Hucknall Town 6-6 Newark & Sherwood United *4-2 pens aet (Notts FA Senior Cup Final) 06.05.25

Hucknall Town have won the Notts Senior Cup for a seventh time after a pulsating final at Mansfield’s Field Mill which showcased everything a match could with all twenty-two players still on the pitch.

Newark & Sherwood should have had the game won on at least three, perhaps even four occasions, as they led 3-1 at half time, 4-3 late on and 5-4 with just seconds of normal time to play, and again when 6-5 up in extra time, Hucknall coming back on each occasion to level the ridiculously breath-taking tie.

In fact, on a rollercoaster evening in front of a crowd just over a thousand, Hucknall only first took the lead into the shootout after the fourth penalty was taken, Wilson missing from the spot for the Highwaymen before Dowling blazed over his sides fifth, the Yellows netting all of theirs with one to spare to win 4-2 and take the cup, on a night where it seemed destiny was always on the side of Town.

A cracking game of attacking end to end action started with an own goal, after just eight minutes Aaron Short ricocheting home a ball into his own net after pressure on the edge of the box from Campbell, but Hucknall were level on 16 when Parkes buried home from inside the area after good work by Whitman out right.

On 23, Newark & Sherwood re-took the lead after a neat exchange of passes sent Kieran Cummings racing into the box, the striker making no mistake to calmly place home through the keepers legs. Then with five minutes to go ahead of half time, a softly awarded penalty for a trip gave Cummings the chance to double advantage, he coolly slotted home his second of the match.

At the midway interval it looked to be a big ask for Hucknall but they were awarded an early reprieve in the second half with their own soft penalty won. Handball inside the area by Thompson gave Niall Towle the chance from the spot and he beat Liburd-Hines with a belter.

Hucknall then levelled on 68 when substitute Bradley Wells headed home from a corner, but it all looked short lived as an unlikely hero Louie Jarvis found himself in the box at the other end after a brilliant dink by Goddard, right back Jarvis needing two attempts to put his side in the lead again.

That should have been it. Newark & Sherwood riding the Town storm to regain advantage but another leg dangled out inside the box gave Hucknall yet another penalty and Niall Towle another chance to score, which he did, on 77 going the same way as his last to get his games second and make it 4-4.

As the game headed tiredly towards extra time, both sets of players giving it their all, a free kick on 90 was awarded, far out for Luke White it seemed, but the games best player and eventual player of the match curled into the top corner for more wild scenes. This time you would N&S have won it. Surely? But no. With only four minutes extra added, but with five minutes played due largely to Newark’s injury time goal celebrations, Hucknall threw everybody forward for a corner, including their goalkeeper, the ball eventually part cleared was played back into the box, the post was struck by Ashurst but Bradley Wells netted a leveller on the rebound to provide more ecstasy for Hucknall, more agony for Newark, and ensure that we would play another 30 minutes of action at least.

In extra time, Newark would retake the lead on 106 with another Luke White strike, by then, you werent even sure if that would be the winner, and not for the first time, some terrible defending ensured a third penalty to Hucknall was awarded, Niall Towle doing exactly what he did with the previous two to net a sensational hat trick of penalties, to take the game to penalties, where he would also score his fourth in the shootout.

In the end it was Newark & Sherwood’s two substitutes who would both miss vitality important chances from twelve yards out, Wilson’s shot saved by Jeffery putting pressure on Dowling who blazed over their last, but in their defending all game they allowed Hucknall to come back from the brink, on a night to remember for Triss Whitman and co, where chaos caused football a twelve goal final thriller.

Well done Hucknall Town, commiserations Newark & Sherwood, you both put on a bloody good show. The rest of us, we now need a lie down.

Hucknall Town: Jeffery, Simmons, Rawson, Myles, Short, Jaine, Lathall, Parkes, Towle, Ashurst, Whitman. Subs: Wells, Vyi-Oleye, Sims, Tefera, Scoular.

Newark & Sherwood United: Liburd-Hines, Jarvis, Walker, King, Thompson, T. White, L. White, Goddard, Cummings, Campbell, Duncan. Subs: Wilson, Coke, Dowling, Shyrokan, Cash.

*Main image @HucknallTownFC the 2025 Notts Senior Cup winners.