Hucknall Town 3-3 Gedling MW

Gedling Miners Welfare claimed a creditable draw at Watnall Road against Hucknall Town in a hugely entertaining game on Wednesday night.

However, there was a huge sense of what could have been for the visitors who had held a three goal lead before being pegged back to 3-3 at the final whistle.

The hosts started brightly and missed two good chances in the opening five minutes. Former Miner Eugene Francis screwed a shot wide, and a free header from a corner sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

Gedling responded well with opportunities of their own. Niall Hylton burst into the box and his goal bound effort had to be smartly pushed away by the Hucknall ‘keeper. A minute later, a well worked corner saw the ball land at the feet of Josh Thornton but he didn’t connect properly with the shot and it was dealt with fairly comfortably by the Hucknall goalkeeper.

With just over ten minutes gone, Thornton more than made amends for not making more of his earlier chance by giving Gedling the lead. Good work from Hylton on the right saw him beat his man and cut the ball back perfectly for Thornton who found a calm finish into the corner of the net.

Four minutes later the Miners doubled their lead. Greg Tempest curled in a delightful free kick from the edge of the area which hit the underside of the crossbar and gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Ruben Wiggins-Thomas made it three just a couple of minutes later as he broke into the box and lashed the ball into the net.

Just over half an hour in, Hucknall were given a chance to get a foothold in the game. Dwayne Brown was adjudged to have felled Francis in the box and the referee didn’t hesitate in pointing to the penalty spot.

Craig Westcarr smashed the penalty into the top corner to get Hucknall on the board.

With half time nearing Wiggins-Thomas missed a glorious chance to put the game to bed. Thornton played an inch perfect through ball that put him clean through on goal. However, Wiggins-Thomas dragged his shot wide of the target.

Hucknall sensed this was a massive let off, and galvanised, grabbed another goal on the stroke of half time. A free kick from the right wasn’t dealt with by the Gedling defence and Jordan Phillips lashed home the loose ball.

Seconds after the restart only an excellent block from Danny Dixon prevented the hosts from equalising.

A few minutes later, Felix Hogg sent a free header straight at the ‘keeper and a Tempest corner was nearly put into his own net by a Hucknall defender as Gedling tried to restore their two goal cushion.

However, it was Hucknall who found the back of the net next. In the 66th minute, as the ball bounced around the Gedling box Francis pounced to flick the ball into the net. There was uproar from the Gedling players as there looked to have been a blatant handball in the build up by a Hucknall attacker but the referee waved away the protests and the goal was allowed to stand.

Both sides had late chances to win it as Westcarr hit the post for Hucknall when he probably should have done better and Wiggins-Thomas hit a late shot straight at the ‘keeper for Gedling.

However, both sides were forced to settle for a draw after a thrilling match.

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Gedling Miners Welfare Man of the Match – Greg Tempest
Referee – Callum Hutton
Assistant referees – Martin Mountain and Andrew Sargent

Gedling Miners Welfare – Matthew Simpson, Dwayne Brown, Oliver Papworth (Kieran Harrison 65’), Felix Hogg (Latrell Patterson 76’), Daniel Dixon, Keiron Lane, Josh Thornton, Niall Hylton, Ruben Wiggins-Thomas, Greg Tempest, Paolo Piliero (Zibusiso Sibanda 87’)
Cautions- Lane 44’, Dixon 64’