Fresh from a first league win, Hinckley AFC return to Kirkby Road for a first home league game of the season with a local derby against Aylestone Park on Monday night.
Hinckley’s efforts at Newport Pagnell on Saturday earned not only a first three points of the season, but also a clean sheet as the new-look backline snuffed the home side’s threats.
They did so still without defensive trio Ky Green, Ethan Flaig and Will Harris, as well as Oscar Marshall and Reece Massey, although the latter could return this midweek.
And AFC’s tough start to the season continues with the visit of an Aylestone side who will, for 24 hours at least, go top of the early season table with a win.
The opposition
Aylestone have picked up seven points from their opening three games, with wins over Coventry United and ON Chenecks, the latter coming from behind at the weekend.
In between that, they came from 2-0 down to salvage a late draw against Atherstone Town but were upset by Sileby Rangers 4-1 in the FA Cup.
Their seven goals this season have been scored by seven different players, but wide man Louis Samuels was prolific in this league for Lutterworth Town last season before moving to step four with Shepshed Dynamo. They have also retained last season’s top scorer Sam Hollis.
Ex Hinckley United man Declan Towers has also returned to Saffron Lane this summer.
Aylestone did the double in this fixture last season, winning a tightly-fought and ill-tempered affair 1-0 at Kirkby Road before a comfortable win at Saffron Lane. That got their revenge for when Hinckley did the double the previous time the sides were in the same league. Overall, in seven meetings between the sides, Hinckley have four wins and Aylestone three.
From the dressing room
“They’re a very good team who are up there among the favourites to win the league. I watched them recently against Atherstone and that was a really good game between two good teams trying to figure each other out. Saturday to Monday is a tough turnaround so we’ll have to use our squad as well as we need to and make sure we’re ready to go.”
Joe Conneely
Key information
Kirkby Road has a large on-site car park, and we have both cash and card turnstiles available.
Adults: £7 members, £8 non-members
Concessions: £5 members, £6 non-members
Under 16s: £2 non-members, members go FREE
