Date: 05/07/17
Venue: Watnall Road
Attendance: H/C 100
Teams:
Hucknall: Randall, Maxwell, Pitt, Leak, Jenkins, Phillips, Crawford, Banister, Smith, Hodgson, Hubbard.
Coalville 1st half:
Coton, Pegg, Bryant, Trialist, Towers, Cox, Atkinson, Hollis, Trialist, McGlinchey, Anderson.
Coalville 2nd half: Harris, Pegg, Trialist, Towers, Trialist, Cox, Trialist, Dean, Anderson, Trialist, McDonald.
CMFL
Hucknall Town welcomed Northern Premier outfit Coalville Town to
Watnall Road on a very warm and humid Thursday evening. Coalville
boss Tommy Brookbanks is well known to the home faithful, having
managed the Yellows in their Northern Premier days.
There were a few trialists on show for the visitors, and it was one of the
hopefuls who almost put ‘Ville into the lead in the first minute –
running through the Hucknall backline before unleashing a shot from
20 yards that only just cleared the bar. From a corner a few seconds
later, the visitors had a header cleared off the line at the far
post, and early doors, it really looked as if Hucknall were going to
be in for a tough time of it. They did produce the next chance
though, Shaun Smith heading just over from Town’s first corner.
Blair Anderson was played through on goal in the 6th minute, and only a great save from Mike Randall kept the scores
level. What a cracking start to the game!
With
12 played, McGlinchey saw his fierce drive from 15 yards clear the
bar, then Hucknall almost grabbed the opener as a corner was flicked
on by Smith to Hodgson at the far stick – unfortunately for the
striker his diving header cannoned off the foot of the post and the
loose ball cleared. Smith
headed over on 18, then his terrific cross-field pass set up
Crawford for a shot, but the wingers drive across the face of the
goal flew just wide of the post.
Coalville
almost took the lead midway through the half – a curling 20 yard
Joe Pegg free-kick looked a goal all the way, but it was not to be as
the ball crashed off the post before being hacked to safety.This
was real end to end stuff, and Dave Leak had a great chance to fire
Hucknall into the lead on 32, but slotted just wide after a goalmouth
scramble saw the ball land at his feet. Five minutes later, Leak was
again unlucky as his header from a free-kick flew just over the bar.
H-T 0-0
Within
seconds of the restart, Smith headed Hodgson’s cross goalwards, but
the visiting keeper did well to punch the effort to safety. Coalville
had made seven changes to their first half line-up with four
trialists given a chance to show their worth. Hucknall
took full advantage of the “weakened” opposition and were
deservedly ahead in the 65th minute. Mike Banister had
been guilty of overhitting a few passes, but made full amends when he
picked out Matt Brian on the left, and when “Cabbage” crossed the
ball into the box, Adam Nelson was waiting in the 6 yard box to stab
home.
Hucknall
added a second on 72, but this was a bit of a gift from the ‘Ville
keeper as he allowed Nelson’s tame 15 yard effort to trickle past
his outstretched arms and nestle in the back of the net.
The
visitors were hardly in the game as the second half progressed, and
Hucknall looked the much better team, even though they too had made
several changes in their personnel. The last real action of this
terrific encounter came with four minutes to play, Jordan Phillips
seeing his shot well saved by the Coalville keeper. F-T 2-0
Looked a bit dodgy, weather-wise, but thankfully the clouds were all show and no go!
Check out these pics taken by Pete Lee - used with permission
1-0
2-0
