After seven straight wins, Hinckley AFC now face a trip to league leaders Kimberley Miners Welfare looking to keep that record in tact.
Hinckley have propelled themselves up the table in recent weeks with a club record equalling run of consecutive victories.
Now they face arguably their toughest test of the season so far with a visit to table topping Kimberley.
But manager Courtney Belford says his side will travel in great shape and full of confidence, knowing what to expect from Kimberley. He said: “We’ve done as much preparation as possible for that game.
“We’ve watched them a few times and the lads have got a lot of information on them.
“We’re treating it as a must win game. We’ve got to pick up some points that we dropped off at the start.
“To lose three games early isn’t good enough for the return we want. We’ve got to claw that back and we’ve got to beat teams in and around us. It’s ok beating teams in the bottom half, but to get into the top positions where we want to be, we’ve got to beat teams higher in the table.”
Kimberley sit two points clear at the top with Aylestone Park, Hucknall and Radford all close behind them. Aylestone do have a game in hand though.
Hinckley are three points further back, also with a game in hand. Belford’s side make the trip to Nottinghamshire sitting in the final play-off spot, but just six points separate the top six sides. A win will move Hinckley within two points of their hosts, with a game in hand.
The game pits the league’s best defence against its second best attack – Kimberley have let in just 16 goals in 18 games so far while AFC have hit 60 in 17 at the other end.
And while many of their players have threatened going forward, there’s no doubt that Luis Rose will be the key man for Hinckley to stop. He’s plundered 20 goals in just 13 games for Kimberley this term, either side of a spell at Heanor Town in which he scored once in seven.
Kimberley play at The Stag Ground, Nottingham Road, Kimberley, Nottingham, NG16 2NB. From the M1 J26, at the first island follow signs for the A610 to Nottingham. As you approach a second island keep to the nearside lane and turn left following the signs B600 to Kimberley.
Continue along that road for about two miles and when you come to the Stag public house on your right, continue down the hill for about 200 yards turning right into a narrow entrance between the HAMA medical centre and Roots emporium. The car park is at the top of the driveway on the right.
