​New boy Towle stars in late drama as Hucknall earn crucial win

​Striker Niall Towle took his place on the bench for the home game with Blackstones, having signed earlier in the day.

He proceeded to make an early appearance thanks to a 14th minute injury to Kieran Knight, before scoring a 90th minute equaliser and then setting up an even later winner in stoppage time.

It was a crucial three points for the Yellows, with both sides competing for play-off places and with only six points separating them before the game, the win moving Hucknall up to third position in the UCL Division One standings ahead of a trip to bottom-of-the-table Grantham Town Development on Saturday.

Towle has joined for the rest of the season having played for a number of clubs including Long Eaton, Basford, Carlton Town and Greasley Rovers, as well as having played with Hucknall when he was younger.

Manager Andy Ingle said of his new signing: “We are delighted to have acquired Niall to help in our final run of games to the end of the season and hopefully seal our play-off place.

"It wasn't something we needed to think about when we knew he was available. In and around the 18 yard box, Niall will give us something extra whilst also fitting into how we want our front three to play overall.

"Having the extra bonus of him having played at step three and four, he will be up for the challenge too. We now have four strikers that will not only keep each other on their toes, but also give us a greater number of options to get us where we want to be.”

After Blackstones had taken an early second-half lead through Ryan Lennon, the game dramatically turned around in its closing stages.

Against the run of play on 90 minutes, Towle drove a low shot in to the bottom corner to equalise.

With Hucknall perhaps relieved to have got a point from an otherwise below-par display, injury-time suddenly brought the winner when Towle’s superb free-kick hit the crossbar and skipper Aaron Short headed in from close range to seal a dramatic win.