Hinckley AFC fell to defeat as two goals in either half earned Aylestone Park a 4-1 United Counties Premier South win.
In truth, Hinckley never looked like their usual selves on Saffron Lane and they were punished by their title-chasing hosts.
Zaki Evans grabbed AFC’s consolation late on, but it was too little too late for Hinckley to cause any concern.
Joe Conneely was boosted by the return to fitness of Harry Walker-Donovan and Leo Farruch, who both started among four changes from the side that drew at Histon, but it was the home side who started on top.
That said, chances were few and far between early on, the only notable exception being when George Atwal cleared off the line from an Aylestone corner.
But the home side hit the front on 18 minutes, when Sam Hollis got to the left-hand byeline, cut back and fired a shot that beat Keelan Fallows at his near post.
Hinckley tried to get the ball down and play on the good surface, but didn’t keep the ball well enough to cause any problems, while Aylestone went more direct and were effective in doing so – big centre-forward Gregg Smith was a handful all evening and helped ensure they won the majority of first contacts.
The home side’s best move of the half brought their second goal 10 minutes before the break – a swift move down the left ended with Hollis crossing into the box for Joel Carta to finish.
With a hill to climb, Hinckley started the second half slightly brighter but the only work for Liam Castle in the Aylestone goal was to comfortably hold a curler from Farruch.
Either side of that, Smith lobbed just wide for the hosts and Hollis had one ruled out for offside – but as the game entered its final 15 minutes, Hollis should have added his second – Hinckley waited for an offside flag that never came, and Hollis was left with acres to run through on goal but Fallows denied him with an excellent stop.
Not that it mattered too much – from the resulting corner, Jake Duffy’s delivery to the far post was unchallenged by the defence and Carta bundled home his second from close range.
Fallows then denied substitute Evandro Sanches with what was almost his first touch, but then fellow replacement Abdul Sunmonu did get on the scoresheet with a neat finish one-on-one.
To their credit, Hinckley kept battling and pulled one back shortly afterwards – Keaton Blackbird won the ball back on the edge of the Aylestone box and the ball fell for Zaki Evans to fire home an excellent first-time finish.
They almost grabbed a second too – Calum Flanagan hooked narrowly wide from a set piece – but Aylestone were worthy winners and Hinckley need to quickly put that behind them ahead of a visit from third-placed Rugby Borough on Saturday.
Aylestone: Liam Castle, Charley Kilburn, Andres Articolo, Sam Preston, Corey Armeni (Evan Kane 86), Jake Duffy, Sam Hollis (Hayden Stephens 90), Joel Carta (Evandro Sanches 80), Richard Black, Lee Barratt (Abdul Sunmonu 76), Gregg Smith (Josh Brodella 83).
Goals: Sam Hollis (18), Joel Carta (34, 75), Abdul Sunmonu (83)
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Harry Walker-Donovan (Jay D’Lionga 50), Adam Barber (Lucinee Donzo 95), George Atwal, Calum Flanagan, Joe Obi, Luke Jones (Jared Bradshaw 59), Zaki Evans, Chandler Pegg (Bryan Kohyrelon 59), Lewis Rankin (Keaton Blackbird 78), Leo Farruch.
Goal: Zaki Evans (87)
Attendance: 163
