Hinckley AFC started 2025 as they ended 2024, by picking up an away draw, as Luke Jones scored late to secure a 2-2 draw at Yaxley.
In a game full of ups and downs, Hinckley will feel it’s a game they should have won based on their second half control, but nearly lost after conceding two penalties, the second an extremely controversial award, and in the end had to settle for a point thanks to a pair of Goal of the Season contenders.
Jared Bradshaw and Jones scored superb direct free-kicks at either end of the game, while Yaxley twice netted from set pieces of their own as the new year began with a stalemate.
On a baltic afternoon on the outskirts of Peterborough, Hinckley started the brighter and scored a Goal of the Year contender just three minutes into their opening game of 2025. After being fouled himself 30 yards out, Bradshaw dusted himself down and found the top corner from the resulting free-kick which wobbled through the air and bounced in off the inside of the post, a special goal to start the year with a bang.
But once the opening 10 minutes had passed, Hinckley stuttered somewhat and were scrappy on the ball, giving possession away too often.
It allowed Yaxley the upper hand for decent spells of the remainder of the half – and they had their first sight of goal when Enoch Opayinka rounded Keelan Fallows but saw his delivery cleared by Oli Szymanski.
And they spurned a golden chance to equalise when Jay D’Lionga caught Fayed Rhaman in the box, but Fallows dived the right way to deny Matt Harris-Hercules from the spot.
That kept Hinckley ahead, and they nearly doubled their lead shortly before the break when D’Lionga’s cross was tipped onto his own bar by Max Rigby.
The game’s major talking point came eight minutes into the second half. Calum Flanagan beat Rhaman to a header on the edge of his own box, referee Tom Roberts continued with play but was then brought back by his assistant’s flag. After a brief conversation with his colleague, Roberts pointed to the spot, much to Hinckley’s astonishment. After Harris-Hercules’ earlier mishap from 12 yards, Evan Watkins took responsibility this time and sent Fallows the wrong way to equalise.
Frustration at the nature of the equaliser perhaps kicked Hinckley into gear, and their performance improved after that. Rigby saved routinely from Lewis Rankin, and then tipped Leo Farruch’s effort wide at his near post.
But Yaxley then turned the game around 13 minutes from time – a well-worked short corner caught Hinckley out and substitute Jae Mead headed home a cross to put his side ahead.
Hinckley continued to push – but when Watkins’ superb last-ditch tackle denied Chandler Pegg a tap in, and then substitute Bryan Kohyrelon glanced Farruch’s flashed cross wide from close range, you wondered if it might not be their day.
But in the final minute of normal time, Adam Barber’s surging run was ended on the edge of the box and Jones got the resulting free-kick over the wall and under the bar, again clipping the inside of the post on its way in as Hinckley scored a second spectacular goal of the day to equalise.
And in plenty of time added on, Hinckley came close to winning it. Rigby pulled off a diving save to deny Pegg, and from the recycled move, Harry Walker-Donovan’s first-time shot flew over.
Then, with the final kick of the game, Szymanski headed over Jones’ corner from six yards and the sides had to settle for a point apiece.
Yaxley: Max Rigby, Harvey Robertson, Jay Chilvers, Adrian Bilicz, Enoch Opayinka (Jae Mead 62), Evan Watkins, Fayed Rhaman (Sam Parker 79), Matt Harris-Hercules (George Carder 80), Julinho Gomes (Josh Turner 80), Lil Francisco, Jordan Venters (Lewis Lilley 71).
Goals: Evan Watkins (54 pen), Jae Mead (77)
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Jay D’Lionga, Adam Barber, Lucinee Donzo (Bryan Kohyrelon 83), Calum Flanagan, Oli Szymanski, Lewis Rankin, Zaki Evans (Harry Walker-Donovan 91), Chandler Pegg, Jared Bradshaw (Luke Jones 74), Leo Farruch. Subs not used: Joe Obi, Keaton Blackbird.
Goals: Jared Bradshaw (3), Luke Jones (90)
Attendance: 116
