Hucknall Warriors looked to build on last weeks win in this Notts Youth League under 16 division two match against local rivals Ravenshead Reds. An end to end game provided plenty of entertainment and talking points for both sets of supporters as both sides battled hard to earn the three points. Warriors looked dangerous and probably played some of their best football of the season in the opening twenty minutes as they created numerous clear cut chances. Andreas Kokkinou in midfield used wingers Regan Scott and Alex Galloway to good effect as Warriors pushed forward in numbers. The first goal nearly  fell to Liam Burley whose well taken corner saw the ball ricochet off the goal keeper and rebound off the bar to safety. Burley was then denied a clear cut penalty as he was pulled back within the area when in on goal having got in front of two  defenders. Captain Tyler Stafford then produced a fantastic header at the other end to deny the visitors a chance on goal and put Warriors onto the attack again.  Warriors began to bombard the Ravenshead goal with Kokkinou putting in a cross from the right that Paice Lees was inches away from connecting with, the loose ball falling to Regan Scott whose ball back across the box eluded all players. Lees was unlucky twice in the ensuing minutes not to be on the score sheet as good balls put into the box fell from both wings eluded his close attention .Despite this intense pressure Warriors were unable to convert and were nearly punished for a lapse in concentration but goal keeper Luke Cook was able to cling onto the ball at the second attempt with the Ravenshead strikers in close attendance. Warriors defence were solid with Lewis Nixon ,Josh Kitchen, Sam Stewart, and Stafford all putting in some excellent tackles . Scott then came close with a cracking volley from the edge of the area but his shot cannoned back off the bar. Substitutes Nyran Wright and Charlie Miller were brought on and began to combine to good effect with Scott on the left wing and with James Derry now in defence Warriors looked comfortable. Warriors opened the scoring on thirty eight minutes as a Miller cross was met on the far post by Galloway who clinically shot into the net.

The second half saw Warriors loose their momentum despite being in front and Ravenshead found themselves on level terms on fifty one minutes as a header looped over Cooks head into the net. Cook was then then called upon to make an excellent fingertip save but despite this Ravenshead were soon 2-1 up as one of their players skipped past a Warriors defender and  slotted  the ball into the back of the goal. Luckily for Warriors , Ravenshead were then guilty of a glaring miss that would have sealed warriors fate and this miss seemed to bring Warriors back to life as they pushed forward again to try to secure an equaliser. With only five minutes left on the clock a long throw by Warriors man of the match Tyler Stafford  was glanced towards goal by Kitchen whose shot glanced off Lees and into the net. A deserved point for Warriors team who at times played some excellent attacking passing football .

Hucknall Warriors travelled to  West Bridgford Pumas in their latest Notts Youth League under 16 division 2 game. This fixture in the past has always delivered an excellent game of football and needless to say it didn’t disappoint despite the strong blustery wind that blew throughout the match.  One of the games early chances fell to Charlie Miller who blasted just over the Pumas bar however early opportunities to open the scoring were few and far between as the wind hampered the flow of the game. Goalkeeper Luke Cook then made a stunning stop as his  fingertip save at full stretch prevented an almost certain opening goal for the home team. Regan Scott then screwed a shot just wide of the far post and minutes later Millers carbon copy shot eased past the same post following some excellent play between Tyler Stafford and Scott.  Midway through the first half Pumas began to exert pressure on the Warriors goal with  James Derry having to put the ball out for a corner . Minutes later a risky back pass in the area  resulted in Cook being unable to hold onto the ball and in the resulting melee a Pumas striker put the ball over the line to give the home side the lead.  Warriors were lucky to be still only one goal down at half time as Pumas next attack saw their striker spurn a golden opportunity to double the lead when the goal was gaping and on the stroke of half time a free header was glanced just wide of the post.

The second half saw Warriors step up a gear however Cook was again the first keeper called into action as he was required to make a crucial stop. Warriors levelled on fifty minutes when a cross from the right was flicked on by Andreas Kokkinou to Paice Lees who made no mistake from short range. The visitors then thought they had taken the lead but Sam Stewarts’ goal  following  a Liam Burley corner was disallowed . Warriors defence looked strong with Lewis Nixon, Derry , Josh Kitchen and man of the match  Stewart looking in control.  Kitchens long throw into the box was  nodded on by Kokkinou and Lees was perfectly positioned again to grab his second goal of the game with sixty minutes gone. Warriors continued to press forward with Alex Galloway coming close , seeing his shot put out for the first of three consecutive corners. Scott then eased Warriors nerves as his powerful strike left the keeper no chance as it rifled into the top of the net.  With five minutes to go Pumas were awarded a late penalty that they made no mistake in converting leaving a tense final few minutes . Despite Burley coming close in the final few minutes with a shot that the keeper palmed round the corner the game finished 3-2 to Warriors.

A hard fought victory played against a tough Pumas team that sees Warriors climb back into joint second position.

