Town are staying up! Hucknall retain step five status

​A crucial 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Pinchbeck United on Saturday was the first piece of the jigsaw that had to fall into place, but it was Pinchbeck then losing at home to Sleaford Town on Wednesday which meant they could no longer catch the Yellows in their final game on Saturday.

Initially that’s down to Hucknall’s vastly superior goal difference, but had the Yellows taken at least a point from Thursday’s (April 4) game against Kimberley Miners Welfare – played at Ilkeston after this week’s Dispatch had gone to press – then mathematically safety is assured too.

That match was originally due to be played on Easter Monday but was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Saturday’s game saw neither side able to break the deadlock in the first-half, but just before the break, Dillon Rawson got in a tangle with Hugo Hunt who was through on goal and brought him down, the referee sending Rawson off.

But Hucknall took the lead early in the second-half when Brad Wells crashed the ball home off the underside of the crossbar.

Yellows would eventually grab their second on 89 minutes, as a short corner made its way to Wells on the byline who pulled it back for substitute Daniel Odunaiya to seal three valuable points.

Speaking after the match, manager Reece Limbert was delighted with the points and also how his side adapted after being reduced to ten men.

He told the club’s media channels: "I am extremely proud of the squad for their performance in today's win. It goes a long way towards our target and I’m delighted for the supporters who were amazing today.

“It shows character going down to ten men in the first half and then to grind out a result and we did just that.

"The mentality of these players is outstanding but we must regroup and go again on Monday. The job isn’t done yet and we must ensure we get a result in one or both of our remaining games to ensure our safety.”