Manager Courtney Belford is urging his Hinckley AFC side to go “back to basics” when they welcome Rocester to the Welfare Ground this afternoon, weather permitting.
That’s subject to a morning inspection at 11.15am, after more rainfall at the ground this week.
After another enforced ten-day break due to the weather, AFC are back in action for their third meeting with Rocester in three months should the game go ahead.
And Belford wants his side to concentrate on doing the simple things well. He said: “We’ve perhaps lost sight of what we are, and we need to improve results because the last couple have been unacceptable.
“But we’re still in a good position. This week was the first time we’ve been knocked out of the top six all season, and there’s plenty still to play for.
“We’ve got a better squad than we did at the start of the season and we’re building for next year too.
“We’ve got a good mix now of experienced lads, like Luke (Richards), Shane Benjamin and Becks (Bekir Halil), younger lads like Gabe Webster and Ben Kendrick, and a lot of lads in that middle bracket who are young but can still improve.”
After two defeats, Hinckley have dropped to seventh in the league and will want to get back to winning ways to keep pace with the sides above them.
Defeat, and Rocester will leapfrog AFC in the table with the Romans having surged up the league in the last couple of months since new manager Paul Wright took charge.
They have won three of their last four league games, each by two goals to one, and Belford says that’s a model his side need to try and adopt.
“We know their strengths and weaknesses. We should have won both previous games having taken the lead, especially the Vase game, but Rocester changed shape and really put us under pressure.
“They’re a good side who have done well under their new manager, are tough to break down and grind results out. They win a lot of games by the odd goal and that’s now what we’ve got to do.”
AFC will still be without the injured Scott Smith (knee) and George Brindley (groin) while Ky Green will also miss out through injury.
Adults: £6
Concessions: £4
Under 16s: £2 (FREE with HAFC Junior membership card)
