Hinckley AFC Under 18s extended their lead at the top of the Eastern Division with a comprehensive 8-1 win over Lichfield City.
A dominant performance saw the youngsters go seven points clear at the summit with their second-biggest win of the campaign, writes Lee Measom.
The first chance came within minutes of this game, Tom Foley picked the ball up on the right-hand side, and put one across goal for AFC’s Elliott Pratt who got round the defence and forced a save from the visiting keeper. The rebound fell to Friday who put his shot narrowly wide.
Hinckley were playing some nice football early on and got their reward with the opening goal when Pratt got to a loose ball, his shot deflected to Joe Charnock who placed it into the bottom right corner.
Hinckley added a second shortly after, good work in the centre of the pitch from Sheasby saw him set up Checkland who finished brilliantly from just outside the box.
A third soon followed, Charnock ghosting through Lichfield’s defence to force a save from the keeper but the same player tapped in his second of the game on the rebound.
The rest of the first half was quiet, but a minute into the second half Hinckley added a fourth. Friday’s corner found Sarjeant who powered one into the top left corner.
Lichfield did soon pull a goal back after converting from the penalty box and they had come into the game well.
But Hinckley were the next to score to kill off any hopes of a comeback, another good corner by Friday headed in by Gamble.
And the home side finished strongly to add three in the final ten minutes. The sixth came from Charnock, whose original shot was saved but he headed the ball over the keeper from the rebound.
Hinckley added a seventh shortly after, a good low cross by Friday found Pratt lurking at the back post to power home.
And it didn’t stop there, into injury time another good low cross from the right found Pratt lurking again to convert another.
It turned out to be the last goal of the game in a comfortable win for the youngsters.
