Hucknall Town secure sixth straight victory to move within five points of the league lead

Hucknall Town claimed their sixth straight league win with a routine 2-0 victory over Harrowby United at Watnall Road on Saturday in the Uhlsport United Counties League Division One.

Goals from Sam Sims and Grant Ryan that came within five second half minutes of each other, ensured The Yellows claimed all three points.

In windy conditions, Hucknall twice came close to finding a breakthrough in the first half with Jordan Phillips seeing his header from a Joe Ashurst come back off the post, before top scorer Craig Westcarr was also denied by the woodwork.

Undeterred by the goalless first half, the hosts continued to press and in the 65th minute Sims' excellent strike gave them the lead, before Westcarr's pinpoint cross picked out Ryan who nodded in the second.

The victory coupled with the fact that none of the sides in the top three managed to win meant that fifth placed Hucknall closed the gap to the top to just five points.

League leaders Hinckley didn't play and are in action tomorrow evening (Tuesday 1 February) at home to Barrow, whilst second placed Kimberley Miners Welfare missed the chance to go top after a 1-1 draw away at Kirby Muxloe.

The Miners thought they'd pinched all three points when Michael Pearson's 93rd minute piledriver, from 30 yards, arrowed into the back of the net. However, Kirby hit back to equalise with what was practically the last kick of the game.

The shock result of the day came at the Raygar Stadium, where third placed Belper United were beaten 3-0 by Dunkirk, who still have an outside chance of making the play-off places.

A comfortable win for fourth placed Radford, means that remarkably with a third of the season remaining, just one point separates the top four sides, with Hucknall just a further four points adrift.

Come the end of the season, the league winners will achieve automatic promotion. The teams that finish second to fifth will then face each other in the playoffs, to decide which team will join the league winners in getting promoted.