Hinckley AFC equalled a club-record ninth successive victory with a 5-1 win at Holwell Sports.
A three goal burst inside the opening fifteen minutes laid the foundation for the victory that keeps Hinckley six points clear at the top of the table.
It was a dominant first half performance from AFC who took a four goal lead into the break as they attacked at will and penned the home side back in their own territory for much of the half.
The game was two minutes old when Hinckley took the lead. It was a well worked set piece as Tom Weale’s free kick picked out the clever run of Jack Edwards in the box and he steered the ball home.
The celebrations had scarcely died down before Edwards was bearing down on goal again. This time he was denied by home keeper James Phillips but the loose ball was picked up by Charlie Evans whose shot took a defection and looped over Phillips into the net.
This was AFC’s 100th league goal of the season – a superb achievement on the first Saturday in February.
And they weren’t done yet. Drew Kear attacked the right flank to great effect throughout the half, and he delivered a teasing cross that came back off the far post and rebounded off Evans into the net for a third.
Hinckley continued to dominate and they added a fourth just before the break. It was all Lewis Rankin’s own work as he collected the ball on the right hand corner of the box, twisted and turned his man to create the space for him to curl a left foot shot inside the far post.
The interval interrupted Hinckley’s momentum and the second half became a scrappy and occasionally fractious affair. The home side had a couple of defenders yellow carded for poor challenges in their eagerness to stifle AFC’s attacking flair and the game never flowed after the break.
Holwell pulled a goal back with a crisp finish from Jordan Smith who drove his shot home from the right hand edge of the box.
But it was the visitors who completed the scoring. Weale was again the creator, his ball sent Ryan Harkin racing clear of the home defence before he applied a neat finish.
It was the icing to wrap up another excellent away day for Hinckley.
Holwell: James Phillips, Ashley Hibbitt, Liam Chapman (Junior Gaskin 71), Karl Whymark, Chris Shaw, Tom Bendle, Jordan Smith, Luke Peberdy, Harry Allcock (Aaron Black 37), Scott Mooney (David Hazeldine 76). Sub not used: Ian Bitmead
Goal: Jordan Smith (54)
Hinckley: Matt Hill, Drew Kear, Mikkel Hirst, Tyson Knight, Luke Wilson, Ben Vallance, Lewis Rankin (Jeremie Agholor 60), Tom Weale (Dom Alleyne 70), Charlie Evans, Jack Edwards, Isa Abraham (Ryan Harkin 65). Subs not used: Ben Whitehead, Ryan Slinn
Goals: Jack Edwards (2), Charlie Evans (4, 15), Lewis Rankin (41), Ryan Harkin (68)
Attendance: 151
