Zach Tellyn’s second equaliser as the game entered time added on rescued a point for Hinckley from a last day six goal thriller against Godmanchester Rovers.
With two sides locked in mid-table and a gusty, disruptive wind, the portents for a decent game weren’t good, but credit to the players on both sides who defied the conditions, including an horrendous hailstorm in the second half, to produce plenty to keep the fans entertained.
A goal apiece of the highest quality kept the sides level at the break, before Godmanchester twice took the lead in the second half, but it was fitting that Tellyn, the game’s most inventive player, had the final say.
Hinckley took the lead on fifteen minutes, a wonderful effort from Raj Palit whose shimmy on the edge of the area created the chance for him to curl his shot into the top corner.
Rovers levelled on the half hour with an excellent strike of their own as Ben Seymour-Shove rifled his shot into the roof of the net.
Soon after, Tellyn was desperately unlucky when his long range effort beat the keeper but crashed against the underside of the bar to see honours even at the break.
Hinckley looked the likelier side in the early stages of the second half, Brady Middleton saw his effort well beaten away by Max Rigby and Tellyn twice cut in from the right flank but drove his efforts narrowly off target.
As the season entered its final fifteen minutes, Rovers broke quickly, Seymour-Shove saw his effort well blocked by Divin Emmanuel and from the resulting corner, the ball was headed back across goal and appeared to be diverted into his own net by a home defender.
AFC’s response was immediate, a ricochet fell kindly for Tellyn in the box who kept his composure to level, but Goddy thought they’d won it when Seymour-Shove’s low left-wing cross was converted by Craig Gillies to make it 3-2 to the visitors.
Defeat would have been harsh on Hinckley and Tellyn salvaged a late point, waiting unmarked for a deep cross from the left and as the visiting defence shouted in vain for offside, the young winger again kept his cool to slide home the leveller to send the Hinckley fans home happy.
Hinckley: Divin Emmanuel, Jake Tullin, Gabe Webster, Charlie Williams, Jacob Shilton, Zaki Evans, Zach Tellyn, Devon O’Sullivan, James Spruce (Lucinee Donzo 53), Brady Middleton, Raj Palit. Subs not used: Chandler Pegg, Prince Ogbe, Caleb Yeboah.
Godmanchester: Max Rigby, Josh Newman, Zane Campbell (Josh France 86), Jonny Hall (Will Murphy 86), Jamie Short, Jamie Mastropierro, Andre Williams, Ed Randerson (George Holman 60), Craig Gillies, Ben Seymour-Shove, Matt Allen. Sub not used: Johain Kappelier, Seb Prime-Stack.
Attendance: 167
Picture: Roman Prime-Stack
