As derbies go, Hucknall Town pulled off a shock victory on the road in the United Counties Premier North, on Saturday afternoon, when away to high-flying leaders, Eastwood CFC.
Having won their last five league outings, taking their tally to seventeen successes thus far, the Red Badgers would have been confident going into their home game with lowly Hucknall, the Yellows having won three and drawn two of their previous ten.
Following a goalless first forty-five, all four goals, in what became a 3-1 win for the visitors, arrived during a ten-minute spell around the hour mark, Niall Towle opening the scoring with the first of his two goals coming on 57 minutes, capitalising on some great work from Surafel Tefera, heading home his twentieth of the season.
The equaliser was quick in coming, the visitors giving away a penalty minutes later following a handball, the experienced playmaker, Terry Hawkridge, stepping up to convert past Luke Jeffrey.
Action came thick-and-fast with Towle restoring the lead for the Yellows on 64 minutes following a lovely take-down, turn and shot past Wilson in the home goal; the third for the visitors arrived on 68 minutes, just eleven minutes after the first, this time Mazhi Simmons proving instrumental.
Initially releasing Joseph Ashurst whose shot from distance was parried by Wilson, then reacting quickest to keep the attack going and pulling back for Ethan Hulley to finish off some good play by the visitors.
Towle had chances to complete his hat-trick, a third in fact being disallowed for offside with twelve remaining, whilst the leaders, they lost at home for the only the second time since March as they look to dust themselves for four games on the road, starting with a trip to Shirebrook Town this coming Saturday.
For the Yellows, it’s a home game against Sherwood Colliery in the Nottinghamshire FA Senior Cup, on Wednesday (8 January) night, followed by back-to-back home games in the league against first Newark & Sherwood United (11 January), then Newark Town (18 January).
Eastwood CFC – Samuel Wilson, Oliver Robinson (Lavell White, 68), Ricky Starbuck (Ryan Tait, 58), Declan Dunn, Phillip Watt, Jake Wright, Terry Hawkridge, Jermain Hollis (Billy Gillies 73), Tyler Blake, Craig Westcarr (Lynden Joyce, 58), Aaron Opoku
Hucknall Town – Luke Jeffrey, Cashmere Rowe, Mazhi Simmons, Max Scoular, Reece Sugars, Taylor Jaine, Ethan Hulley (Bradley Wells, 70), Luis Parkes, Niall Towle, Joseph Ashurst (Omreiki Myles, 90), Surafel Tefera (Brad Lathall, 79)
Two other games were played in the Premier North involving Notts clubs, Newark & Sherwood United losing 3-1 at home to AFC Mansfield, and Newark Town winning 3-2 against visitors Melton Town.
The Bulls, they leapfrogged Town on goal-difference, into third place, nine behind leaders Eastwood, with a game in hand, following their come-from-behind road win; Kieran Cummings affording the mid-table hosts the lead after just five minutes, he latching on to a through-ball from Ryley Thompson to slot home.
Harrison Gray was on-hand to equalise midway through the first half, netting his first for the club, the two sides going in level at the break; Will Heather put the Bulls in front just before the hour and, with seven minutes left on the clock, the turnaround was complete when Ryan Ingram added the third.
Luke Anderson meanwhile bagged a brace for Newark Town as they battled to a 3-2 win when home to Melton, his first coming after Jordan Wakeling had given the visitors the lead after thirty minutes, and Alexander Hales equalising two minutes later, following a pass from Andrew Tsolakis.
Anderson’s first of the game came when he headed home a corner from Mitch Griffiths to afford the hosts an interval lead; the visitors though, they equalised through Kieran Hayes just before the hour mark, the game staying level at twos apiece until the death.
And up stepped Anderson for his second of the afternoon; Sam Wright was fouled, Griffiths took the resultant free-kick and, following a scramble in the box, Anderson was the one to poke home the winning goal.
Division One meanwhile saw Radford held to a 2-2 draw when away to Staveley Miners Welfare, the visiting Pheasants racing into a two-goal lead following Fola Fagbemi’s brace inside the opening twenty minutes.
The hosts however, they battled back to snatch a point with both goals coming in the closing minutes; meanwhile, second bottom Selston lost 2-1 away to Coalville Town, Jordan Black netting in what was their sixteenth league defeat of a tough season for the Notts club.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @EastwoodCFCV2 UCL North action between Eastwood and Hucknall.
