It’s a case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object at the Triplex Sports Ground on Saturday as Hinckley AFC visit OJM Black Country.
Hinckley are the league’s leading scorers with 68 in just 19 games, and brought up their 100th goal of the season in all competitions with last week’s win at home to Smethwick Rangers.
But that goal-friendly strikeforce will face its toughest opposition of the season so far as they head to a Black Country side with comfortably the division’s best defence.
The opposition
Matches involving OJM have seen fewer goals than any other side’s, and while only Ingles have scored fewer goals of any side in the top half, OJM’s solid start has been built on a rock solid defence.
They have let in just 17 goals in 17 games, five fewer than the next best side Ingles, and also shut out Premier Division high flyers Studley in the League Cup.
At the other end, Taylor Homer has been their biggest goal threat with 11 goals in just 12 league games.
They sit fifth – the same place they finished last season – with nine wins and four draws from their 17 league games so far. They are five points behind second-placed Cradley with a game in hand, and have two games spare compared to Hinckley.
OJM also possess the league’s last unbeaten home record, although they have only played five matches at their new Triplex Sports Ground home that used to play host to Pilkington XXX and Cadbury Athletic.
Previous meetings
Hinckley won both encounters last season, but with differing levels of time to spare. The home fixture in December was won only by Tom Weale’s stoppage-time penalty as Chandler Pegg and Jack Edwards goals were sandwiched by Zaqib Hussain’s brace for OJM. The away game, meanwhile, saw AFC 4-0 up by the hour mark with a brace each for Chandler Pegg and Joe Obi.
From the dressing room
“They’re a very good side who are very difficult to beat. They don’t concede many goals. They were a good team last season but we did a job on them twice and they’ll be much improved this season. The Triplex is a tough ground to go to, we’ll take plenty of fans over there and we’ve got to try and get a result.
“They’ll fancy themselves – they’re at home and will still fancy themselves to catch us with a couple of games in hand. We’ll have to be at our best but we’re in a good run and don’t fear anyone. We’ll keep taking it game by game and enjoy the pressure of trying to stay where we are.”
Joe Conneely
Key information
OJM now play at what used to be Pilkington XXX’s ground in Kings Norton – the Triplex Sports Ground, Eckersall Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B38 8SR.
Adults: £7
Concessions: £4
