Relegation all but confirmed for Knights

Pinchbeck United are set to be relegated from the United Counties League Premier Division after two 2-0 defeats condemned them to last place.

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Hucknall Town, the only side they could finish above, proved a hammer blow.
While the Nottinghamshire side’s fixture with Kimberley was rained off on Monday, the Knights had a chance to get back level on points on Tuesday night when they took on Sleaford.
However another 2-0 home defeat leaves the Knights three points behind Hucknall having just one game to play, but the goal difference is so vastly different, (Pinchbeck’s is -86, nearly twice Hucknall’s -40) it’s virtually impossible for them to survive.
That’s even if Hucknall don’t pick up the solitary point they need to survive from their final two fixtures.
Sleaford’s goalkeeper scored the second goal, Liam Flitton hitting a long ball from his area that Ben Cox misjudged the bounce of and it went over his head and into the goal.
Their first goal in the 15th minute came from former Knight Finlay Armond.
The damage was really done on Saturday where, despite having a man advantage for the majority of the game, Pinchbeck lost 2-0 at home to Hucknall.
Both sides went for the win early with Hugo Hunt and Amadu Kanu going close.
But Hucknall began to take control with Knights’ keeper Cox forced into some excellent saves.
On 40 minutes though Hunt broke through and was hauled down, the referee deeming the defender Dillon Rawson denied a goal scoring opportunity while not attempting to get the ball and brandished the red card.
The Knights thought a second red should have brandished against their former player Taylor Jaine but he escaped punishment.
They were unable to make the extra man count though as Hucknall were in the ascendancy.
They’d hit the post and been thwarted by Cox on several occasions before taking the lead through Brad Wells just before the hour, smashing home the rebound off the bar after Cox’s initial save.
The same player hit the bar again from a corner with a header as Pinchbeck pushed up.
Kanu missed their best chance to level but his effort when in on goal was wild.
And Hucknall sealed it in the 89th minute when, from a corner, Wells squared for sub Daniel Oduniaya who scored from close range.
Knights v Hucknall: Cox, Simpson, Fields, Wilkinson, Cranfield, Brooks, Kanu, Stevens, Hunt, Robson, Slater. Subs: Melson, Callaghan, Nicholson, Tate, Moyses.
Attendance: 172.
Knights v Sleaford Cox, Fields, Nicholson, Wilkinson, Sherrif, Moyses, Tate, Stevens, Hunt, Robson, Ward. Subs: Melson, Kanu, Salter, Callaghan, Cranfield.
Attendance: 93.