Hinckley AFC slipped to defeat by the odd goal in five as they were given a lesson in finishing by a clinical Coventry Copsewood.
AFC kept the ball well throughout but they failed to make the most of their possession whilst Copsewood were clinical with their limited chances to take the points.
On a bitterly cold evening, the players on both sides deserve enormous credit for what was an entertaining game throughout. It flowed this way and that before Isa Abraham’s late winner settled it for the hosts, leaving Hinckley to reflect that they’ll play a lot worse than this in some games and win.
Hinckley began well, Mitch Thomson was at the heart of things early on and he created the first goal on 16 minutes, feeding Luke Richards on the left hand corner of the box and he unleashed a shot into the top corner.
After Lewis Commins saw his shot deflected over, the home side levelled five minutes later as Madundo Jemakimbo found space on the right hand edge of the box and squeezed his shot home from an acute angle.
Five minutes later, the home side had turned the game around, a long raking pass from the impressive Abraham found Jemakimbo again on the right flank and he lashed home an unstoppable shot.
Hinckley continued to keep the ball well without really threatening until after half time, when they stepped up a gear and pinned the home side back for long spells. They should have levelled on the hour after Commins was fouled in the box, but Richards opted for power rather than accuracy and blazed his spot kick over the bar.
Undaunted, the visitors continued to press and got their reward five minutes later as Thomson kept his composure in a crowded penalty area and passed the ball into the net to level it up.
It was anyone’s game now as Copsewood came back into it. Abraham fired across the face of goal before Brady Middleton set up Thomson who shot straight at home keeper Dale O’Donnell when well placed.
But the decisive moment came five minutes from time. Thomson struck the underside of the bar for Hinckley and play switched immediately to the other end where Abraham out paced the defence to fire home a fine individual goal.
That won it for Copsewood leaving Hinckley with nothing to show for their efforts.
Copsewood: O’Donnell, Mistry, Martin, Murphy, Ritson, Moore (Bartram, 65), Jemakimbo, Mulvihill, Freeman, Smith (Ellis, 58), Abraham. Sub not used: Layfield
Goals: Jemakimbo (21, 26), Abraham (85)
Hinckley: Taylor, Brindley, Hirst, Giles, Green, Kendrick, Commins (Pegg, 80), Harris, Richards, Thomson, Middleton. Subs not used: Ball, Webster, O’Reilly
Goals: Richards (16), Thomson (65)
