Victoria, and had Lee Stevenson making his 100th appearance for the club. Hodgson gave the game his intentions inside the first five minutes with a snap shot which just cleared the bar. Then in less than eight minutes the Lions lost Tom Norris with a groin strain and Stephen Atkinson took over. Stevenson almost celebrated his ton with a shot which drifted wide before Heanor took a deserved lead on 17 minutes. Cox hit a fine pass out to Webster, who looked a shade off-side. Webster lobbed keeper Stef Joyce but the ball looked to be heading wide until JAYLEE HODGSON raced in to head into an empty net. Anstey retaliated with a few searching crosses but the Heanor defence, with Cox indeed impressive, stood the test well. Brilliant work to win the ball in the middle of the park and a fine pass from Webster saw HODGSON double the Heanor advantage with an outstanding finish on 26 minutes. Home striker Darren Taylor, already booked for kicking the ball away, was fortunate not to be taking an early bath a minute later for a foul on Webster, but the referee showed leniency. The home side’s first chance full to Matt Shuter on the half hour, but Keeling beat out the shot in style. At the other end, Joyce saved from Hodgson and Atkinson was pulled back going for the rebound which saw Jordan Ludlam sent off for a last man offence and Joyce save Hodgson’s penalty with his legs. HODGSON completed his hat-trick with a tap in after good work and nice cross from Atkinson in the 37th minute, and the striker then outpaced the home defence to score his fourth goal of the game from a tight angle in the 44th minute. Debutant DANNY COX fired home a thunderous shot from a teed-up free kick in first half stoppage time to send Heanor in at the break five goals up. But apart from losing Norris, Webster had limped out of the game on 39 minutes and Adam Kay followed him after 44. An excellent pass from James Whitehead paved the way for GRAHAM WELLS to score his first of the season after 56 minutes and a 30-yard lob of precise accuracy from HODGSON completed the scoring on 77, but Hodgson, Stevenson, Wells and Grayson all could, and indeed should, have added more before the end. Meanwhile Darren Taylor had the ball in the net for Anstey on 66 minutes but was flagged off-side to which he reacted with choice words to a linesman and got himself a straight red to go with his earlier yellow. Even then sloppy Heanor might have conceded their first league goal of the season to the spirited nine-men home side with three minutes left when Leon Thraves thrashed a shot against the underside of the bar and Keeling and Cancellara combined to clear the danger. |