Hinckley AFC manager Joe Conneely said he was as happy as he’s been all season after Friday night’s FA Vase win over Paget Rangers.
Conneely watched his Hinckley side reach the second round qualifying with a 3-1 victory at Kirkby Road.
It marked their third win in a row and the manager said he was delighted with how his side applied themselves.
But he’s still demanding more moving forward. He said: “We were really good, we worked so hard.
“We had to contain them which we did really well in the first half without having much quality on the ball. But I can’t fault them, they work so hard.
“It’s a new group. It will take time for them to get used to each other but they’re slowly learning and that’s the most pleased I’ve been since we took over.”
The third win in a row emphasised a good recovery from defeats in their first two games of the season. Conneely said extending their winning streak builds confidence in his squad and praised their character.
He was also pleased with how his side look more assured defensively than they had done last season, or in the opening rounds of this campaign.
The new-look backline featured Ethan Baynham on debut after signing from Bedworth, while Adam Barber has returned from Nuneaton Griff and Joe McNulty has chipped in with goals in consecutive games.
“We had Ethan in the summer but he wanted to try things at a higher level, which is fair enough. But he’s found a place here where he’ll be trusted and we’ll get the best out of him. It was a fantastic debut for him.
“Adam Barber has also come back a completely different player from the one that went to Nuneaton Griff.
“A year of men’s football has been amazing for him. He gives that bit of balance on the left. We deserved a clean sheet, but we switched off and got tired, but overall defensively we look a lot more solid.”