Young Elizabethan League- Saturday under 10 division 1

Warriors got off to a sloppy start  by conceding a deflected cross in
the first two minutes of the game that saw the ball find the back of
the net and gave keeper Hurry no chance!This kick started Warriors into
an attacking mode and soon replied with three goals in five minutes
with a goal a piece from Joe Gillan,Owen Burke and Jack Bradley, which
then saw Warriors dominate the first half with striker Curtis Rigley
coming close with a powerful shot that just whent wide of the Trojans
post and also some fine midfield displays from Connor Smith and
captain Camryn Walker.Trojans managed to pull another goal back just
before half time to leave the game finaly balanced for the second half.
Straight from the whistle Warriors took conrol of the game and with
some great work by the fast improving Glen McDonald he found man of the
match Joe Gillan who slotted home for his second of the game.Warriors
continued to press forward and eventually got a well deserved fifth when
George Blatherwick never gave up on a loose ball and fired it under the
Trojans keeper.Warriors never looked troubled at the back in the second
half with a fine defensive display from Jude Priest who pushed Gillan
all the way for man of the match!

A great start to the new year for the fast inproving Warriors side that
saw them start to move up the table and hopefully see them up near the
top where the belong!!

The first game of the new year pitted Hucknall Warriors under 16 Reds against Heanor Juniors in the second division of the Notts Youth league. Warriors were sluggish in the early stages with Heanor having most of the early pressure in a fast paced encounter. Heanors pressure paid off when  on ten minutes they took the lead as a ball struck across the face of the goal by their most dangerous player, unmarked, evaded all Warriors defenders  and was slotted in from short range. Warriors battled to get themselves into the game with Tyler Stafford creating danger with some powerfully taken long throws into the box  and it was one of these throws that lead to a controversial moment in the game. A throw was flicked on by Sam Stewart finding the feet of Liam Burley whose shot was blocked on the line and his follow up shot appeared to go over the line into the net but despite the use of a hand by a Heanor player Warriors were awarded neither goal or penalty  that would have drawn the score level. Moments later Heanor scored a second as a 2 v 2  on the Warriors goal saw a square ball passed across the goal  leaving Warriors goal keeper Luke Cook exposed and with no chance of saving. Heanor scored a third on thirty five minutes  but Warriors pulled a goal back just before half time when Charlie Millers free kick  was converted by James Derry following a goal mouth melee to leave the score at 3-1 to the home side.

Heanor continued to apply early pressure in the second half  and were denied a fourth when Paice Lees managed to poke the ball away to safety and out of the path of the oncoming home striker and moments later Lees came to the rescue of Warriors again as  he was perfectly positioned on the far post to clear the ball.  Warriors succumbed and conceded a fourth goal before Warriors began to fight back.  Another Stafford throw only just evaded the head of Luke Atter  before Andreas Kokkinous’ free kick was met by the head of Sam Stewart whose initial shot was saved but he was able to stab the rebound over the line. Man of the match Kokkinou came close himself with a header that just went wide as well as with a free kick that just dipped over the bar . Regan Scott nearly grabbed a consolation goal in the dying minutes but despite Warriors being in the  ascendancy in the final ten minutes they were unable to earn a point.

Hucknall Warriors under 16 Reds  five match unbeaten run was brought to a halt by third placed Netherfield Boys Blue in this Notts Youth league second division game.  Against tough and physical opposition Warriors had their fair share of possession and were the first to come close when Andreas Kokkinou just headed over from Liam Burleys’ well taken corner. Netherfield also  came close in the opening ten minutes but a well taken shot was deflected to safety for a corner. Tyler Staffords long throw was punched out to safety for a Warriors corner , which when delivered again troubled the home defence who could only give away another corner. Despite the pressure from the visitors indecision in the Warriors midfield nearly cost them dear and  gave Netherfield a great opportunity but Luke Cook was alert and collected the lob on his goal line. Twenty five minutes on the clock and the dead lock was broken by Netherfield as a bullet of a shot from the right of the box gave goalkeeper Cook no chance. Despite further pressure from Warriors  they were unable to secure an equaliser before half time.

Warriors continued to battle hard in the second half and the defensive partnership of Tyler Stafford, James Derry, Lewis Nixon and Sam Stewart showed total commitment against a powerful  Netherfield strike force. Derry made a crucial tackle early in the half to keep the deficit at one goal before Kokkinou took on and beat the keeper before passing into the box but Burley was unable to convert from short range. Two moments of controversy in the game then  as firstly Regan Scotts seemingly good goal was ruled off side and  then shortly after the home team doubled their lead with a goal originally flagged offside but allowed to stand.  Warriors continued to battle with Josh Kitchen, Scott and Kokkinou working tirelessly . Another excellent Burley corner saw James Derrys’ towering header cleared off the line before goal keeper Cook was injured in a goal mouth collision and had to be replaced by centre half Derry. A third goal for Netherfield shortly after sealed Warriors fate but despite this they continued to press right up until the final whistle in search of a consolation goal with man of the match Scott earning the award for some excellent football  down the left wing. The final scoreline of 3-0 was perhaps  flattering to the victors but despite this  there were some excellent  and gritty performances by Warriors who remain second in the table.