New signings join Hucknall's goals chase

Hucknall Town are hoping to further boost their goalpower with another new striker ahead of this weekend's local derby return to action at home to Linby Colliery on Saturday.
Hucknall Town manager Andy GravesHucknall Town manager Andy Graves
Hucknall Town manager Andy Graves

The Yellows, without a game for three weeks due to the weather, know that if the title race comes down to goal difference, they are already 21 behind leaders Sherwood Colliery.

But, with two new strikers now in the mix and lots of chances being created, boss Andy Graves believes they can still claw that gap back with some hidings.

“We have been saying someone is going to be on the end of one of ours, I am sure of that,” he said.

“We can’t keep creating and dominating and not putting balls in the back of the net.

“Hopefully by Saturday I will have another striker – it’s going through at the moment.

“He is a definitely a proven striker at this level.

“That’s on top of Matt Brian, who has re-signed for us and been with us twice now.

“He left to follow the scent of money but is back with us now for nothing! He will give us a bit of a physical boost up front.”

He continued: “Goals have been the thing for us. We do create. We create a lot in every game, but we are just not ruthless enough.

“We knew what we wanted at the beginning of the season and we thought we’d got that person. But, unfortunately, they left for obvious reasons.

“This is the last third of the season and it is the crucial third. If teams win their games in hand there is nothing really in it. Everyone has got to be on their game.

“We have got a tough one on Saturday – a local derby. There are never any givers in this league no matter where they might be in the table.

“If you are not on your game you will get caught out.”

Hucknall sit second, nine points behind Sherwood but with two games in hand and a game with Sherwood to come.

Graves said: “Whatever happens, we should finish in that top four again for the fourth season on the trot. “We know how difficult it is to get out of this league.

“You could potentially go the whole season without losing a game and still not get promoted. It’s that tight.

“I have seen some social media stuff, some instigated by our own supporters, which have put us finishing fourth out the top four.

“So there is no pressure on us any more if no one expects us to win anyway!

“It does give us that bit of an incentive to prove people wrong, as we have been doing from where we have come from.

“We only need a point to better last season’s tally with nine games still to play.”

He added: “We have been trying to put on performances- but we get criticised when we are winning!

“We have changed things slightly to try to grind out results – a side of our game that’s not been there in previous seasons.

“In the last couple of wins, they were games we might have drawn in previous seasons – or even lost. That is a positive.”

Hucknall’s problems with match action due to the weather increased last weekend when a scheduled reserve game against Mickleover also fell victim to a postponement.

That ruined Graves’ hopes of getting some rusty first teamers some action.

But he does plan to give an outing to seven of them in another reserve game at home to Retford United Development tonight (Wednesday).