Gresley Rovers vs Hednesford Town
The careworn faces of Gresley's players said it all after another dreadfully disappointing afternoon at the Moat Ground on Saturday.
Buoyed by their heroics in the league cup, this was a game Rovers were supposed to win to start a league revival.
But the plans went wrong almost from the opening whistle of a game in which Rovers plumbed new depths.
The loss of new signing Chris Hanks, whose arrival had given everyone at the Moat a boost following excellent early performances and starring roles in consecutive cup wins, after just 20 minutes, was a blow from which Rovers were unable to recover.
After a passable opening period in which Hanks headed a Richard Wardle cross narrowly over and Tony Marsden put a Richard Denby corner straight at Town keeper Paul Hayward, the Moatmen failed to create another decent chance all afternoon.
Town's defence were spoon fed on a diet of high balls into the penalty area that they gobbled up with glee, and it is difficult to recall a single occasion after Hank's departure on which a Rovers player got anywhere near to going round the back of the Pitmen's defence.
That left Rovers vulnerable to the sucker punch and twice they were felled, deep into injury time after a first half punctuated by frustrating stoppages and again in added time at the end of the 90 minutes.
Hednesford were made to look a different side from the defensively shaky assembly that Rovers could easily have beaten at the Cross Keys ground a few weeks before.
And after Hanks' exit with a back injury they seized control, racking up a tally of goal attempts that ensured Rovers keeper Bob Aston was always on his toes.
It was shoot on sight from Town as skipper Brendan Hackett fired a long-range effort just over and then another that forced Aston to save at the foot of a post.
And Graeme Rigg was lucky to see Steve Yates fire wide of a gaping target after Joey O'Connor had caught the Rovers full back in possession.
Hackett fired a shot on the turn just wide and then brought another save from Aston.
The nearest Rovers got to a chance was when Mark Hurst, on to replace Hanks, almost managed to control a Denby free kick in front of goal, the ball spinning away into Hayward's hands.
Tyron Street wasted another opportunity for Town when he skipped clear but shot over, then Hallam fired straight at Aston after breaking down the right.
A goal just had to come and, after 49 minutes, one did. Colin Loss felled Street on the edge of the box and former Burton Albion defender Kevin Collins' free kick picked out Hallam for a close range header past Aston.
Rovers improved somewhat after the break, but the Hednesford defence was never seriously threatened and when visitors broke away Hallam headed just over.
Martin Devaney fired into the side netting but Rovers impetus was slowing by now and Street delivered the coup de grace in injury time.
Collins' volleyed clearance picked out Hallam who held off substitute Ian Straw before setting up the unmarked midfielder to roll the ball into an empty net.
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Hednesford Town (1) 2
Scorers: Hallam 45, Street 91
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Elliott (Straw 69), Rigg, Loss, Evans, Stanborough, Wardle, Denby, Hanks (Hurst 20), Devaney, Marsden
Gresley man-of-the-match: Stuart Evans
Referee: R E Woolmer (Kettering)
Attendance: 676
