Spot kick earns Shirebrook Town second point of the season against Hucknall Town

Shirebrook manager Rudy Funk said: “It’s another point on the board and it’s a good point for us.

"I thought we started the game very brightly and we got the penalty that was dispatched by Chris O’Grady, and then Hucknall came back into the game and they got their penalty.

"Hucknall probably just edged it in the second half, but I thought we dealt well with the pressure they put us under and Luke made a terrific save late on to keep the score as it was.

"So we will take this point because for us at the moment it about getting as many points on the board as we can and hopefully we learn from the one or two mistakes today as we move onto the next game next weekend.”

Following defeat on the road last Saturday at Skegness Town Shirebrook returned home still looking for their first win of the season.

Hucknall had also had a difficult start to the season, having not picked up a point from their first three games, so Shirebrook saw this as an opportunity to get that first win.

Tthe game burst into life in the 11th minute when Shirebrook were awarded a penalty after Fabio Vieira was played through one-on-one, and as he went to go round the keeper, he was brought down.

O’Grady stepped up to take the penalty and sent the Hucknall keeper the wrong way.

Shirebrook pushed forward looking to extend their lead and O’Grady and Fabio Vieira both went close for the home side.

But Hucknall soon began to get on top with Brad Wells seeing a shot saved by Luke Chadwick in the Shirebrook goal.

And in the 31st minute Hucknall levelled as they were awarded a penalty after Cashmere Rowe was brought down in the box.

Niall Towle stepped up to take the penalty for Hucknall and sent Luke Chadwick the wrong way to level the score.

On the stroke of half-time Hucknall almost took the lead as Abdurrahman Saad cross found an unmarked Towle in the box, but he put his header into the sidenetting as the sides went in level at the break.

Hucknall started the second half the stronger of the sides, but a combination of good defending and brilliant keeping saw Shirebrook deal with the pressure.

As the half went on Shirebrook managed to get on the attack as O’Grady, Vieira and Kian Tansley went close.

In the final 15 minutes Shirebrook looked like the team most likely to get the next goal as Conner Eyes went close from a corner and sub Tom McNally saw an effort saved by the Hucknall keeper.

But in the final five minutes Hucknall had the best chance to take all three points as Niall Towle spun his man and fired a shot towards goal from just inside the box, but Luke Chadwick produced a stunning save to make sure Shirebrook kept hold of the point they had.