Bottom-of-the-table Hucknall held the high-riding Yorkshire side in front of a crowd of 222 at Watnall Road on Saturday (April 11).

But results elsewhere meant they are now certain to drop into the Unibond League, Premier Division next season.

Midfielder Nicky Gray, son of former Leeds United star Eddie Gray, gave Harrogate an 18th minute lead.

The goal followed a rare error by centre-back Adrian Hawes, who has just signed a new contract to stay at Hucknall next season. The visitors' top scorer, Jamie Smith, flicked the ball on and Gray calmly lifted his shot over 'keeper James Lindley, who was playing against his old club.

Cashel Walters equalised for The Yellows on the half-hour mark when lashing home from a cushioned header by striker Joe Ward -- and that's how it stayed.

Both sides went close to a winner with Antwon Bonnick fashioning the best openings for Hucknall.

But Harrogate missed the most clearcut chance on the stroke of half-time when Smith somehow allowed Matt Baxter to clear off the line with the goal at his mercy.

The result brings to an end a stay of ten seasons in the second tier of non-league football for Hucknall.

They gained promotion under John Ramshaw in 1998/99 and the highlight was winning the Unibond League, Premier Division championship under Steve Burr and Pete Wragg in 2004.

There is a remote chance that The Yellows will earn a second successive relegation-reprieve if the financial problems of other teams force them out of the Blue Square North.

But given that Hucknall are certain to finish bottom, it would need three other sides to collapse in that way.

Manager Bryan Chambers has long since been resigned to the drop. And this week he confessed that Hucknall no longer had strong enough finances to sustain a Blue Square North club.

He has unveiled a two-year plan to rebuild the club, culminating, he hopes, in winning the Unibond.

Hucknall officials also admit they are not that saddened by the prospect of relegation.

Vice-chairman Dave Gamble believss the Unibond "would be a great league to be in with a lot of big local derbies".

However it is possible that The Yellows' biggest local rivals, Eastwood Town, will replace them in the Blue Square North. For they currently top the Unibond League and are favourites to win automatic promotion, although they lost 1-0 to arch rivals, Ilkeston Town, on Friday night.

Meanwhile Saturday's result also signalled the end of Harrogate's promotion hopes and manager Neil Aspin has announced he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.

They have just missed out on going up in each of the last four campaigns and Aspin says he cannot improve the side on the club's current wage-bill.

HUCKNALL LINE-UP (4-4-2) -- Lindley/ Spriggs Timons Hawes Baxter/ Wiggins-Thomas Meikle Wilson Walters C./ Bonnick Ward. Subs: Sucharewycz (for Timons 62), Bacon (for Ward 66), Frost (for Wiggins-Thomas 66), Kettle, Mitchell.