Hinckley AFC reached the preliminary round of the Emirates FA Cup for a second straight year after mirroring last year with a two-goal win over Highgate United to get there.
In an end-to-end and at times frantic game, Hinckley had their noses in front from the seventh minute when Bryan Kohyrelon netted the first goal of his hat-trick – the striker scoring three and setting up the fourth in a 4-2 win.
But Highgate never lay down and scored the final goal in each half to mean Hinckley were never completely comfortable, despite meriting their progression to the next round.
It was a valuable win for Hinckley after a difficult opening week in the league. At this stage last season, AFC beat Highgate 3-1 at Kirkby Road and this was a similar outing with Hinckley always on top, but not necessarily in complete control.
That ascendancy was given to them as early as the seventh minute, with a superb team goal. A flowing move involving debutant left-back Nathan Nyamsi allowed Reece Massey to spread the play to Luke Jones, who beat his man and crossed low for Kohyrelon to steer home from six yards.
That was one of several excellent passages of play that Hinckley put together, but they also had spells where they were untidy and that allowed Highgate chances of their own. Ben McSkeane and Kyle Hayden had their first sighters, but failed to properly test Keelan Fallows.
And it was Hinckley who had the closer of the chances – Matt Dawson came close to doubling the lead, but crashed a left-footer off the bar from the edge of the box.
Fallows then made an excellent double save on both of his posts to preserve Hinckley’s lead, which they doubled three minutes before half time. Kohyrelon was the scorer again, heading home Dawson’s cross from close range.
That sparked a spell of five goals in 15 minutes either side of the break – as Hinckley still showed an element of frailty in conceding at a bad time, when Highgate pulled one back – Aaron Cameron heading home a deep cross from the right on the stroke of half time.
Hinckley flew out of the blocks in the second half, and looked to have put the game to bed. Kohyrelon bagged his second hat-trick in as many games at Kirkby Road, following up his treble on the final day of last season with another as he tapped home Jones’ cross inside the six yard box.
And the duo combined again five minutes later, Kohyrelon’s great work down the right saw him shrug off a foul, and the referee played an excellent advantage which allowed Jones to bend home the striker’s pull back.
But they were still made to sweat by the visitors, who again closed the gap within a couple of minutes – McSkeane volleying home a corner at the near post.
Had they scored again soon after, when Fallows made a superb fingertip save from a corner, then it could have been a nervy last half an hour for Hinckley.
But as it was, the closing stages didn’t yield too many chances for the visitors. Cameron had a free kick deflected narrowly wide and Mason Stevens stabbed a great chance wide when he ghosted into space and probably should have scored.
Late on, Nick Brandish had a free kick of his own tipped over by Spike Whitehouse as Hinckley came close to a fifth.
But they were happy to see the game out in the sunshine amid chants of ‘Que Sera Sera’ from a strong contingent of Norwegian visitors in the main stand, and it’s AFC who will host step four Long Eaton United in two weeks’ time.
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Matt Dawson, Nathan Nyamsi, Lucinee Donzo (Caleb Yeboah 84), Chandler Pegg, Oli Szymanski (Zaki Evans 48), Lewis Rankin, Reece Massey, Bryan Kohyrelon, Jared Bradshaw (MJ Semahimbo 73), Luke Jones (Nick Brandish 65). Sub not used: Billy Snaith.
Goals: Bryan Kohyrelon (7, 42, 50), Luke Jones (55)
Highgate: Spike Whitehouse, Ben Achili, Nathan Pulisciano, Shaun Watkins, Kareem Majzoub, Jack Ricketts, Ben McSkeane, Aaron Cameron, Kyle Hayden, Harvey Chahal, Mason Stevens. Subtitutes: Brad Rogers, Brad Page, Dan Kimpungui, George Elwell, Urio Hijambazapo.
Goals: Aaron Cameron (45), Ben McSkeane (57)
Attendance: 203
