Hucknall Town hit back from opening defeat with big away win
Hucknall Town hit back from their late UCL Premier North opening day defeat to chalk up four goals in Tuesday night's away victory at Belper United.
The 4-1 victory will be a big lift to the Yellows ahead of their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round home clash with Yaxley this Saturday.
On Tuesday, Joe Ashurst, Brad Wells, Niall Towle and Luis Parkes found the net in clinical style and boss Tris Whitman said: “Unlike Saturday we demonstrated a more clinical edge to our play in the final third which resulted in four well-worked goals.
“We started the game brightly and took an early lead but the hosts quickly equalised through their direct play.
“The lads showed good composure and control to gain momentum and we finished the half strongly going in at 3-1.
“After the break Belper came out in the second half with more urgency, but we controlled the game well and scored late on to cap a good night of football with a positive win.”
Belper did not help their cause when Daniel Odunaiya was sent off at 2-1 in first half stoppage time after a clash that left a Hucknall player on the floor.
An 87 th minute goal by Nathan Rudman, scrambling home at the far post, had seen visiting Blackstones shoot down Hucknall on Saturday.
Whitman said: “Saturday's first game of the season at home to Blackstones turned out to be very frustrating.
“I think initially both teams showed signs of nerves and uncertainty in their play.
“But I felt after 20 minutes we found our rhythm and dominated large parts of possession.
“However, and very similar to some of our pre-season games, we lacked in our decision-making and movement, which on occasions meant we didn’t offer any real threat in the final third and on occasions forced balls which led to turnovers which allowed Blackstones to counter.
“We were especially disappointed with our crossing and finishing at times where we felt we could have been more clinical in our final actions.
“As the game went on we made changes to try and find a breakthrough, but left ourselves vulnerable at the back.
“That ultimately cost us in the final minutes of the game when Blackstones capitalised off a counter down our left side resulting in a free kick which they took full advantage of.
“We did create a couple more chances in the final moments of the game but again we lacked any real conviction. Overall it was a disappointing end to our opening game.”
Hucknall made two late squad additions last weekend with the arrivals of 29-year-old centre back Kyle Pemberton from Ashby Ivanhoe, previously with Basford United and Mickleover Sports, and 21-year-old winger Calrick Dunkley from Gresley Rovers.