Match Preview: Coventry United (a)

The games continue to come thick and fast for Hinckley AFC, and they face one of their toughest tests this season against league leaders Coventry United this afternoon.

Games on Tuesday and Thursday mean Carl Abbott’s side aren’t short of match practice ahead of their trip to the table topping Cagemen; their third away game in five days.

And a match against a side who have won all but one of their league games this season provides as stiff a test as any for Abbo’s men, although confidence in the camp will be high after Thursday’s 8-0 thrashing of AEI Rugby.

In contrast, United have played only three leagues games since 5th December, and after a postponement last Saturday they returned to action with a 3-1 win over Racing Club Warwick on Tuesday.

Coventry have both the joint best attack and the best defence in the league, and have a four point advantage over second placed Bromsgrove Sporting with a game in hand.

Winger Josh O’Grady has provided their biggest threat going forward, with 23 goals in 24 appearances, but he has been well supported by ten goals from Matt Brown, eight for Josh Blake and seven for Ross Briscoe.

Hinckley, though, have two players who can match O’Grady’s tally – Marco Adaggio and Luke Richards – while Ryan Seal has also contributed sixteen goals after his four on Thursday.

The previous two meetings between the sides have both finished 4-0, with one win apiece. United’s clinical performance meant they emerged victorious from the league game in August, before Hinckley returned the favour in the Polymac Packaging League Cup a month later.

After leaving their own ground ‘The Cage’ at the end of last season because it didn’t comply with step six regulations, this season they are sharing at Midland League Premier side Coventry Sphinx. They play at Sphinx Drive, off Siddeley Drive, Coventry, CV3 1WD.