Gedling Miners Welfare 1-3 Hucknall Town (United Counties League Division One) 04.01.22
A red card for Jake Pearson did little to deter a fantastic Hucknall performance, who saw Gedling off in a 3-1 win.
Gedling had previously scored six goals in two games earlier this season against The Yellows, in a 3-3 league draw and a 3-1 defeat in the FA Vase, but there was to be no treble treble for the hosts as goals from Craig Westcarr, Aaron Lamb and Joe Butler saw them beaten.
Hucknall made just one change from last time out, with the injured Michael Bannister replaced by Cayne Maxwell, who took up a position on the flank with Lamb dropping into the centre, alongside Sam Sims.
The only half-chance of a cagey opening 20 minutes fell to Westcarr, who caught a volley excellently on the edge which was caught simply by Gedling ‘keeper Matt Simpson.
Dwayne Brown headed one wide for the hosts soon after, before Joe Ashurst was denied by a superb block by Daniel Dixon as both sides struggled to carve out clear opportunities.
It was a moment of magic that finally broke the deadlock, however. Hucknall won a free-kick a few yards from the edge of the box, and Westcarr stepped up with an absolute beauty that left the keeper flailing with half an hour gone.
Hucknall started to get a real grip on the game from there, and a superb flowing mover involving Westcarr and Ashurst saw Maxwell find room on the edge, but his shot was beaten behind before the whistle blew for the interval.
Gedling threatened from the off, as a quick break from kick-off resulted in Niall Hylton blazing over from the edge.
They were soon made to regret the miss as well, as Westcarr latched onto a clipped ball over the top of the defence, before sliding in Lamb to double the advantage for Hucknall.
Lamb so nearly had a second as well, as he raced onto a poor touch from a Gedling defender to race through on goal, but the young midfielders final touch just let him down with the keeper coming.
As the hour mark was struck, though, a mad moment ensued. Gedling worked the ball through the centre to Kyeron Daws, who was brought down in the area by Jake Pearson. A penalty was given and the Hucknall ‘keeper was subsequently given his marching orders, and with no goalkeeper on the bench, Louis Kinnerley stepped up from the bench to see the game out for the last half an hour.
The stand in goalie couldn’t keep out the penalty from Paolo Piliero, however, as the hosts halved the deficit.
Hucknall remained determined though, and soon saw another chance come to them as Westcarr just hit an effort over the bar after racing through a shaky Gedling defence.
Kinnerley wasn’t tested too harshly during his stint in the sticks, and calmly collected a free-kick from Josh Thornton and a tame effort from Oliver Papworth.
The hosts began to grow more and more frustrated, summed up by Hylton who smashed a ball into the Hucknall technical area, escaping any punishment from the referee and turning the games electricity up to eleven.
Hucknall took advantage of that quickly, and quick-fire chances for Ashurst and Westcarr were blocked away superbly by Papworth, before Gedling came undone with two minutes to go.
Gedling failed to track any of their runners, and a loose ball over the top of the back-line should’ve been claimed by Simpson, but substitute Butler rose highest under a challenge to nod the ball into an empty net, and wrap up a richly deserved and hard-fought three points for Hucknall Town.
Gedling Miners Welfare: Matthew Simpson, Dwayne Brown, Liam Corrigan, Daniel Dixon, Josh Thornton, Craig Meakin (Ross McCaughey 57), Niall Hylton, Jimmy Spiers, Kyron Dawes (Oliver Papworth 77), Ruben Wiggins-Thomas, Nathaniel Appiah (Paolo Piliero 62).
Hucknall Town: Jake Pearson, Courtney Bartley, Ollie Brown, Sam Sims, Jordan Phillips, Dave Leak, Aaron Lamb, Cayne Maxwell (Joe Butler 75), Craig Westcarr, Matt Brian (Louis Kinnerley 60), Joe Ashurst.
Venue: Plains Road
*Article provided by Louis Wheeldon (Football Correspondent).
*Main image @HucknallTownFC the players walk off after a hard earned win.
