Hucknall Seal First Win of the Season and Progress in the Vase

 SANDIACRE TOWN 1 HUCKNALL TOWN 5 

FA VASE IST QUALIFYING ROUND

SATURDAY 26TH AUGUST 2023 3 PM KO

MATCH REPORT

TEAMS:

SANDIACRE : (in no particular order) Lewis Taylor, Ellis Read, Perry Mcgrath, Cayne Maxwell, Kelavita Maveso, James Knowles, Owen Hayes, Travis Comery, Callum Clarke, Reece Campbell, Alex Beno

Subs: Nathan Appiah, Kian Morrison, Yoan Penkov

HUCKNALL TOWN 1 Alfie Smith-Eccles, 2 Raife Poplar, 3 Dillon Rawson, 4 Kai Wilson, 5 Aaron Short (Capt) 6 Michael Banister 7 Jamie Crawford 8 Kieron Lane 9 Niall Towle 10 Joe Ashurst 11 Louis Czerwak

Subs: Emeraude Kabongo, Callum Orange, Trevell Lindo

ATT: 128

Hucknall at last tasted victory and now revisit Boston Town where the Yellows will be looking for revenge after a recent league defeat there.

With a few players unavailable Callum Orange stepped up from the reserves. Michael Banister returned from holiday to play at centre back. 

Sandiacre included popular ex yellow Cayne Maxwell and also Callum Clarke who is still on the Yellow's books (I believe).

The yellows started brightly with a header from an Ashurst free kick being headed just wide and a shot by Czerwak also going wide. 

Hucknall were dealt a blow on 11 minutes when Lane went down injured. He carried on but struggled from that point onwards. 

Hucknall took the lead when the lively Czerwak was played through but was brought down by a push from the defender and may also have been clipped by the keeper. He was down for a while afterwards and Niall Towle had to wait an age to take the penalty but easily beat the keeper to put the Yellows 1 up.

The lead was short lived however as Sandiacre equalised instantly. Smith-eccles was wrong footed by a shot which virtually rolled into the net to stun the Hucknall defence.Alex Beno was credited with the goal.

The home side had their best spell of the game and Rawson did well to clear for a corner.

Hucknall retook the lead on 27. A nice piece of interplay between Rawson and Czerwak resulted in the latter shooting home. A nice advantage played by the official.

Sandiacre rolled up their sleeves and dug in, a cross across the Hucknall goal somehow evaded everyone and then Smith- Eccles made a fine stop. The Struggling Lane was replaced just after the half hour mark by Trev Lindo and he nearly made an immediate impact but his shot lacked composure and went over.

Right at the end of the half Smith-Eccles had to be sharp in collecting the ball. Any misjudgement would have led to a penalty and a possible red card but he timed it well.

A well matched first half was followed by a mismatched second half as the Yellows produced their best half of the season so far. First Towle's touch let him down allowing the keeper to claim. and moments later a Ashurst shot was dealt with by the keeper.

You could sense a goal coming and it duly did. The move of the game saw Ashurst pick up the ball take on the defence to the by-line before crossing to the waiting Lindo who's header powered by the home keeper. It really was a lovely goal.

Czerwak was unlucky not to get another penalty when brought down in the box but Hucknall didn't have to wait long for another as Towle claimed his second tapping in from close range after Ashurst had not given up on a chance to cross.

On the hour mark Callum Orange came on for Captain Short. He was immediately involved in the Yellows fifth goal crossing the ball into the box for Lindo to shoot. The keeper made a good save but it fell to Towle and he completed his hat trick. 

Credit to Sandiacre who never gave up but didn't really threaten the Hucknall goal at all and in truth the Yellows could have scored more.

Though the victory was most welcome Hucknall have very little time to celebrate as they have a tricky away league game at Heanor Town on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.