United progressed to the third round of the Nottinghamshire Senior Cup with a routine 2-0 win away at Hucknall Town on Wednesday night, the last ever to be played at Watnall Road.

Tyreace Palmer scored six minutes before the break and Anthony Dwyer notched his customary goal shortly after the restart to seal victory.

Making several changes from the FA Cup defeat to Solihull Moors at the weekend, Ollie Clark made his long-awaited return from injury and there were starts for Riece Bertram, Brad McGowan, and Gianni Musson, who started in goal.

Academy trio Lui Bull, Tyler Dacres and Lynden Joyce made up the five on the bench.

Town started well and nearly opened the scoring when Aaron Short was inches from poking Craig Westcarr’s low cross after only six minutes but from there United dominated.

Palmer found himself in behind from Josh Barnes’ excellent pass, but a touch evaded him before Anthony Dwyer fired Courey Grantham’s cross into the ground, easy for Joe Pearson in the home goal.

Dwyer then had the best chance of the half when he broke the offside trap but couldn’t round the grounded Pearson who did well to thwart, though the opener wasn’t long in coming.

Down the left, Barnes and Declan Dunn combined well before a cross along the six-yard box fell to Palmer who had the simple task of passing into an empty net.

Dwyer and Clark both had decent opportunities to double the scoreline just before the break - Pearson parrying away both – and United went in for their half-time talk in front.

Six minutes after the restart, Dwyer got in on the act when he forced a strike through the fingers of substitute ‘keeper Louis Kinnerley after Grantham’s cross and was denied a second in as many minutes by the official’s far-side flag.

The three academy products all made a senior debut on the hour in and performing well; Joyce having a shot cleared off the line six minutes after coming up after doing well to beat Jamie Crawford.

Munakandafa and Bull combined late on for a deuce of chances, the former failing to force Kinnerley into any real saves but United progress after a comfortable in a farewell to Watnall Road after 79 years.

UNITED: Musson; Betts, Bertram, McGowan, Barnes; Dunn, Clark (Bull 75’), Grantham (Dacres 79’), Dunn; Palmer (Munakandafa 52’), Dwyer (Joyce 60’)
SUBS (not used): Preston (GK)