Hinckley AFC hit their biggest win as a step five club as eight goals and eight goalscorers helped them to a big win over Easington Sports.
It’s now 12 goals in two games and 12 different scorers for Hinckley, who are continuing to improve under the new management team as they moved up to fifth in the table – a remarkable turnaround since the opening day hammering at Daventry.
But this was a very different win to Monday’s over Bugbrooke St Michaels. Earlier in the week, they were 4-0 up by half time but this time a slow start twice saw Easington take the lead, before a second-half blitz not only made the game safe, but saw the biggest win in the United Counties Premier South this campaign.
On an afternoon that started in a torrential downpour and ended in bright sunshine, Hinckley’s performance matched that of the weather. They started slowly but improved as the game wore on, and a ruthless and dominant second half saw them score five times without reply.
There was little sign of what was to come when the visitors looked lively early on, but rued their finishing for not going ahead within five minutes of the whistle.
Inside 30 seconds, Sam Lawrence was given space inside the box but blasted off target – before Charlie Morgan shot wide from the edge of the box and Lawrence forced a smart save from Keelan Fallows all before Hinckley figuratively came out of the changing rooms.
And they took a deserved lead on 19 minutes, when Morgan stroked home a low cross from just inside the box.
That sparked a frantic spell of play, and Hinckley weren’t behind for long – just two minutes more had passed when Jared Bradshaw picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box, took one touch and fired past the ‘keeper at his near post.
Again, though, Easington went ahead shortly afterwards – Tom Smith taking past his man and finding the bottom corner on the angle.
Zach Tellyn levelled it up again, latching onto Zaki Evans’ superb pass and lofting home the bouncing ball, before Hemagou’s first impact in a Hinckley shirt was to put his side ahead just after the half hour. He controlled a cross from the left, turned and fired into the top corner all in one movement – an excellent finish and the spectacular, acrobatic celebration that followed is something Hinckley fans will hope they see plenty more of in the season to come.
That was a fifth goal in a crazy 13-minute period, and though there weren’t any more before half time, it wasn’t for either side’s lack of trying. For the visitors, Lawrence had a drive well blocked by Jacob Shilton and Josh Yeboah struck narrowly wide on the turn, while Tellyn’s 25 yarder flew not far wide at the other end.
But while the first half was an end-to-end affair, the second saw just as much action but it was predominantly one-way traffic. Tellyn’s cross-shot clipped the bar soon after the break, but just a minute later, Hinckley did extend their lead when Cotton marked his debut with a surging run and cross, which took a nick off Kris Pal to take it past the ‘keeper.
The visitors’ heads dropped after that – Hinckley were excellent on the ball and the result was never in doubt as they made sure Fallows didn’t have to make a save in the second half.
And the management team will be delighted with the variety of scorers. Shilton grabbed his first on the hour – he had only just headed a corner over the bar, but didn’t miss the target a second time as he volleyed home Jordan Clement’s delivery at the far post.
Then, Reece Massey got on the scoresheet for the first time to cap his impressive start to the season, a 25-yarder which bounced awkwardly in front of Pat Slawieniak in the visiting goal, but he will still feel he should have done better as it squirmed under his body.
By now, it was a case of how many Hinckley could get as they continued to move the ball with tempo and accuracy. Clement tested Slawieniak from distance and Massey curled over before they added gloss to the scoreline in the final five minutes.
Bradshaw’s cross was turned into his own net by substitute Jacob Parker-Hunt for a seventh, but Hinckley saved the best until last through Chandler Pegg, who picked up the ball 40 yards out, spotted the ‘keeper off his line and executed a magnificent lob to cap off a remarkable afternoon at Kirkby Road.
It’s two days shy of two years since Hinckley last scored eight in a league game, and finishes off an excellent week for the new-look side ahead of a 10-day break before visiting GNG Oadby Town.
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Perry Cotton (Jake Tullin 82), James Sanderson, Zaki Evans (Caleb Yeboah 68), Chandler Pegg, Jacob Shilton, Jared Bradshaw, Kevin Hemagou (Will Harris 63), Reece Massey, Jordan Clement, Zach Tellyn (Henley Hadley 82).
Goals: Jared Bradshaw (21), Zach Tellyn (30), Kevin Hemagou (32), Perry Cotton (50), Jacob Shilton (59), Reece Massey (65), Jacob Parker-Hunt (85 OG), Chandler Pegg (88)
Easington: Pat Slawieniak, Luke Swann, Ruben Wade, Charlie Morgan, Luke Fuller, Kris Pal (Jacob Parker-Hunt 73), Sam Lawrence, Jordan Godfrey, Josh Yeboah, Tom Smith (Ben Doak 66), Braydon McCartney (Endri Stathi 60). Sub not used: Charlie McCloskey
Goals: Charlie Morgan (19), Tom Smith (26)
Attendance: 195
