UP NEXT, another local derby for the first team over the Christmas period. This Boxing Day, the miners host Hucknall Town in what is now a desperate relegation battle as the visitors have started to pick up points over the last few weeks.

Kimberley go into the match still in search of a first league win since the opening day of the season. Recent performances, while improved, have not yielded the points that the team will feel that they have deserved. We also welcome young Toby Gibbs from the reserves into the squad for the festive fixture.

Hucknall Town come to the Stag Ground with what we hope will be a good following, as they search for the points to take them away from the relegation zone. Recent results have seen them take a couple of big scalps in Lincoln United and Melton Town but consistency is a problem, having lost three of the last seven in the league.

On Saturday, the Miners made the short trip to Heanor Town to play on possibly the worst pitch so far this season after the rain in the week, and in horrifically windy weather. In a first half where the miners were kicking uphill and into the wind, Heanor had the territorial advantage, making use of the weather to aid a long ball down field for their quick strikers to carve out chances. One of these long balls paid off, as the Heanor goalkeeper kicked big, to see the ball drop in between the two Kimberley centre halves and the onrushing goalkeeper for the Heanor striker to nip in between the confused trio and slide the ball past Allsop in goal for 1-0 to the home side. Kimberley came out a different side in the second half. Being more on the front foot, the miners created plenty of early chances themselves, only for Alfie Roberts in the Heanor goal to pull off a couple of fantastic saves to keep the Lions ahead. Following substitutions, Kimberley drew level with twenty minutes to go as Ben Morley floated a diagonal ball into the box for Aaron Coyle to nod over the onrushing goalkeeper and draw level at 1-1. Just five minutes later, Heanor restored their lead as a low effort trickled under Allsop for the match to finish 2-1 to the hosts. Kimberley were again left wondering what would’ve been as they made their way home.

Hucknall Town’s last match saw them host a Melton Town side whose promotion hopes had been shot to pieces in recent weeks, losing three in a row before making their trip to Hucknall. Things got no better for them as a dominant Hucknall side ran out 3-0 winners through goals from Luis Parkes scoring early and two in the second half from Niall Towle and Ethan Hulley. Hucknall will look to take confidence from this superb result into the match on Boxing Day.

LAST TIME AROUND

The corresponding fixture last season came at the beginning of April this year as Hucknall were fighting relegation. With the match being goalless at half time, things sprung to life in the second half with goals from Ethan Clarke and Kole Lambert for the Miners being enough to take three points as only Ayleal Dill scored for Hucknall, with all three goals coming in a six minute period midway through the half.

The away match at Hucknall came on Boxing Day last Christmas. Again, the score was 0-0 at half time. Tom Eccleshall snatched the result for Kimberley with just ten minutes to go with the only goal of the game.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Hucknall Town FC is a family friendly Community Football Club established in 1943 as Hucknall Colliery Welfare FC. The Club changed its name to Hucknall Town in 1987. From 1999 to 2004 we played in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, finishing Champions in 2003-04. However, as our Watnall Road stadium didn’t meet the then standards of the Football Conference, we were refused promotion to the Conference National Division. In 2005-06 we reached the Final of the FA Trophy losing 6 - 5 on penalties to Grays Athletic at the end of extra time following a 1-1 draw at full-time.
The Club was relegated at the end of the 2008-09 season and a further relegation following at the end of 2010-11, saw us drop into the NPL Division One South.
Further financial problems saw us relegated again, two levels in 2012-13 to the Central Midlands Football League Division South. In 2014-15 we won the CMFL
League Cup. After several years of financial difficulty, which have now been
overcome with extremely hard work and commitment and with work commencing on our new stadium, there is much optimism for the future.
In the 2018/19 season the Club celebrated its 75th anniversary finishing as Champions of the Central Midlands League Division South and we were promoted to the step 6 East Midlands Counties League Premier to start our rise back up the football pyramid.
After two seasons seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, 2019-20 & 2020-21 and with the EMCL ceasing to exist, Town moved into the United CountiesLeague Division One for the start of the 2021-22 season.
Honours
Northern Premier League:- Premiership Champions 2003-04
Chairman’s Cup Winners:- 2002-03
FA Trophy Runners Up 2005-06
Northern Counties East League:- Premier Division Champions 1997-98
League Cup Winners 1993-94, 1996-97, 1997-98
President’s Cup Winners 1996-97
Nottingham Alliance Senior Division Champions 1976-77, 1977-78, 1987-88,
1988-89
Division One Champions 1972-73, 1980-81, 1986-87
Division Two Champions 1970-71
Intermediate Cup Winners 1972-73, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1983-84
League Winners 1978-79
Central Midlands League Supreme Division Champions 1989-90, 1990-91
Central Midlands Football League Division South Champions 2018-19
Central Midlands League Cup Winners 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 2014-15,
Runners Up 2016-17, 2018-19

FINALLY
This is a huge match for Kimberley. After another disappointment, each game is now a must win. Hucknall will see things the same way as they currently sit just a point above the relegation zone and could easily get sucked in with a defeat.

Kick off is at an earlier time of 13:00. Admission is £7 adults, £4 concessions and U16's free with a paying adult.

There will be FREE parking at Kimberley Leisure Centre and the bar will be open.

Please get along to support the boys

We would also like to thank K.Walls Decorating for sponsoring the match.

Here is the link to the company Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/K.WallsDec

For any decorating jobs at home, please consider getting Karl to come in and do the business