Skegness settled quickly and twice tested Alfie inside the opening 15 minutes, including one excellent save after a forward broke behind the Hucknall defence.

Hucknall gradually found their rhythm. Orange fired narrowly wide from distance, while Skegness also threatened through their number eight and a free-kick routine that was blocked by the wall.

The Yellows’ first clear chance came on 37 minutes when Calum Law’s powerful header was well saved, lifting the home side and turning the momentum before half-time.
Four minutes before the break, Rawson’s delivery was headed back across goal by Orange for Trev Lindo to finish, giving Hucknall a 1-0 half-time lead.

Skegness levelled within a minute of the restart, their number seven heading in from a left-wing cross, and almost turned the game around on 53 minutes when another header drifted wide.

Hucknall battled back, with Skegness twice booked for stopping Rawson breaks before Eisa replaced Lindo as the hosts looked to regain control.

On 74 minutes, Edebe burst down the right and finished emphatically to restore Hucknall’s lead.

Seven minutes later, he struck again, reacting quickest after his first effort was blocked before curling superbly into the far corner to make it 3-1.
Skegness pulled one back in the 88th minute with a low free-kick after Hucknall had made further changes, setting up a tense finish.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser through five minutes of added time, but Hucknall stood firm, with Alfie claiming one final catch in the 93rd minute.

It was the perfect start to the season for the Yellows, who showed resilience and quality in the key moments to claim all three points.
Hucknall Town: Smith-Eccles, Jules, Rawson, Myles, Jaine Sugars, Law, Appiah, Orange, Lindo (1), Edebe (2). Subs: Greenidge, Eisa, Holmes, Isman, Black

Skegness Town: Loveace, Ward, Morrall, Marshall, Forth, Braithwaite, Dakin (1), Clarke, Johnson, Rayner-Mistry, Parker. Subs: Radford (1), Cotton, Admas, Nuttell, Callaby.

Attendance – 416