The margin of Chasetown’s 4-0 home win against Hucknall Town could have been even greater had it not been for visiting keeper Alex Mallong’s string of fine saves.
The Scholars had a point to prove after their 5-1 reverse in midweek, but came into this game unbeaten in the league in 2013 against the bottom side who had lost 13-0 and 6-1 so far in the New Year.
Chasetown were at the races from kick off and deservedly took the lead after just ten minutes when Simon Brown crossed from the right, Gary Hay dummied the ball through his legs and Nick Wellecomme could not miss from close range to net his tenth league goal of the season.
Mallong made the first of his many saves with a superb double stop in the 20th minute – first, diving full stretch to his right to deny Hay and then, from the rebound, he recovered brilliantly to keep out Wellecomme from scoring what looked like a certain goal.
The Scholars doubled their advantage in the 27th minute. Hay went round the keeper inside the penalty area only to be tripped by Mallong’s left hand. With a covering defender in proximity, the referee issued Mallong with just a yellow card and Brown fiercely drove the penalty straight down the centre into the roof of the net.
Mallong, who had last appeared at the Scholars Ground for Rothwell five years ago, was making many friends amongst the Chasetown supporters, who couldn’t help but sympathise with Hucknall’s recent plight. The visiting keeper made a low save to deny Hay from an Andrew Westwood cross, and then Wellecomme missed a great chance from three yards, putting a header wide when most in the ground would have expected a second goal for the striker.
Eight minutes before the break there was even a cameo attack from centre back Chris Slater who brought the ball forward from midfield and just kept going, beating three or four players before chipping a cross to the far post as the whole crowd waited to see if he could add to his two goals in 379 appearances!
Wellecomme was perhaps trying too hard knowing there were goals in the game for him and he hit the post five minutes before the break, before a second half where the striker would perhaps, on another day, have scored a double hat-trick.
The half ended with Richard Teesdale thundering an effort just wide and returning Chasetown keeper Matt Sargeant a virtual spectator.
Gary Hay added a third goal six minutes into the second half and the one-way traffic continued, although Sargeant was called upon to make a couple of straightforward saves from long range efforts. Wellecomme dragged one shot inches wide of the upright and saw Mallong keep out effort after effort, before his luck finally ran out six minutes from time when Hay saw his shot deflected past the stranded stopper.
Wellecomme flicked a header a whisker wide and substitute Daniel Dubidat then troubled the Hucknall custodian with a shot from just outside the penalty area.
Chasetown: Sargeant, Ashton, Tesfa Robinson, Slater, Bate (Saunders, 85 mins), Teesdale, Brown (Clarke-O’Connell, 81 mins), Westwood, Wellecomme, Hay (Dubidat, 86 mins), Theo Robinson. Subs not used: Branch, Downes.
Hucknall Town: Mallong, Vardy, Leggitt, Hatfield, Freestone, Korey Nix (Goodhand, 57 mins), Kallum Nix (Jones, 29 mins), A Cheetham, Dawson, Slawson, Durrant (Maxfield, 60 mins). Sub not used: R Cheetham.
Click below to see more of Dave Birt’s pictures from the game:
