A rivalry will be renewed when the Bucks host Hednesford Town at the SEAH Stadium on Saturday (22nd August).
The Pitmen returned to Step 2 this season after their playoff promotion last season, putting them in the same division as the Bucks for the first time in eleven seasons.
A big crowd is expected for this encounter, with both teams eager to claim a first league victory of the season on their fourth attempt.
The Bucks will be without midfielder Jamie Meddows, whose ankle sprain at Worksop Town last weekend will not have healed in time. The Bucks' other injury absentees will have been assessed at training on Thursday.
Two recent additions to the Bucks’ squad will be in line to make their home debuts. Rio Owen, scorer of the Bucks’ opener at Penydarren Park in midweek, and Dion Kelly-Evans, who was added to the squad ahead of the Merthyr fixture, will be aiming to make a good first impression with the SEAH Stadium support.
The Journey Back
The Keys Park outfit made a long-awaited return to Step Two with promotion from the Northern Premier League through the playoffs in 2025/26.
Hednesford were locked in a duel with FC United of Manchester at the top of the table for much of the season; however, Hebburn Town’s consistency brought them through to claim the title, leaving the Pitmen to take the perilous playoff route to promotion.
After defeating Stockton Town 2-0 in the semi-final, Keys Park hosted the final and surprise opponents Warrington Rylands, who knocked out FCUM in their semi-final.
After George Williams’ dramatic second-half stoppage-time equaliser cancelled Clive Smith’s goal for the visitors, extra time followed, but brought no further goals.
In the test of nerve that is a penalty shoot-out, Rylands’ George Waring fired his attempt from 12 yards off the crossbar, giving Joe Doyle-Charles a place in Pitmen history as his kick sent the Pitmen back to the National League.
That success made it back-to-back promotions, with the Pitmen earning promotion from Step 4 a season earlier by defeating Congleton Town in the playoff final to escape Division One West of the NPL.
Their rise back through the pyramid has been rapid, aided by additional investment from owners Craig and Amanda Gwilt, who took ownership in March 2024, aiming to bring the same success to the club that saw them amass considerable wealth through the gaming and technology sectors.
Part of the Pitmen’s strategy to continue their rise through the pyramid has been to take the club to full-time status in the 2026/27 season.
That transition, from semi-professional to professional, has inevitably meant that many of the players who earned them their promotions have moved on, either unable or unwilling to make the step to full-time football.
The transition made for a hugely busy summer at Keys Park, with the welcome mat rolled out almost permanently as they assembled a team for this season and quite clearly with an eye beyond that too.
Pitmen Personnel
The group is anchored by goalkeepers Sam Hornby and Xander Parke, the former joining from Walsall in the close season.
Senior centre‑backs Aaron Hayden and Niall Maher are both former Bucks, albeit briefly, with Hayden featuring on loan from Wolves in the 2017/18 season; he has since progressed to spells with Carlisle United (twice), in between a spell at Wrexham which saw him part of their National League winning side in 2023. Maher’s stay was shorter, signing in February 2018 before leaving for FC Halifax Town, where he remained for several seasons. He has since also played for Grimsby Town and Eastleigh.
George Langston signed from Braintree Town, having captained The Iron in the National League last season, and Aaron Harper‑Bailey came aboard from Oxford City. Full‑back Lenni Cirino, signed from Gillingham, contests the left FB position with Joel Taylor, whilst on the right, George Williams and Jamie Morgan both remain from last season.
The midfield unit mixes ball‑winners, creators and wide threats. Liam Kinsella, who joined last season from Cheltenham Town, provides defensive protection, while new arrival Dale Gorman should also feature; he signed from Woking in the summer but played for Leyton Orient when the Bucks faced them in the 2018/19 FA Trophy semi-finals.
Jai Curran‑Nicholls and Sonny Sharples‑Ahmed are both new arrivals, the latter facing the Bucks last season whilst on loan to Spennymoor Town from Bolton Wanderers. In the wide positions are a couple of familiar faces, with ex-Bradford PA and Chester man Dylan Mottley‑Henry and former Hereford player Omari Sterling‑James offering a scoring threat. Summer signing Jamie Cooke, who signed from FC Halifax Town, operates as the attacking midfielder linking play between the lines.
Hednesford’s forward options are varied; Ahkeem Rose is a holdover from last season, but the rest are new faces. Former Yeovil Town and Torquay United striker Aaron Jarvis signed on, as did David Abimbola, who joined from Bolton for an undisclosed fee, whilst Will Merry arrived following his release from Southampton. They say, “if you can’t beat them, join them”, and Jay Fitzmartin did that when joining the Pitmen from FC United of Manchester in the summer, the Pitmen’s promotion rivals for much of last season.
Recent Form
Two defeats and one draw mirror the Bucks’ own start to the season and represent a disappointing return for a fanbase with renewed expectations.
The Pitmen opened the season with a 2-0 defeat at Merthyr Town, where the Bucks secured their first point on Tuesday. Two Jacob Maddox goals sent them into a sequence of two home fixtures empty-handed, but the return of National League North football to Keys Park has been tumultuous.
The Staffordshire side looked to be on course for maximum points when they established a 3-1 lead over visitors Scarborough, with two Omari Sterling-James penalties sandwiching a Jamie Cooke goal as they responded to Luke Hall’s early opener.
A Rio Allan penalty and Jake Hull’s late leveller for the Seadogs would have been a big enough blow, but conceding a penalty following Hull’s dismissal, then seeing Sam Hornby save it, only for Allan to convert the rebound, was a real sickener.
In midweek, the Pitmen’s script showed similarities. Goals either side of half-time from Dylan Mottley-Henry and Lenny Cirino had the Pitmen in charge, but it was visitors Southport who dug deep, claiming a point through injury-time goals from David Ogwuru and Sol Solomon.
The Man at the Helm
Kelvin Davis took charge at Keys Park in February 2026 following the shock sacking of former boss Gavin Hurren.
Davis is a former English professional goalkeeper with a long, consistent playing career and is perhaps best known for his decade at Southampton. Davis made more than 300 appearances for the club and became a respected leader both on and off the pitch. Before arriving at St Mary’s, he built his reputation through spells with Luton Town, Wimbledon, Ipswich Town and Sunderland.
Since retirement in 2016, Davis has transitioned into coaching and football operations. Initially appointed as a goalkeeping coach with the Saints, he quickly expanded his responsibilities.
At St. Mary’s, he stepped up as assistant manager under Ralph Hasenhüttl, and later became manager in his own right at National League side Eastleigh. However, he was dismissed less than a year into a three-year contract awarded after his initial success with the Spitfires.
Although his arrival at Keys Park brought some upheaval, including a 5-0 thrashing in his first game in charge at Hyde United, the Pitmen adjusted to the new boss and achieved their promotion goal.
Davis has overseen the transition to full-time, alongside Director of Football Andrew Reed and former Pitmen favourite Marvin Robinson, now CEO, as the Keys Park club set their sights on a third promotion in three seasons.