Andy Graves frustrated but upbeat after Hucknall Town are beaten by Kimberley

Town trailed 3-0 at the break and were beaten comfortably despite having a man advantage for the entire second half.

But Graves was left to reflect on a bagful of chances going begging before Kimberley hit the front.

“We should have been four or five up after 20 minutes,” he said. “We hit the bar, we hit the crossbar and their keeper made three outstanding saves.

“We had two cleared off the line and then it all went against us in the space of ten minutes.

“We hit the post in the second half and their keeper made another good save. It is frustrating. They were given luck and they took advantage of it and we didn’t take the chances and were not as clinical.

“I said to the lads after the game that I can't fault the performance, I don't know what more we could have done to have won it other than get the ball in the back of the net.

“We were dominant in the first 20 minute and should have buried them but that is football.”

It leaves them one place and one point outside the play-off places but with a game in hand on Aylestone Park.

The Yellows now face a tough trip to relegation-threatened Ingles at the weekend knowing they have a big fight ahead if they are to bag all the points.

“We were on a nine game unbeaten run and we have to start another one and put it behind us,” added Graves.

“It is still in our hands. Realistically the last play-off place is between ourselves, Aylestone and Dunkirk.

“Ingles is a place we have been before, dominated and not won.

“It will show the character of our boys. We will not start changing things because we lost.

“There’s a bit of pressure on his to put things right on Saturday, we need to bounce back.”

Kimberley took the lead when Sam Brown headed home from a free-kick on 26 minutes, before Luis Rose slotted home a penalty six minutes later.

Sacha Markelic made it three on 40 minutes, before Tom Eccleshall was sent off on 44th minute for kicking out at Aaron Lamb.