Town had the best of starts, with Danny Bacon giving them the lead after just two minutes.

Alistair Asher fired in a free kick to the far post, Gary Ricketts headed down to Danny Bacon, who controlled and turned past a defender before shooting back across goal and into the corner of Danny Hursts net.

The Hucknall striker had another chance on 15 minutes, but having beaten a defender to get inside the six-yard box, the angle became too tight and his shot went over the bar.

On 26 minutes Boro almost scored an equaliser, Phil Denney finding space in the area, but his header was tipped over by Matt Taylor.

But Deney was not to be denied, however, and he bagged the equaliser on 29 minutes.

Richard Battersby tried his luck with a low shot from 25 yards, which was half stopped by Nathan Winder, but the ball ran loose to Denney who made no mistake, shooting under Taylor from the edge of the box.

Hucknall almost regained the lead a minute later, good work by Andy Todd and Ricketts saw the ball released to Bacon, but his shot from the edge of the area was well saved by Hurst.

As the half closed, Boro won a series of corners, but Taylor was able to clear the ball from the first, and after two more efforts the ball was finally cleared.

All square at half-time, Boro emerged for the second half intent on at least keeping it that way and taking Town back to Stainton Park, if they couldnt win it on the day.

Hucknall were dealt a severe blow on 55 minutes, when Nathan Winder was on the wrong end of a Steve Foster challenge, the big centre half being carried off on a stretcher with a suspected broken leg.

Boro almost took advantage as Hucknall re-grouped, a good run and cross from the right being just missed by the head of Denney on 57 minutes.

Three minutes later there were loud appeals from the Boro players as Taylor cleared a corner off the line, Boro claiming the ball was already over it, but the referee waved play on.

The introduction of player/manager Dean Barrick saw Hucknall start to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, and push Boro back into their own half, a free kick by Barrick from the left seeing a Timons header tipped over on 69 minutes.

A cross from the left was half cleared to the edge of the area, where Mark Smith controlled the ball well before hitting a powerful low shot from 20 yards out, which was deflected past Hurst by Bacon.

Shortly after he had another good chance, this time Asher provided the cross, but Bacon could only turn the ball wide from six yards out.

Timons saw another header go inches wide from a Roy Hunter corner, and with almost the last kick of the game Andy Todd beat two players before getting to the goal line, but his shot hit the near post, the crossbar and then the far post, before being cleared.

Boro can take some comfort from the fact they pushed a hardworking Hucknall all the way, and on another day may have emerged from Watnall Road with at least a draw, if not a victory.

BORO: Hurst, Duffy, Kilheeney, Kelly, Luker, Hill, Wilson, Battersby, Denney, Foster, McGuire. Subs: Sampson, Crowther, Forrest, Challinor, Heald.

l Boro have been drawn away in the third round of the UniBond League Cup, on Saturday, December 18, against the winners of the Bamber Bridge v Burscough tie, which takes place on December 7.

l The youth team are through to the fourth round of the Lancashire FA Cup after a 5-1 home win over Bolton County. Goals from Alex Rowe (3), Sean Byrne and Andrew Kennedy sealed the win. The next fixture at Stainton Park is against Burscough, tomorrow night Wednesday December 1.