Hinckley AFC’s ten-match unbeaten run came to an end as they went down 3-2 to second-placed Allscott Heath in Division One.
AFC went into the game with a perfect away league record but they were left facing a mountain to climb at 3-0 down just after half-time.
Lewis Rankin and Matt Dawson gave the visitors hope, but ultimately it was too little, too late as the Shropshire side held on for victory.
Hinckley were missing Dec Somel and Brady Middleton as Harry Walker-Donovan and Isa Abraham came in for them – but they found this a much tougher ask than last week’s 9-0 thumping of Bewdley Town.
It was a physical contest with little in the way of goalmouth action throughout the first half, the sides separated at the break by two goals inside three minutes midway through the half.
The first came when Calum Flanagan’s clumsy tackle in the box gave Tom Fallon the chance to score from the penalty spot, which he duly took.
And just three minutes later, a goalmouth scramble ended with Cameron Davies getting the final touch past Brandon Bache for the home side’s second.
Aside from that, there was little else between the sides but when Connor Courtney added a third eight minutes into the second half, unleashing a fine effort from range after Fallon’s flick on, Hinckley had a mountain to climb.
They set about scaling it on the hour mark, with a quick break from an Allscott corner as Abraham beat the offside trap and squared for Rankin to convert from six yards.
The travelling fans hoped for an onslaught on the home goal, but Allscott managed the game well in the final half hour to restrict Hinckley’s clearcut chances.
They were reduced to ten men late on, Carl Rogers shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Jack Edwards, but by the time Dawson pulled another goal back, a volley through a sea of bodies after the home side half cleared a corner, it was deep into stoppage time and Hinckley ran out of time to salvage a share of the spoils and their unbeaten run.
Hinckley: Brandon Bache, Matt Dawson, Danny Fraser, Harry Walker-Donovan (Adam Barber 78), Calum Flanagan, Sam Walton (Ky Green 72), Lewis Rankin, Tom Weale, Jack Edwards (Jack Beasley 91), Josh Clews (Preston Bitemo 31), Isa Abraham. Sub not used: Shay Durkan
Goals: Lewis Rankin (59), Matt Dawson (95)
Attendance: 112
picture courtesy of Edwin Wilkes
