Bolehall Swifts 3-3 Hinckley AFC
A remarkable stoppage time comeback saw Hinckley AFC score twice in time added on to preserve their unbeaten run in a 3-3 draw at Bolehall Swifts.
Carl Abbott’s side were 3-1 down heading into the 93rd minute, but Luke Richards’ low drive and Marco Adaggio’s 96th minute bundle home after a goalmouth scramble sparked jubilation amongst Hinckley’s players, staff and supporters alike.
Earlier, Dave Yonwin’s first half brace had twice given Bolehall the lead either side of Adaggio’s nineteenth minute goal, before Adam Goodby gave Bolehall a 3-1 lead at half time.
And AFC looked dead and buried until their stoppage time show, which means they are now 23 unbeaten in all competitions.
Hinckley made three changes to the side that were held by Racing Club Warwick on Saturday with Jordan Rushton, Isaac Cooper and Rob Millington replacing Alex Morris, Danny Kavanagh and Michael Healy.
It was Bolehall who started the brighter, and after Goodby volleyed wide, the hosts took the lead four minutes in. Yonwin got the wrong side of Dom Smith, and was brought down by the big centre half. Yonwin took the penalty himself, and sent Sam Arnold the wrong way from the spot.
Goodby then blazed over after Chris Cowley’s shot was saved by Arnold as Bolehall continued to press.
But after that, it was Hinckley who gained the ascendancy, and Richards saw his header deflect safely into the arms of Paul Hathaway from Millington’s cross in AFC’s first shot on goal.
Arnold dealt with Cowley’s twenty yard strike shortly afterwards, before Hinckley equalised after nineteen minutes. Adaggio latched onto a ball over the top and beat Hathaway to the ball, lobbing it over the Bolehall keeper and the ball bounced home.
Parity lasted only eleven minutes though, and Yonwin restored Bolehall’s lead on the half hour as he got in behind the AFC defence once more. After a clever turn past Smith, Yonwin’s strike was deflected over Arnold from an acute angle.
And Hinckley’s task was made even more difficult three minutes before the break, when Goodby received a square ball and fired into the roof of the net from fifteen yards.
The second half was devoid of goalmouth action for the most part, but Hinckley had a chance to halve their deficit in the first minute of it. Cooper broke forward down the left, and picked out Walker fifteen yards out, but the midfielder could only blaze over.
As time started to run out, Hathaway pulled off a fine save from Millington’s left foot volley after Adaggio won a flick on and it looked as though Hinckley would taste defeat for the first time in 23 games.
But in the third minute of stoppage time, Hinckley were given hope as JJ Melligan’s left wing cross picked out Millington. Millington’s shot was blocked, but the ball rebounded to Richards on the edge of the box, and his left foot drive found the bottom corner.
And with the AFC faithful urging their team on, Richards won a left wing free kick in the final minute of stoppage time. From Ross Clarke’s delivery, chaos ensued as bodies desperately flew at the ball. Amongst a scramble inside the six yard box, goalkeeper Arnold, up for the set piece, swung a left boot, and the ball was bundled home by Adaggio from barely a yard out to spark pandemonium on the terraces.
There was no time for any further attacks, and AFC’s late show means that their unbeaten run extends to 23 ahead of Saturday’s trip to another high flyer, Bromsgrove Sporting.
Bolehall: Paul Hathaway, Richard Deavall, Nick Harris (David Boal 70), Thomas Starkey, Joseph Obi, Michael Pollard (Keegan Butler 90), Jamie Abbott, Adam Goodby, Dave Yonwin (Chris Sturridge-Packer 87), Scott Goodby, Chris Cowley. Subs not used: Jon Huckfield, Tom Lapworth.
Goals: Dave Yonwin (4 & 30), Adam Goodby (42).
Hinckley: Sam Arnold, Mitchell Tomlinson, Isaac Cooper, Dominic Smith, Jordan Rushton, Nathan Walker (Michael Healy 61), JJ Melligan, Ross Clarke, Rob Millington, Marco Adaggio, Luke Richards. Subs not used: Oli Basham, Asa Wright, Danny Kavanagh, Jack Hartopp.
Goals: Marco Adaggio (19 & 90+6), Luke Richards (90+3).
Attendance: 100
