Hinckley AFC continued their stunning home form as a ninth successive win in front of their own fans saw them go back to the top of the table.
AFC have won all six matches since the return to Kirkby Road and two first half goals in as many minutes meant the continuation of that sequence was never in doubt against Graham Street Prims.
Despite a two week lay off over, Hinckley showed no signs of rustiness. Their passing and movement was impressive from the off and they went in front on the quarter hour mark. Charlie Evans’ delightful pass inside the full back allowed Mikkel Hirst to gallop along the left flank and his low cross reached Ryan Harkin who finished clinically.
Moments later and the lead was doubled. Harkin was the creator on this occasion as he ran through the inside left channel before pulling a low ball back for Lewis Rankin to finish accurately from the edge of the area.
Prims briefly saw sight of goal when Sam Boyall fired into the side netting but most of the action was at the other end. Visiting keeper Jack McDowell made a couple of saves, one with his legs to keep out Harkin was outstanding, but Hinckley went further in front five minutes before break. Harkin drove into the roof of the net after McDowell could only parry Tom Weale’s shot.
Perhaps feeling the points were in the bag, Hinckley were sloppy at the start of the second half and Prims enjoyed their best spell of the game. Matt Hill was called into action to save Oskar Kruk’s well struck shot to preserve yet another clean sheet and create a new club record for Hill.
AFC completed the scoring on the hour when Harkin got free on the left flank and pulled a low ball across the six yard box that Evans converted.
Then Jack Edwards almost scored what would have been a break taking goal. 25 yards out his exquisite first touch set him up for a impudent chip over McDowell but unluckily for him, the ball clipped the top of the bar.
It mattered not though as Hinckley returned to the top ahead of Saturday’s trip to Aylestone Park.
Hinckley: Matt Hill, Nick Brandish, Mikkel Hirst, Jack Edwards, Ben Whitehead, Ben Vallance, Drew Kear (Isa Abraham 61), Tom Weale, Ryan Harkin, Charlie Evans (Dom Alleyne 71), Lewis Rankin (Tyson Knight 55). Subs not used: Luke Wilson, Ryan Slinn
Prims: Jack McDowell, Hanif Alassani (Denzil Wellington 76), Jack Gorbert (Ryan Seale 67), George Lynam, Lee Cranstone, Elliott Dawson, Sam Boyall, Jay Bruce, Oskar Kruk (Stan Hayden 73), Will Bayles, Kai Thomas
Attendance: 159
