After a two-week break, Hinckley AFC return to United Counties Premier South action with a visit to Bugbrooke St Michaels on Saturday, kick off 2pm.
Hinckley ended November with a run of three straight defeats but put in a much improved performance in the narrow defeat to title-chasing March last time out.
And they will want to take plenty of elements of the performance, with a real cutting edge added, with the visit to the league’s bottom side this weekend.
They will do so with James Sanderson available again, the left back fit having missed the last two months through injury.
The opposition
Bottom of the table Bugbrooke appointed a new manager in former Rushden and Diamonds player Calvin Green in October, and saw an immediate upturn in fortunes when they held Coventry United to a goalless draw and then beat Moulton.
And Green has had further opportunity to put his stamp on the squad following nearly a month without a match, after a number of weather-related postponements over the last month.
They haven’t played since 15th November, when they were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Newport Pagnell Town. Since then, though, they have lost goalkeeper John Meadows to league rivals Aylestone Park.
Scoring goals was their biggest issue in the early part of the season – just eight in 16 games a primary reason for being bottom – but they suggested those problems could be behind them with five in their last two games.
All of their eight points have come at The Sett, where they beat Hinckley 3-1 last season, and remarkably they have conceded fewer goals at home than two of the league’s top five.
From the dressing room
“We needed the rest after quick succession of games, and that’s allowed us two training sessions. We don’t always like bringing everything back to training but it helps with camaraderie and taking some of the pressure off.
“Bugbrooke are a bit of an unknown quantity, and their long break means we’ve had no opportunity to go and watch them – but hopefully that also means we can catch them a bit cold. We don’t look at the table too much, our preparation is to try and watch teams to get a flavour of them. This is a league where everyone can beat everyone so we have to prepare the same way for each game, and we’ll prepare for them as if they’re top of the table.”
Adam Davies
Key information
Hinckley will be in our purple away kit for this match – and supporters please note the earlier kick off time of 2pm.
Bugbrooke play at The Sett, Birds Close, Gayton Road, Bugbrooke, NN7 3PH.
