Hinckley AFC’s final away game of the season ended in a narrow defeat as an early Lewis Collins header was enough to settle a tight derby in Atherstone Town’s favour.
Rather like the Boxing Day meeting between these two sides, this was a lowkey affair with a header inside five minutes the only goal.
Hinckley were much improved from that occasion, though, and hit the woodwork twice, but Atherstone did enough to snuff out a clean sheet that maintains their title hopes.
It was a pleasant afternoon in the balmy spring sunshine and that probably helped mask what was a match with little goalmouth action at either end. Hinckley started brightly, but a couple of dangerous set pieces came to nothing including when Charlie Williams’ wicked corner was missed by everyone.
Atherstone named five former Hinckley players in their starting line-up, and two of them combined to give them the lead with their first attack – Tom Smith picked up the ball on the right and crossed into the box where Collins escaped his marked to glance home.
The goal boosted the home side and they had the better of the play for the next half an hour or so, but only came close to adding to their lead once – Roan Newey with a snapshot from the edge of the box which was tipped wide by Divin Emmanuel.
Either side of that, Hinckley forced home ‘keeper Lewis Gwilliams into action for the first time when Alex Lock drove into the box and forced a near post save, and then they came within a whisker of an equaliser when Zach Tellyn and Brady Middleton showed clever link-up play and Tellyn’s drive cannoned back off the upright.
With the slope in their favour after the break, Hinckley were optimistic that they could get back into it, and they had a good portion of possession to get into decent areas but couldn’t find that killer final pass.
Collins lobbed wide with the first chance of the second half but most of Atherstone’s good work came at the other end as they defended well to limit many chances of an equaliser.
The closest AFC came was through Middleton – the ball fell to him on the edge of the box but his strike through a couple of bodies clipped the bar.
At the other end, Emmanuel raced out to block from Newey and clawed away a dangerous corner but neither goal was really in danger of being breached again and Atherstone held on for their second one-goal win over Hinckley this season.
Atherstone: Lewis Gwilliams, Harry Walker-Donovan (Lewis Noon 64), Josh Steele, Tom Healy, Niall Rowe, Jack Wells, Mitch Woakes (Chris Cowley 58), Tom Smith (Ryan Quinn 81), Lewis Collins (Leo Wood 61), Roan Newey, Riley Davoile (Jack Edwards 64).
Goal: Lewis Collins (5)
Hinckley: Divin Emmanuel, Drew Kear (Prince Ogbe 90), Gabe Webster, Charlie Williams, Jacob Shilton, Zaki Evans, Alex Lock (Afonso Mvula 80), Devonn O’Sullivan, Brady Middleton, James Spruce (Harrison Myring 57), Zach Tellyn. Subs not used: Jake Tullin, Caleb Yeboah.
Attendance: 501
