Hinckley AFC assistant manager Paul Tomlinson lamented his side’s defensive mistakes that gifted Atherstone Town three goals in the defeat at Sheepy Road yesterday.
A clinical spell of three goals in eleven minutes either side of half time meant Hinckley lost their second straight game for the first time since December 2015.
Tomlinson said his side more than matched their opponents in open play, but said bad defending cost them points and ground on the sides above them.
“Anyone that’s watched the game today can see that yes, it looks a convincing victory, but if you take the goals in isolation every one of them is a complete and utter mistake on our part. We’ve defended poorly.
“We’re really disappointed with the result. On a really tough pitch, we’ve worked as hard as them, created four or five good chances and should have had a penalty. That penalty decision may just get you back in the game.
“But overall, it’s very disappointing because the goals we’ve conceded are of our own making. I can’t think of one instance that they’ve created anything at all, apart from in the last ten minutes when we’re chasing the game.
“In 80 minutes they haven’t hurt us, so in that respect it’s a decent performance but the result is very disappointing.”
Tomlinson said his side have to learn to play their football in the right areas on difficult pitches like the one they encountered at Atherstone, but doesn’t blame the players.
“You see where the mistakes have come from, there was one on our own byline. You think ‘why are you trying to play there?’ but that’s what we ask of our players and to break those habits sometimes is difficult.
“That’s what we ask and I’m not going to blame anybody for that because everyone makes mistakes. We’ve been punished for them today.
“Credit to Atherstone because they’re a good, strong, workmanlike side but in the game itself I don’t think they hurt us. Defensive mistakes have cost us dearly.”
Hinckley take a break from league action next week when Buckland Athletic visit in the Buildbase FA Vase last 16. Tomlinson wants his side to put the last two weeks behind them and take another step towards creating more history for the club.
“We’re going to do all our homework this week. We’re speaking to people and we’re trying to get someone down to go and watch their game for us.
“By the time Saturday comes around we will have done some homework. We know they’re a good side but we want to look at their strengths and weaknesses – where they could hurt us and, more importantly, where we could hurt them.
“For us, it’s about picking the lads up after a couple of defeats in our last two league games, and trying to get a positive result in the Vase on Saturday.”
