Hinckley fell at the first hurdle of the FA Cup as Tom Allen’s late bullet header saw Whitchurch come from behind to secure their progress.
It was an entertaining game to kick off this season’s competition in front of a healthy crowd who saw Hinckley the better side in the first half, but their failure to convert their chances ended up costing them dear as Whitchurch finished the stronger to nick it late on.
Having learnt the lessons of the last two weekends, Hinckley began well. Zach Tellyn curled a couple of efforts from the right hand corner of the area that visiting keeper Tyler French fielded and as the half developed, the combination of Tellyn and Drew Kear on the right flank became the focal point of AFC’s best work.
They combined to put Hinckley in front midway through the half. Chandler Pegg began the move on halfway, finding Tellyn who spotted the lung-busting, over lapping run of Kear and found him with a beautifully weighted pass with Kear’s cross shot nestling inside the far post.
This was Hinckley’s best spell of the game but they spurned a couple of golden chances to increase their lead, Tellyn found Fin Barker whose shot was blocked by French before Kear and Tellyn combined again to set up Pegg who blazed over from six yards.
Kear had another effort blocked before AFC were left to rue those missed opportunities as Alport levelled five minutes before the break, Ollie Holden firing home a low shot from the edge of the area.
Hinckley began the second half well too, Tellyn’s rasping long range effort was tipped over before he played in Pegg who was denied by a superb last ditch tackle from Freddie Bishton.
Whitchurch posed more of an attacking threat after the break, and Liam Armstrong saw his shot deflected for a corner before play switched back to the other end with French producing a couple of fine saves in quick succession, diving to his left to push aside efforts from Dan Edmonds and Sonny Sheasby.
As the chances came and went at both ends, Ollie Bosworth kept out Jeff Quayson’s cross shot before a smart stop at his near post, prior to the decisive moment with six minutes remaining.
Armstrong delivered a corner from the right and there was no stopping Allen whose powerful header gave Bosworth no chance.
There was no coming back for Hinckley as Alport closed out the game effectively and despite an encouraging performance, AFC’s race in the FA Cup was run for another year.
Hinckley: Ollie Bosworth, Drew Kear, Luke Jones, Jake Tullin, Jacob Shilton, Lewis Warnaby, Zaki Evans, Matt Brown (Najeen Oriola 60), Chandler Pegg (Sonny Sheasby 60), Zach Tellyn (Jake Brown 78), Fin Barker (Dan Edmonds 46). Subs not used: Charlie Williams, Ky Green.
Goal: Drew Kear (22)
Whitchurch: Tyler French, George Carpenter, Lennon Billingham, Tom Allen, Freddie Bishton, Jack Howse (Jeff Quayson 74), Alfie Gregory (Peter Osei 74), Liam Armstrong, Ollie Holden (Tommy McNally 63), Josh Madeley, Alex Hughes. Subs not used: Tom Messham, Henry Green, Patrick Hinchcliffe, James Potter.
Goals: Ollie Holden (40), Tom Allen (84)
Attendance: 326
