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Yellows kick off 2022 with win at Gedling

Yellows kick off 2022 with win at Gedling

Paul Burley6 Jan 2022 - 06:01
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Gedling MW 1-3 Yellows

A second-half red card for goalkeeper Jake Pearson did little to deter a fantastic performance from Hucknall Town, who saw Gedling Miners Welfare off in a 3-1 away victory.

Gedling scored six goals in two games at Watnall Road earlier this season, but efforts from Craig Westcarr, Aaron Lamb and substitute Joe Butler saw them beaten on Tuesday evening.

Hucknall made just one change from last time out, with the injured Michael Banister replaced by Cayne Maxwell, who took up a position out wide, and Lamb dropping into the centre alongside Sam Sims.

The only half-chance of a cagey opening 20 minutes fell to Westcarr, who caught a volley excellently on the edge of the box, which was caught simply by home keeper Matt Simpson.

Dwayne Brown headed one wide for Gedling soon after, before Joe Ashurst was denied by a superb block from Daniel Dixon as both sides struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities.

It was a moment of magic on the half hour mark that finally broke the deadlock, however. Hucknall won a free-kick a few yards from the edge of the box, and Westcarr stepped up with a beautiful strike that left the keeper flailing.

Town started to get a real grip on the game from there, and a superb flowing move involving Westcarr and Ashurst saw Maxwell find room on the edge, but his shot was beaten behind before the whistle blew for half-time.

Gedling threatened from the start of the second period, as a quick break from kick-off ended with Niall Hylton blazing over from outside Town’s box.

They were soon made to regret the miss, as Westcarr latched onto a clipped ball over the top of the defence before sliding in Lamb, who doubled Hucknall’s advantage.

Lamb so nearly scored a second as well, as he made the most of a poor touch from a Gedling defender to race through on goal, but the young midfielder’s final touch let him down with the keeper approaching.

As the hour mark struck, though, a mad moment ensued. Gedling worked the ball through the centre to Kyeron Daws, who was brought down in the area by Pearson.

A penalty was given and the Hucknall stopper was subsequently given his marching orders, and with no goalkeeper on the bench, Louis Kinnerley stepped up to see the game out for the last half an hour.

The stand in goalie couldn’t keep out the penalty from Paolo Piliero, however, as the hosts halved the deficit.

The Yellows remained determined though, and soon saw another chance come to them as Westcarr hit an effort just over the bar after racing through a shaky Gedling defence.

Kinnerley was not tested too harshly during his stint between the sticks, but was very composed when collecting a free-kick from Josh Thornton as well as a tame effort from Oliver Papworth.

The hosts began to grow more and more frustrated, summed up by Hylton who smashed a ball into the Hucknall technical area, escaping any punishment from the referee and turning the game’s electricity up to eleven.

Hucknall took advantage of that quickly, and quick-fire chances for Ashurst and Westcarr were blocked away superbly by Papworth, before Gedling came undone with two minutes to go.

Gedling failed to track any of their runners, and a loose ball over the top of the backline should have been claimed by Simpson, but substitute Butler rose highest under a challenge to nod into an empty net.

The goal – Butler’s first since returning from injury – sealed a richly deserved three points for the Yellows and lifted them back into the United Counties League Division One play-off positions.

Hucknall: Pearson, Bartley, Brown, Sims, Phillips, Leak, Lamb, Maxwell (Butler 75’), Westcarr, Brian (Kinnerley 60’), Ashurst. Subs not used: Francis, Ryan

By Louis Wheeldon

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