With the exception of something completely out of the ordinary happening, Lowestoft Town are safe and will be playing Conference football next season. However, the blues will no doubt be looking to get points from their home match against Hednesford Town on Saturday to not only make certain but to also continue a run that has seen the side go eight league games unbeaten.

Here's some information on the match, along with some history about Hednesford Town:-

Admission Prices:-
Adult - £12
Concession - £9
Under 16 - £3

Programme Cost:-
£2

Sponsors:-
Our Main Sponsors – Smith Bros Timber
http://www.smiths-timber.co.uk/
Platinum Match Sponsor – SSE
http://www.sse.co.uk/
Silver Match Sponsor – Andy and Stewart Sharman
Ball Sponsor – (In Memory of Brian "Ball Please" Ellis)
Ball-boys (sponsored by Greater Gabbard Offshore Winds Ltd) – Mutford & Wrentham Predators U12's
Mascots – Imogen and Harrison Jarvis

Ground:-
Name - Crown Meadow
Postcode - NR32 2PA
Capacity - 3000
Seating for - 466
Car Parking: Limited on-street parking but agreement with local college 250 yards away for cars to park there.
Food & Drink: There is a fully licensed bar within the clubhouse. While in the ground there is Muriel’s Tea/Coffee Bar, Barbara’s Tea/Coffee bar at which a selection of pastries is also on offer, our burger van and our excellent chilli van that has had rave reviews from travelling and home supporters for its curry, chilli, nachos, jacket potatoes, etc, etc.

BT Sports (LIVE - 12:45pm) – Swansea v Everton:-
Prior to the game the big screen TV's in our Social Club will be showing the Live Premier League match from The Liberty Stadium between Swansea and Everton.
The turnstiles will be open from 12:30pm and as usual our fully licensed bar will be open to serve hot/cold drinks and bar snacks. So why not come along early to enjoy a live premiership game and a couple of beers before Lowestoft Town take on Hednesford Town.

Form:-
Lowestoft Town (15th) – Last five league results; DDDDW
Leading Scorer (League) – Jack Ainsley (11)
Hednesford Town (8th) – Last five league results; LLLLD
Leading Scorer (League) – Danny Glover (9) but joined Stockport County on 23rd December 2014
Lowestoft Town are in a good vein of form, which has also been accompanied by a great deal of determination and a never-say-die attitude by the players. The blues last tasted defeat in the league on Valentine's Day when a late goal by Oxford City condemned Lowestoft to a 2-1 defeat.
It's been an undefeated run of eight league games, containing six draws and two wins; form that has seen them keep the relegation battling sides at arm's length. During this time they have also booked their place in the Suffolk Premier Cup Final after beating Ryman Premier League promotion hopefuls Leiston in the semi-final. Last time out in the league the blues came from behind to beat Leamington 2-1 and grab their most important win of the season with a last minute headed winner from Sowunmi. Lowestoft have drawn their last five home games in the league and their steely character at home is backed up even more by the fact that they've not lost at home in 2015 and were last defeated at the Crown Meadow by North Ferriby United at the end of November 2014. A continuation of that form will see a very happy Crown Meadow come quarter to five on Saturday.
Hednesford Town come into the game off the back of a poor run of form, having initially launched themselves right into the play-off mix with a great run of results prior to March. They currently sit six points outside the play-off places with just three games remaining and any hopes of grabbing a play-off berth are now distant ones with them having lost five of their last seven league games. Last time out they stopped the rot with a 1-1 draw at Solihull Moors but will come up against a Lowestoft side who are on a good run and possess an impressive home record.

Reverse Fixtures:-
(Hednesford Town 2 Lowestoft Town 0 – Saturday 10th January 2015)
When the two sides met in the reverse fixture back in January, it was all about the last three minutes in a controversial match that saw Ipswich Town loanee, Omar Sowunmi make his debut for Lowestoft. It was a match that also saw the blues pick up a number of injuries during the game, as their resolve was tested to its limits. To be fair to the hosts, they had tested the blues Man of the Match and goalkeeper Jones throughout the game but the men from Suffolk had also competed well. However, just as Lowestoft looked to have held out for an invaluable point, controversy struck. On the 87th minute substitute Paul Sullivan was adjudged to have been brought down in the area for a penalty by Fisk, when there appeared to be little contact. Fisk was incensed by the decision and in the melee that followed the Lowestoft midfielder was shown his second yellow card of the match to make matters worse for the visitors as they went down to ten. Sullivan duly converted the penalty and with Lowestoft introducing Woods-Garness and naturally throwing everyone forward to try and equalise, the hosts grabbed the killer second goal on the break, as Walker shot past an exposed Jones to inflict a cruel 2-0 defeat on the Trawlerboys.
For a full match report of this game, Click Here

