TITLE-CHASING Hucknall Town bagged all three points in real smash and grab fashion against City on Saturday - cantering home to a highly flattering win.

City more than matched the league leaders for an hour - and could count themselves unlucky not to be in front.

But Hucknall showed their pedigree by going ahead against the run of play and then hitting the Dolly Blues with two classic counter attack goals to add insult to the injury already inflicted.

City had looked the more assured in the opening half, with Neil Prince always lively on the left flank, Peter Thomson providing a threat down the right and leading scorer Jamie Hughes back to his busy best up front.

Hughes should have done better than head straight at home keeper Stuart Nelson from a Prince cross and then Prince himself hit a long range effort which Nelson held.

City had a string of corners as they continued to dominate without creating any more real chances.

But, by way of contrast, it wasn't until the 38th minute that City's Kevin Welsby was called into action, blocking a Leon McSweeny shot.

The shape of the game remained the same when the second half opened, with Steve Jones testing Nelson with his shot after being set up by Thomson.

But Hucknall made the vital breakthrough in the 62nd minute as a cross was half-cleared. The ball fell sweetly at McSweeny's feet to rifle a shot high into Welsby's net and change the course of the game.

The goal changed the face of the game as the hosts finally began to look like the Unibond title challengers they are and make City back-pedal.

John Robertson was lucky to survive a penalty claim as Gary Ricketts tried to sneak past him in the City area.

But the second goal came as City pushed forward for an equaliser with 15 minutes left - the pacy Ricketts racing onto a high through ball to beat Kevin Welsby low down to his left.

And four minutes later the same player repeated the dose, sprinting through a tiring City back four to beat Welsby for 3-0.

CITY: Welsby, Uberschar, Scott, Elderton, Robertson, Sparrow, Clarkson, Jones, Thomson, Hughes (Sullivan 66), Prince.