Hinckley AFC made it two wins in three days as they hit five for the first time in almost a year in a comprehensive win at Chelmsley Town.
In Hinckley’s biggest away win since April 2018, there were three fine individual strikes in the second half as Courtney Belford’s men also kept a third clean sheet in four games.
Three goals in ten minutes either side of half time did the damage as Jake Healy’s brace late in the first half set Hinckley on their way before Luke Richards’ fine solo goal put the game to bed.
Then Ryan Ball and Dimitri Dunkley both struck eye-catching late goals of their own to add gloss to the scoreline.
Belford made two changes to the side that beat Paget Rangers on Saturday, as Mark Williams and George Brindley came in for Bekir Halil and Greg Webb.
The sides exchanged early chances as Ty Belford held Kye Dryden’s best chance for the hosts after a neat passage of play, before a corner led to Healy’s effort forcing a smart save from Tom Allsop.
And AFC broke the deadlock eight minutes before the break. Dimitri Dunkley’s clever trickery down the right saw him leave his man on the floor and cross for Healy to convert on the volley from close range.
Richards then missed a glorious chance for his first of the season when he somehow put Luke Delaney’s pullback wide from inside the six yard box with an open goal to hit.
But it didn’t matter too much, as on the stroke of half time, Hinckley hit another blow. This time Healy was brought down by Liam Norris in the box, but he dusted himself down and slotted home the resulting spot kick for his second in eight minutes.
If Chelmsley harboured any hope of a result, they needed a fast start to the second period but instead it was Hinckley who quickly put the result to bed.
The only thing missing from the season so far was a goal for striker Richards, but he made up for his earlier miss two minutes into the half. His first of the season was worth the wait – a magnificent solo effort, turning and beating three defenders on a powerful run before burying from outside the box.
Chelmsley nearly pulled one back through a stunner of their own, but Dominic Oliver’s ambitious free kick from fully 45 yards struck the post and Williams hacked the rebound to safety.
As Hinckley sought further goals, Ball’s pinpoint through ball was controlled just too heavily by Commins, whose touch allowed Allsop to gather when one on one.
But Hinckley were almost having their own goal of the month contest in one half, Ball adding to the contenders with a fine strike from 25 yards to net his first for the club after Allsop’s punch only reached the edge of the box.
And as the game entered stoppage time, Dunkley added a goal to his display as he turned his man and lashed one into the roof of the net for his second in two games.
It almost became six, but after Commins’ good work down the right, Dunkley’s scuffed effort hit the post, and after pinball in the box Lewis Collins backheeled into the net but it struck Dunkley on the line in the process, and was ruled out for offside.
But it was still Hinckley’s biggest win of 2019 as they moved to the top of the early season table.
Chelmsley: Tom Allsop, Liam Norris, Rob Ellis, Steve Sadler (Adam Kealey 62), Sam Walton, Kieran Fitzgerald (Dominic Oliver 77), Alex Knight (Jon Daley 70), Jeorge Smith, Ryan Conlon, Tom Ellis, Kye Dryden. Subs not used: Nick Ellis, James Kelly
Hinckley: Ty Belford, George Brindley, Ashley Gray, Jake Brown (Ryan Ball 76), Ky Green, Curtis Townley, Dimitri Dunkley, Mark Williams, Luke Richards (Lewis Collins 68), Luke Delaney, Jake Healy (Lewis Commins 68). Subs not used: Greg Webb, Lewis Commins, Lewis Collins, Michael Wright, Ryan Ball
Goals: Jake Healy (37, 45 pen), Luke Richards (47), Ryan Ball (87), Dimitri Dunkley (91)
Attendance: 106
