Hucknall end league season with a flourish ahead of cup final

The Yellows are flying high – a 1-0 win at Mickleover RBL and a 5-0 home local derby slamming of Linby meaning they won their last four games, scoring 18 goals and conceding none.

They won six and drew two of their last eight and, having broken so many club records this season, will now have a weekend off to gather strength for the final against Selston at Alfreton Town’s Impact Arena on Sunday, 30th April.

“They were two very different games over Easter,” said boss Andy Graves

“At Mickleover we went back to some of our old habits, dominating but not finishing the chances. So they were always in the game.

“But they have got some bright young lads. If they can keep them together they will be pretty good. They made us work hard, which was good.

“So many times this season we have had games like that there where it’s been 1-1, we’ve not not taken our chances and we have been caught out.

So, although it’s the end of the season, it was a learning curve that we came through.”

He added: “Monday was pretty comfortable to be honest. I was expecting a far tougher game but it never really materialised.

“So that’s 18 goals in four games a four clean sheets, you can’t really complain can you?
“We’ll only ever be judged on getting promotion or whether we win the cup but as I said in the paper last week, we have broken some records this season – that was our 18th clean sheet this season, which is pretty good.”

With the league programme over for Hucknall, they had planned to find opposition for a game this weekend, but Graves has now changed his mind.

“We were hoping to get a friendly but, what a lot of people don’t take into consideration is that they play Sundays as well,” he said.

“So when I had a chat with some of the lads they were telling me they had fixture backlogs.

“One lad came to me and said he’d got 17 games yet before the end of May which is ridiculous.

“Another has had five games in seven days which is also ridiculous.

“At one stage we were worried about match fitness, but as long as they are getting games elsewhere and look after themselves that’s fine.

“We will train this Saturday, that’s a definite, then we’ll train again next Wednesday. We might also play a short game against our reserves, but nothing else now.

“We were already looking after one or two with knocks and one or two got knocks on Monday as well, so we’ll see how they respond.”

Graves admitted he would upset one or two players with his selection for the final, but hoped they would understand.

“I said in the last two games, whoever was sitting in the dressing room, they will be in the squad for the final,” he said.

“Whoever I put out will do a job for the club and for themselves.

“Unfortunately at the end of the day I am going to disappoint one or two who don’t start but even more so those who don’t even get into the squad.

“We have got some good players who won’t even get into the squad. That’s how it is unfortunately.

“Look back at our previous final when Aaron Evans had scored the winner in the semi-final and I left him out the final. Sometimes it’s hard.

“But you only do it because you think you will get a result.

“The players will be told a couple of days before the final as I don’t want them getting upset on the day. They can get their heads round it and, hopefully, they will come down with the right attitude that it’s not all about them, it’s about the club.

“It’s been a squad thing all season. Obviously those who get a shirt have got to make sure they perform. Otherwise they’ve taken somebody’s shirt and let them down as well as themselves.”