Club History:-
HEDNESFORD TOWN were formed in 1880 with the amalgamation of two teams, the Red and Whites (who were also known as West Hill) and Hill Top.
Hednesford Town FC may have a long and proud history but it was not until January 1990 that the club’s fortunes turned for the better. The 1989/90 season had been a long hard struggle and, at the beginning of the year, the club were in a deep relegation battle and with gates below 300, relegation from The Beazer Homes Midland Division looked a distinct possibility. In an effort to avoid relegation the club appointed former goalkeeper, John Baldwin, as manager and he gradually began to turn the club around and relegation was avoided.
The following season the team finished third and then gained promotion to the Beazer Homes League Premier Division, after finishing the 91/92 season as runners-up to Solihull Borough. The club, also in the 91/92 season, became the first English football team to play at The Welsh National Stadium losing 1-0 to Cardiff City, in the final of the Welsh Cup.
The 1994/95 season saw the club finished as Beazer Homes League Premier Division champions with the team defeating Leek Town in front of 2776 supporters at The Cross Keys to clinch the title and promotion to the GM Vauxhall Conference.
The Pitmen commenced their first season in The Conference at their new Keys Park home and in the club’s first season in the top flight of non-league football as they finished in third place behind champions Stevenage Borough and Woking.
The 1996/97 season went down as the best in the clubs’ history to date as the Pitmen reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in 72 years, eventually losing in the fourth round at Middlesbrough, in front of 27,500 supporters.
The following season saw the club finish in seventh position and further FA Cup success was enjoyed as, in front of millions of Match of the Day viewers, the Pitmen beat Hull City 2-0 at Boothferry Park but in the second round lost to Darlington.
In the 98/99 season the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the third season running. This time the team beat Barnet 3-1 in the first round but lost by the same scoreline away at Cardiff City in the next round.
League success did not follow the fine cup runs and the 1999/2000 season saw the team drop to 17th position then, after John Baldwin had stepped down during December 2000, the club were relegated for the first time in their history.
The club’s first season back in the Southern League was a big disappointment and only a last day victory away at Newport (IOW) saved a second consecutive relegation.
The team started the 2002/03 season with Ian Painter in charge but, with the Pitmen hovering around the relegation zone Ian was replaced during February 2003 by Barry Powell, who returned to the club after a spell at Stafford Rangers. Barry had previously been assistant manager with Kenny Hibbitt.
Despite the club’s FA Trophy success in May 2004, when Canvey Island were defeated 3-2 at Villa Park, Barry Powell was replaced as manager by Chris Brindley. The club had failed during the 2003/04 season to finish high enough in the league to move into the new Conference set up but promotion came twelve months later, when a place in The Football Conference Northern Division was gained after winning play off games away at Merthyr Tydfil and Chippenham Town.
The 05/06 season saw the Pitmen again reach the first round of the FA Cup but the team were defeated 4-0 away at Histon. The team continued to leak goals and, as a result of a number of poor results, Chris Brindley left the club by mutual consent in early December 2005. Chris’ assistant manager, former Wimbledon star, Steve Anthrobus, was appointed manager but he was unable to save the club from relegation to The Unibond Northern Premier League.
In the seasons that followed the team failed to make an extended challenge for promotion, with the Pitmen dropping from the top following Christmas in both the 2006/07 and 2008/09 seasons though the Birmingham Senior Cup was won in the latter.
In January 2010 the club appointed former player and Northern Ireland international, Bernard McNally as manager and he took the side to a creditable fourth place, despite a frantic end of the season with three games a week being commonplace. However this extraordinary run of games following a frozen Winter fixture list would come back to haunt them in the playoffs with Chippenham Town winning the semi-final 2-0.
After a shock early exit from the 2010/11 FA Cup and a continuation of some poor form at home, Bernard McNally and his assistant Stuart Brock left the club to be replaced by the former AFC Telford United management team, Rob Smith and Larry Chambers in late September 2010.
Rob and Larry led the Pitmen to their most successful season in years; finishing 2nd in the Southern League Premier Division, winning the Southern League Cup and narrowly losing to Salisbury City FC in the Play-off Final and were rewarded with extended contracts for the next two seasons.
In their 2012/13 season, Hednesford Town finally gained promotion back to the Conference via the play-offs, having missed out on automatic promotion on goal difference to North Ferriby United. In the semi-finals they eventually beat AFC Fylde on penalties and then went on to secure a 2-1 victory against FC United of Manchester in the play-off final.
Last season saw The Pitmen take little time in settling into the Conference North, finishing in an excellent fourth place and securing a place in the play-offs. However, play-off heartache struck as they looked to be heading into the play-off final, before two late goals in the second leg of the semi-final saw Altrincham progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Hednesford Town are already in touching distance of the play-off places so far this season and with them being just four points adrift, a push for promotion is on the cards again.

An fantastic Club History page can be seen on the Hednesford Town website; featuring FA Cup, League and Stadium history along with some of their finest hours. This can be accessed by Clicking Here

Lowestoft Town v Hednesford Town
Vanarama Conference North
(Crown Meadow)
Saturday 11th April 2015
3pm kick-off

Come on you Trawlerboys!!

Terry Bullen