Andy Graves urges Hucknall Town to keep standards up in fight for play-offs

Andy Graves wants Hucknall to keep up their standards as they push to consolidate their place in the play-offs. They face Borrowash at home on Saturday and will be confident of claiming three more points.

The Yellows overcame adversity to beat Gedling 3-1 after outfield player Louis Kinnerley played the last 30 minutes in goal following Jake Pearson’s red card on the hour.

The incident saw Gedling pull a goal back from the spot, before ten man Town wrapped it up with two minutes to go through Joe Butler.

It leaves Town fifth in the UCL Division One table with only Kimberley, with three games in hand, hanging on to their tails from the pack.

“Kimberley have games in hand, but two of them are against us, so that will pan out and we will see where we are,” said the Town boss.

“We can't get ahead of ourselves though and the first thing is to consolidate the play-off place.

“Hinckley are looking strong at the top since we beat them. We just have to consolidate and we will see where we end up.

“We have to stop at the level we are at and see if we can go even higher. We are banging the goals in at the moment, which is encouraging.”

Jake Pearson will keep his place in goal for the home match against lowly Borrowash before beginning a three game ban.

It was a dismissal which Graves believes was a harsh one.

“Their man has gone down easily, but you expect that,” said Graves. “It was harsh. The centre-half was going backwards and was trying to head the ball.

“Jake caught him trying to tidy up, but the ref says his hands were high and it wasn't dangerous play.

“It was just a coming together, nothing else, it wasn’t violent in any way. Louis was a keeper before he joined us.

“He had no chance with their penalty, but he was tidy for the rest of the game It is nice to have won it with a man down, we could have won it by more

“I am pleased with the work rate and everything, it has put us into the right place.

“Borrowash are down there, but there are no gimmes in this league so we have to be on it again at the weekend and keep doing what we have been doing.”

Pearson’s absence will see young Keaton Sharp stepping up, with Graves knowing it will give his back-up keeper the chance to shine.