DEEPING RANGERS 3 HUCKNALL TOWN 2
UCL PREMIER NORTH
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 30TH 2024 3 PM KO
MATCH REPORT
TEAMS:
Deeping Rangers:
Caleb Pipes-Goulsbra Ricki Goodale Tom Smith Spencer Tinkler Luke Hunnings Dan Dougill (Capt) Mat Sparrow Liam Hook James Stainsby Callum Davies Will Barnes
Subs: Luke Clemenson David Burton-Jones Scott Waumsley Byron Adiado Tom Waumsley
Hucknall Town:
Luke Jeffrey Mazhi Simmons Dillon Rawson Sam Sims Aaron Short (Capt) Dominic Forbes Jack Oldham Luis Parks Niall Towle Brad Wells Joey Ashurst
Subs: Solace Uyi-Olaye Brad Lathall Max Scoular Cash Rowe Mykah Skervin
Officials: Referee Aimee Keir Assisted by Pedro Silva and Chris Giles
Hucknall missed the chance to put distance between themselves and the bottom two when falling to a disappointing defeat against second bottom Deeping Rangers.
Hucknall were the first to show with Towle having a first time shot which went wide of the post. Rangers responded with a penalty claim which was waved away by the referee but then the home side went close with a header from a corner which hit the bar.
Niall Towle put the visitors ahead on 14 mins. Joey Ashurst's corner was cleared back to him and his cross was turned in by Towle at the near post.
Not for the first time this season Hucknall failed to build on the lead and within 3 minutes the home side were level when Callum Davies rifled a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box giving Jeffrey no chance.
The goal seemed to galvanise the home team and disrupt the visitors and Rangers had a number of corners which the Hucknall defence coped well with.
On 27 mins Oldham played the ball in to Ashurst but he blazed his shot over the bar when well positioned.
Hucknall were made to pay for missing the chance when a through ball split the Hucknall defence playing Matt Sparrow through on goal giving Jeffrey no chance with a composed finish.
Deeping were sensing blood and kept the pressure on the visitors but the Hucknall defence held firm. Just before Half Time Towle was played in by Ashurst and the home keeper closed down the chance well conceding a corner that was cleared.
Rangers went in at half time a goal to the good that was deserved despite Hucknall taking the lead.
The second half began with a corner for Rangers conceded by Rawson after some smart defensive play. Hucknall dealt with the corner before Oldham was replaced by new signing Solace Olaye-Uyi.
The home keeper then had to be alert in tipping a deep cross over the bar, the resulting corner being headed wide.
Hucknall were pressing for an equaliser but were caught on the break conceding what proved to be the winning goal. Matt Sparrow getting his second with a superb run and shot.
Sparrow was tormenting the Hucknall defence and very nearly completed his hat trick after another run and shot which grazed the crossbar.
With the hosts seemingly coasting to victory the Hucknall management made a change with Sims being replaced by Scoular.
The visitors upped the tempo and the home side resorted into giving away free kicks with both Wells and Towle victims but no cards were shown.
The home keeper was then forced into an excellent save tipping Towle's curling effort onto the crossbar.
Rawson was then replaced by Rowe.
Hucknall were really pressing at this stage throwing players forward and it took a goal line clearance to thwart the visitors after a mistake by the home keeper.
Hucknall did get a deserved second goal when Towle tapped in at the far post after Rowe's cross was dummied by Ashurst to set up a tense finish.
Ashurst was replaced by Skervin and Wells by Lathall as Hucknall searched for an equaliser.
Rangers were reduced to crude challenges and yellow cards were shown to home players for tackles on Simmons and Scoular.
Despite Hucknall having several set pieces the delivery from these was sadly lacking any quality with 2 corners being sent straight out of play. Deeping ran the clock down taking the ball into the corners and perhaps the last kick of the game summed up Hucknall's day. Hucknall threw everyone up for a free kick in a dangerous position only for the free kick to go straight out of play before the referee blew for the last time.
Deeping will enjoy the three points but I can't help but feel that we let them off the hook once we got it to 3 2.
A difficult looking December coming up with visits to Boston and Melton who we also play at home before a crucial game at Kimberley on Boxing day.
