YELLOWS ON THE ROAD TO BELPER SEEKING TO GET POINTS ON THE BOARD

 BELPER UNITED V HUCKNALL TOWN (@EASTWOOD CFC)

GCHE HIRE FLEET UCL PREMIER NORTH

TUESDAY 29.07.25 20.00 KO

MATCH PREVIEW

Hucknall get a swift chance to bounce back from Saturdays disappointing opening league game defeat at home to Blackstones when they make the short journey over the Eastwood CFC's Coronation Park to play ground sharing tenants Belper United.

Belper themselves will be hoping for a better display after a 4 1 defeat at Grantham Town on Saturday. 

Belper of course are no strangers to Hucknall in recent times having pipped the Yellows for promotion in our old Central Midlands days 2015-16 season. Sweet revenge for Belper following the Yellows 2 nil league cup semi final victory the previous season which saw Hucknall go on and win the trophy. There has always been a keen rivalry between the two teams.

Last seasons fixtures were quite strange affairs as Belper dealt out a thrashing on the Yellows at the RM Stadium running out 5 2 winners which also happened to be our second league game of that campaign. Hucknall gained revenge with a 2 1 victory in the reverse fixture at the start of March. 

Belper had a decent start to last season and headed the table early doors eventually finishing 8th four places above Hucknall with a record of 

played 38 winning 19 drawing 3 losing 16 with a GD of plus 13

A good effort on their part and I'm led to believe they have retained most of the squad that achieved this.and have made at least 5 additions.and ex Radford manager Marko Markelic has joined the management team.

Belper's pre-season has included a 3 2 win at Dunkirk where the Yellows lost in pre-season to a pretty solid Dunkirk unit. Also a 2 nil defeat at Mickleover FC, a 5 nil defeat at South Normanton.and a game against Belper United I can't find the score for.

Predicting a difficult game for the Yellows but our brand of football seems to suit 4G pitches and I hope this continues tomorrow. 

Information.

KO 8PM

Venue. Eastwood Town CFC NG16 3HB

Admission Adults £7

Concessions £5

Under 16 free with paying Adult

Weather Forecast Light rain showers and light winds at KO but improving as the game goes on

Belper's Twitter is very much active

Belper's Facebook is out of date (last post March 2nd)

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belper_United_F.C.

SMASH AND GRAB BLACKSTONES TAKE THE POINTS

 HUCKNALL TOWN 0 BLACKSTONES 1

GHC HIRE FLEET UCL PREMIER NORTH

SATURDAY 26.07.25 3PM KO

TEAMS

HUCKNALL TOWN: 1 Alfie Smith Eccles 2 Mazhi Simmons 3 Dillon Rawson 4 Lewis Belgrave 5 Aaron Short (capt) 6 Reece Sugars 7 Surafel Tefera 8 Brad Lathall 9 Niall Towle 10 Joe Ashurst 11 Brad Wells SUBS: 12 Sam Sims 14 Ethan Hulley 15 Cashmere Rowe 16 Calrick Dunkley 17 Trevell Lindo

BLACKSTONES: 1 Max Pevrell 2 Logan Robinson 3 Dan Wilson 4 Harry Peasgood 6 Jamie Short 7 Josh Sennett8 Cam Harris 9 Nathan Rodman 10 Will Bestwick 11 Josh Barrett SUBS: 12 Edmunds Grunsteins 14 Cam Rankin 15 Ethan Simmons 16 Matty Walter

Officials: Referee Lewis Hunt Assistants Kevin Tietsen, Ellis White

Attendance: 284 

Hucknall will feel aggrieved to have surrendered all 3 points in a game where they dominated possession but failed to capitalise in front of goal as Blackstones scored late on with their first real effort on target.

Blackstones kicked off a first half that in truth offered very little. Hucknall had a free kick in a useful position in the third which Joe Ashurst delivered into the box but Captain Aaron Short couldn't direct his header goalwards. The visitors had the first corner of the game on 5 mins but this was cleared. Hucknall had a period of possession and earned a their first corner on 18 mins but Ashurst's kick evaded everyone. Tefera then found Wells the resulting effort being tipped over by Pevrell in the visitors goal. Ashurst then had a corner which again found Short but his effort went wide.

The visitors then had a free kick awarded after a tackle by Simmons on the edge of Hucknall's Penalty box and the home keeper did well to hold onto the ball from the resulting effort.

Hucknall responded with two corners which led to Towle having an effort deflected wide and a Sugar's effort missing the target.

34 mins saw our first yellow card of the season, Aaron Short going into the book after a late challenge.

Just before half time a long ball from the Yellows keeper caused problems for the visiting defence. Towle latched onto it and squared the ball to Ashurst but he just couldn't get a vital touch to turn it in. A corner came to nothing and the half ended nil nil.

The visitors picked up their first booking when Wells was clattered into by Thorpe on 52 mins on the edge of the box. The resulting free kick glanced over by the defence for a corner.which was headed behind by Short for a goal kick.A minute later Tefera cut in from the left and put a curling shot just wide of the post. Rodman was then booked for the visitors on 57 mins for a late tackle on Rawson.

