Joint manager Joe Conneely reflected on Hinckley AFC’s 1-1 draw at Stapenhill as “a good point”.
Hinckley were without their two leading scorers, Brady Middleton and Tom Weale, for the game and without a recognised striker in the matchday squad.
But Lewis Rankin’s equaliser late in the first half earned Hinckley a point, and though they controlled long spells of the second half, they couldn’t find a winner.
Conneely said the conditions and opposition made things as tough as he expected – and that it is a point gained for his side rather than two dropped. He said: “It was a really difficult day. We knew it was going to be. We were missing a couple of players, playing without a striker really.
“It’s a difficult place to come, the pitch was really heavy and the boys worked so hard. We lacked a little bit of quality. They caught us on the break in the first half, and the only bit of quality we had really came from Ranks with that goal.
“So it was a tough day, but we expected that and overall it’s a good point. We might look back at this in six weeks and look at how valuable it could be. There aren’t many who will come here and win, because it’s extremely tough to do things the way you want to.”
Despite having the better of the second half, Conneely felt his side were missing the final touch that would have seen them create more chances.
And though home ‘keeper Paul Hollis saved smartly from Isa Abraham and Riley Davoile, Conneely would have liked him to be tested more.
“We got into areas to create something, just without that final pass or cross. We just needed to tidy up a bit but it’s hard on a heavy and bobbly pitch.
“Lads are tired, Isa is fasting and ran up and down all day for us. He’ll do that for you anyway but he worked so hard on the wing. We’re asking so much of the lads without a striker, so having to play players in positions they’re not used to.
“But we’ll have those days, we’ve always said we won’t always be freeflowing, no team will come here and be freeflowing. They make it really difficult for you.
“They edged the first half, second half we were much the better team and we huffed and puffed but the ‘keeper made a couple of decent saves.”
