Hinckley AFC manager Carl Abbott was delighted with his side’s reaction in their 6-1 win over Pelsall Villa yesterday.
AFC came into the game off the back of criticism for their performance in Saturday’s defeat to Chelmsley Town but responded superbly with a dominant display against a Pelsall side also battling the drop.
They were 4-0 up by the 35 minute mark as they put themselves in cruise control and Abbott was delighted with the response his side gave. He said: “The lads were at it today.
“I can assure everybody that the desire was no different to what it was on Saturday, today was just a far better performance against a side who are no worse than Chelmsley really.
“We just asserted ourselves and were far superior and that’s how it should have been on Saturday.
“I don’t know why it was how it was on Saturday, and in the second half against St Andrews, but the lads certainly haven’t given up, though I appreciate that’s how it looks.
“But the lads were far better today and we’ve got our grip back on that second place now. We’ll hopefully have more bodies back on Saturday and we can finish the job in the next couple of weeks.”
Abbott was particularly pleased with the way his side moved the ball and praised the pitch at The Bush Ground, saying it allowed his side to express themselves.
“The surface is really good actually. There are a few bobbles on it and there’s obviously a mean slope but that’s far superior to what we play on every week.
“It allowed us to get the ball down and play a little bit, which I didn’t anticipate when I was coming over this morning. The ground might not be the prettiest but the pitch is nice and that suited us.
“The second half was tough because they went three up top, put a big man on and tried to turn us around down the bank.
“But overall it was a controlled performance with plenty of creativity and a bit of a swagger. There was plenty of hunger and the desire was palatable.”
The undoubted star of the show was Javia Roberts. He scored four of Hinckley’s six goals and the former Wolves Casuals boss was full of praise for the diminutive winger and said he was brilliant.
“Jav’s a bit of a pitch player and on some of the car parks we play on, and some of the grounds we go to away, it’s difficult for him to run with it as he’s trying to second guess where the ball’s going.
“Sometimes he’s a bit too quick for the ball if it’s bobbling around everywhere and his game is quite unforgiving after the summer months have passed.
“But today he did the things that come naturally to him. He was hungry for a game having missed Saturday through work and we’re very pleased for Jav. He’s a lovable kid and it’s great to see him to well.”