On 58 mins the first changes were made for the Yellows with Simmons and Wells replaced by Cash Rowe and Ethan Hulley.Six minutes later Ashurst and Lathall were replaced by Sam Sims and debutant Calrick Dunkley.

Dunkley's first contribution was to provide a good cross into Towle but his head fell tamely to the visiting keeper.

On 79 mins Tefera made way for Trev Lindo.

Just as the game looked to be heading for a stalemate all of Hucknall's possession went to ruin as Rawson initially won a race for the ball near the corner flag but was dispossessed by the Blackstones man who was then brought down by Rawson as he made his way towards the area. This earned Rawson a yellow card and gave the visitors a free kick in a dangerous place. This was proven when despite initially dealing with the free kick Hucknall failed to clear and Rodman forced the ball home at the far post.to give the visitors the lead sparking scenes of exuberence on the visiting bench.

Hucknall had time to respond but once Towle's header went straight to the keeper from Lindo's cross time was up and Hucknall had somehow been defeated.

Congratulations to our visitors Blackstones on the victory. It was a very similar result to last seasons opener at Sleaford where we dominated possession but succumbed to a late goal. In truth our display was lack lustre and our finishing and crossing was poor on the most part.

Next up is Belper Town away (@Eastwood CFC) on Tuesday 20.00 KO where we will look to improve and get some points on the board before the FA Cup home game next Saturday.

GCE HIRE FLEET UCL PREMIER NORTH DIVISION 2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW

 GCE HIRE FLEET UCL PREMIER NORTH DIVISION 2025-26 SEASON PREVIEW

The new season kicks off today (Saturday 26.07.25) and I predict a very competitive league this time around. We have said goodbye to Lincoln United and Bourne Town who both were promoted and we wish them well at their new level. we also said farewell to Sleaford and Shirebrook who were relegated to step 6 and we wish them well for their new campaigns.

We say hello to Claycross and Blackstones who won promotion from Division 1 and also Sherwood and Grantham who were relegated from Step 4.

Hucknall begin with a home game v Blackstones (see separate Match Preview) before visiting Belper United on Tuesday evening at Eastwood CFC.

The Skegness away game is scheduled for 7th March, the Christmas game is at home to Claycross on the 27th December and our final League game is on April 11th away at Boston Town

Whilst my prediction for us is to have a decent season carrying on from last season I can't see past Sherwood for the title given the strength of there squad. Eastwood will be up there and I will be interested to see how Claycross and Blackstones fare at this level. 

At the bottom I don't want to make predictions but I don't personally feel we will be involved this time around. Someone will be cast adrift as always seems to happen and then one more will fall.

I'd love to see us make the play offs but I will be happy with an improvement on last season once more. 

MATCH PREVIEW HUCKNALL TOWN V BLACKSTONES 26.07.25

 HUCKNALL TOWN V BLACKSTONES

GCE HIRE FLEET UCL PREMIER DIVISION NORTH

SATURDAY 28.07.25 3 PM KO

They say time flies and it doesn't seem five minutes since the Yellows were wrapping up last season with that incredible game at Field Mill which saw us lift the Notts Saturday Senior Cup.

However here we are and we kick off our league campaign with a home game against Blackstones.

Our visitors gained promotion to the Premier North after winning to division 1 play offs last season beating Retford United 3 nil away in the Semi-final and then winning 3 2 away at near neighbours Retford FC to overcome the odds and seal promotion.

Blackstones League record last season was Played 36 winning 21 drawing 5 and losing 10 with a GD of plus 38. 

I don't read to much into pre season friendly results as with ourselves it's a time to try out different systems, trial new players etc etc but for what it's worth Blackstone's PSF's results were as follows.

Blackstones 2 Stamford 1

Blackstones 0 AFC Rushden and Diamonds 2

FC Peterborough 3 Blackstones 0

Blackstones 1 Heacham 2

Hucknall will be pleased that the vast majority of the squad from last season have returned with the exceptions of Dom Forbes who has gone to live in London, Luke Jeffrey who wanted a club nearer his home and has joined Lutterworth Town, Chae Whitman-Brown who was released by Mansfield Town and is trying out at Notts County, Omrreiki Myles who has joined Clay Cross and Matt Scoular who I believe has had his employment moved to the Edinburgh area. I'd like to wish a ll of them the very best for the future and thank them for their efforts in the Yellow shirt of Hucknall.

We also have addition to the squad in Kyle Pemberton and Calrick Dunkley who have impressed in pre-season and have been signed up.

Keeping Niall Towle (AKA Big Nige) is a massive plus as I'm sure there must have been offers from elsewhere. It would have been difficult to replace a 30 plus goal a season striker but it's also good that so many have stayed for another campaign.

Hucknall's pre season results were as follows.

Basford 0 Hucknall 0

Marske 2 Hucknall 3

Dunkirk 3 Hucknall 1

Gedling MW 1 Hucknall 1

Hucknall 1 Notts County xi 5

Hucknall 3 Stapleford 2

Linby 0 Hucknall 1

So the real action starts today and I think this could be a good opener. Blackstones will be looking to make a statement,. Both teams will be looking for a positive start. 

Safe travels to our visitors.