The Greens will have full intentions of using Saturday’s clash with the Yellows as an opportunity to bounce back and move on from a thoroughly disappointing afternoon at Deeping Rangers last time out. That 4-1 scoreline – against one of the early relegation battlers – was no hard-luck story either, despite the Greens taking a 2nd minute lead, with gaffer Matt Evans bemoaning his sides lack of experience as they relinquished a strong position to lose so comprehensively. It was the surrender of control that perhaps irked Evans the most and he was keen this week to get his young charges back out on the training pitch ahead of another massive battle with one of the early strugglers this weekend.

The Greens actually opened up this campaign against Hucknall back at the end of July, but there’s no arguing that the 1-0 win that day – given to the Greens by Billy Gillies late strike – feels a world away now. Only seven players featured that day that could feature this weekend, and one of them will definitely remain out of contention with Sam Greenwood continuing his recovery from a broken hand. Evans will hope to have a fully fit Lewis Smalley back in contention though after he missed last weekends game at Deeping through illness, forcing Evans to run with a centre-back partnership of Jake Henderson and Ryan Flitton. Flitton himself will also be assessed after he picked up a nasty cut on his head after colliding with Dan Dougill last weekend, though barring any concussion issues, will be expected to be involved once again.

Opponents Hucknall Town meanwhile had hoped to finally settle at Premier Division North level this season after barely avoiding relegation last season – their superior goal-difference to Pinchbeck United the ultimate deciding factor in the Yellows survival. Seven points early on this campaign suggested there may well have been a change of fortunes in Nottinghamshire, but they welcome the Greens to the RM this weekend on a run of just one win in eight Premier Division North games. Back-to-back 4-1 defeats over the past fortnight at the hands of Heanor Town and Newark Town led to manager Reece Limbert’s resignation last week, with the clubs recruitment process still active going into the weekend.

What the Greens will hope then, is that they can capitalise upon the uncertainty in Nottinghamshire at present and deliver a much-needed morale boost. They’ll need to find their scoring boots if they are to achieve that though, with the Greens now having scored just six goals in the 10-games since Tom Ward’s departure as manager in September. Hucknall though, have proven profitable opposition for the Greens since their first meeting in February and three wins from three for the concession of just one goal makes happy reading as the Greens look to extend that record this weekend.

Admission to The RM Stadium (NG15 6DW) is priced at £8 for adults and £5 for concessions, with under-16’s priced £3.00. The clubs matchday programme will also be available, priced at £2.00 per copy. Saturday’s match referee is Adam Brierley-Lewis, and he is assisted on the day by David Dennis and Christopher Parkinson. Kick-off in Nottinghamshire is set for 3:00pm.

Words: Oliver Atkin