Hinckley AFC cemented their place in third and gave their goal difference a real boost with as they returned to winning ways in the league with a resounding 8-1 victory over Wolves Sporting.
AFC were relentless going forward and the quality of their finishing was so sublime it was difficult to pick the goal of the game.
Joe Conneely gave a first start to Josh Clews and he made an accomplished debut. Good on the ball with an eye for a pass, he was behind much of Hinckley’s attacking prowess throughout the game.
AFC dominated from the start and went ahead inside five minutes, Danny Fraser whipped in an inviting free kick from the right and Chandler Pegg stooped to glance his header home.
Visiting keeper Aidan Cox kept his side in it with a couple of excellent saves to deny Isa Abraham, but was powerless to prevent Hinckley’s second – the sweetest of strikes from Jack Edwards 25 yards out.
As the home side continued on top, they added a third ten minutes before half time. It was a wonderfully constructed goal as Matt Dawson received Pegg’s astute pass in the box to rifle his shot home from the right hand edge of the area.
After a one sided first half, Sporting enjoyed their best spell of the game early in the second. Marlon Taylor twice came close with two well-struck long range efforts, one clipped the bar and the other brought the best out of Brandon Bache before the visitors pulled one back, Luke Francis drilling home his shot from an acute angle on the right hand byline.
If Sporting thought they had a way back into the game, Hinckley quickly extinguished that hope as they stepped up a gear and ran their opponents ragged in the closing stages. Dawson quickly restored their three goal lead, Harry Walker-Donovan found him on the right flank with a sweeping pass and Dawson did the rest, beating a couple of men as he raced into the box before applying a clinical finish.
The full back was chasing an unlikely hat-trick and was behind Hinckley’s fifth, his low cross was turned into his own net by Wolves defender Kieron Francis, under pressure from Abraham.
AFC added another three in the final ten minutes, Lewis Collins showed superb close control in the box before scoring his first of the afternoon, and within a minute, fellow substitute Lewis Rankin rifled home from close range and the scoring was completed in the final minute of normal time as Collins added his second to round off an emphatic victory.
Hinckley: Brandon Bache, Matt Dawson, Danny Fraser, Josh Clews, Sam Walton (Luke Wilson 90), Jack Beasley, Harry Walker-Donovan, Tom Weale (Lewis Rankin 73), Chandler Pegg (Lewis Collins 50), Jack Edwards, Isa Abraham (Adam Barber 80). Sub not used: Joe McNulty.
Goals: Chandler Pegg (5), Jack Edwards (17), Matt Dawson (35, 70), Kieron Francis (77 OG), Lewis Collins (82, 90), Lewis Rankin (84)
Sporting: Aidan Cox, Kieron Francis, Sam Reuben, Nathan Walker, Luke Georgiou, Mitch Tomlinson, Lopes Massampo (Jahmaal Macintosh-McMahon 70), Matt Hearsey, Marion Taylor, Jay Sangha (Tom Harley 60), Luke Francis. Subs not used: Khenan Barrett, Brad Shinton, Nathan Smith.
Goal: Luke Francis (67)
Attendance: 157
