Huge thanks go to HTFC General Manager Steve Peat for the team sheet, and for giving us guest status - and before anyone criticises, we very rarely accept "freebies". On this occasion we were pleased to accept the big mans offer to be his guests for the evening.
I took a couple of pics with my phone, but they turned out crap again. I'll use one just to illustrate the Brigg kit. On the team sheet it was given as all green - turned out to be a very pastel shade!!!
Brigg were purported to have brought a squad of fringe players, but if they were they were still far too good for the Yellows. Danny Hayes returned for this game, but he is now registered with Arnold Town so we probably won't see him in a yellow shirt again. Rob Austin getting the armband was a pleasant surprise - but Austin has been playing well so it was well deserved.
The Zebras took just 6 minutes to crack open the leaky Hucknall defence - RYAN PACZKOWSKI was allowed room some 22 yards from goal and hit a fierce left foot drive through a ruck of players, the ball flying under the dive of keeper James Martin.
This was a poor game played in miserable conditions, and for Hucknall the misery worsened on 21 when SCOTT HELLEWELL rose to head home a fine left wing cross. Four minutes later, the visitors had their third from a direct free-kick. This is something we are becoming used to at Watnall Road, but when LIAM DAVIS struck the ball from 30+ yards it looked in all the way - and despite the despairing dive of Martin, the keeper really had little chance of stopping the effort flying into the top corner, so precise was the placement.
Hucknall's best effort of the half came on the half-hour mark - Warren Hatfield's delightful dink over a couple of defenders picked out Alex Ford, and although the striker connected well, Brigg keeper Miles Jenty blocked with his legs and the loose ball was cleared to safety.
The fourth Brigg goal on the brink of half-time should have been prevented, but when Davis crossed from the right, PAUL PRESTON was allowed to fire home from 6 yards after the Yellows defence once again failed to clear the ball in. H-T 0-4
Spent the second half of the game behind the Watnall Road goal in the company of physiotherapist Fred Kirk - although we maybe trying and seek out a psychotherapist if the Yellows season continues on this downward spiral. Hucknall almost got on the scoresheet towards the end of the game, but Ford's ball into the area for Hatfield was intercepted by Martyn Gee - looked like being a cracking O.G, but Hucknall's luck is really out and the ball crashed onto the post and flew safe. F-T 0-4
Attendance 36
Attendance at Matlock v Mansfield was 758. Total attendances for the 11 Doodson cup games was 719, averaging just over 65 per game. Time the league killed this competition forever, I reckon. I asked Fred and Kev who were the current holders - their shrugs told me they didn't know, and neither did I ! At least Hucknall can concentrate on league survival now without any distractions - apart from the Senior Cup of course!
