Hinckley AFC defender Francino Francis was pleased with the way his side did themselves justice in their League Cup final defeat to Alvechurch.
Francis poked home Isaac Cooper’s cross to score Hinckley’s goal with three minutes to go, and that sparked a late rally from Carl Abbott’s side, desperate to rescue the game.
But although they couldn’t find an equaliser, Francis said his fellow players were on par with their title winning opponents throughout. He said: “The lads worked really hard today. We’ve done ourselves justice against a team from a division higher and we’ve matched them in every department.
“Ultimately it just comes down to a bit of fitness and concentration. We’re now looking forward to the summer before getting back at it next year.”
The former Hednesford centre back was full of praise for goalkeeper Haydn Whitcombe, who made one save in particular that stood out in the first half, but also rued Hinckley’s missed chances from the first half.
“Haydn was brilliant tonight. He’s been brilliant all season for us and pulled off some good saves tonight.
“But we had our chances as well. It would have been a different game if we’d gone a goal or two up and taken those chances. They got the first goal and that lifted them a bit but we got a goal back and penned them in for the last five or ten minutes. We just couldn’t get that second goal.”
To catch the full interview with Fran and Carl Abbott after the League Cup final, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-kHx_Uf9p4
