Hinckley AFC were beaten as United Counties Premier South champions St Neots Town came from behind to earn a 3-1 win at Kirkby Road.
Hinckley withstood an early siege from the visitors as they battled hard to get into half time level, before they took the lead through Bryan Kohyrelon.
But the visitors hit back with three goals in the final 35 minutes to take the points, despite a penalty save from Keelan Fallows which capped a fine individual display from the Hinckley goalkeeper.
On a warm afternoon, Hinckley gave St Neots a guard of honour as they came on to the pitch, to reflect them being crowned league winners last week.
But there was no hangover from the visitors’ title celebrations seven days ago, and St Neots flew out of the blocks. Within a minute, Danny Baulk cut in from the left and saw his shot saved by Fallows.
The ‘keeper then made an excellent double save from Baulk and Cole Butler, before pushing wide from Rhys Thorpe and holding Charlie Bowen’s header from the resulting corner.
The opening stages were virtually an attack v defence drill – St Neots were outstanding but Hinckley didn’t keep the ball well enough to take the pressure off.
And they were grateful to Fallows for those early stops, as well as to some profligate finishing as Baulk scuffed wide when through on goal and then Butler dragged past the far post from close range.
Had AFC been 3-0 down by the time the clock hit ten minutes, they couldn’t have had too many complaints but having rode out that spell with a degree of fortune, they gained more of a foothold as the half wore on.
And Hinckley should have taken the lead on 16 minutes, when Leo Farruch ran through on goal. The assistant initially hinted that the AFC winger was onside, but then put his flag up as Farruch put the ball into the bottom corner with Hinckley just as bemused by the decision itself as the lateness of it.
That goal would have come against the run of play, and while Hinckley competed better for the remainder of the half, St Neots still had most of the chances. Nathan George had a header from a corner cleared off the line and Fallows denied both Baulk and Thorpe again before the interval.
And it looked like those missed chances would prove crucial when Hinckley took the lead eight minutes into the second half. It was a superb team goal that started with Adam Barber’s switch of play, and a neat move involving Luke Jones and Jared Bradshaw ended with Jay D’Lionga crossing for Kohyrelon to convert at the far post.
But the lead lasted just two minutes. With St Neots’ first attack after going behind, Sam Willis’ cross from the right was met by Thorpe who powered a header home to equalise.
Hinckley only briefly threatened to retake the lead, St Neots ‘keeper James Goff holding a header from Jones, before St Neots regained their control.
And Fallows’ most crucial save came midway through the second half. Harvey Williams went to ground in the box, the referee pointed to the spot but Fallows dived the right way to save from Willis.
At this point, you wondered whether it might be Hinckley’s day, especially when Thorpe spurned another chance soon after, but St Neots then took the lead with 13 minutes to play. It was a bizarre goal, a ricocheted clearance set Amaeshike through on goal, he squared to Butler whose shot was saved by Fallows. Amaeshike’s rebound was blocked on the line by Oli Szymanski, before the midfielder bundled home at the third attempt.
As the visitors sought a third to put the game out of sight, Kieran Barnes’ cross struck the far post before they did seal the points in stoppage time when Shane Fox finished off a counter attack.
For Hinckley, there’s one final game of the season at home to Lutterworth Town on Easter Monday with Joe Conneely’s side knowing a win will secure a top-half finish in their debut season at step five.
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Jay D’Lionga, Adam Barber, Harry Walker-Donovan (Caleb Yeboah 64), Chandler Pegg, Oli Szymanski, Luke Jones (Keaton Blackbird 70), Zaki Evans (Cody Faulkner 86), Bryan Kohyrelon, Jared Bradshaw, Leo Farruch. Subs not used: Randy Doudu, Sam Belcher.
Goal: Bryan Kohyrelon (53)
St Neots: James Goff, Sam Willis, Murphy Culkin, Christian Tavernier, Nathan George, Charlie Bowen, Danny Baulk (Kieran Barnes 56), Michael Amaeshike, Rhys Thorpe (Shane Fox 78), Cole Butler, Harvey Williams (Robbie Sutherland 91). Sub not used: Cameron Mawer.
Goals: Rhys Thorpe (55), Michael Amaeshike (77), Shane Fox (94)
Attendance: 231
