After a two-week break from league action, Hinckley AFC return to the United Counties Premier North with two home games in three days – the first coming with the visit of Sherwood Colliery.
It’s a double-header at Kirkby Road coming up, with Blackstones the visitors on Monday but before that it’s last season’s title-challengers Sherwood who come to Hinckley for the first meeting between the clubs.
AFC will still be without Max Jemson, who’s nursing a hamstring issue, but Charlie Williams and Fin Barker have both recovered from the illness that forced them to be withdrawn last Friday night. Gabe Webster is also available again after returning from holiday.
The opposition
Having finished second last season but lost in the play-offs, Sherwood are finding their feet again in this campaign after a sticky start.
They took last year’s title fight with Boston Town down to the final day, when now-Hinckley defender Lewis Warnaby was part of their squad, but were undone by Newark Town in the semi-finals and started this season with defeats to Belper United and Sheffield.
But they’ve since beaten Ashby Ivanhoe 3-0 and Moulton in the FA Cup to find momentum and set up a tie with last season’s foes Boston in the preliminary round next week. Jamie York and Nathaniel Crofts both scored in each of those games and have three apiece to start this season.
They did start the season with one name familiar to Hinckley United fans – ex-Knitters stopper Dan Haystead was in goal in their first game of the season at Belper. But since then, regular ‘keeper Jonathan Hedge, who ironically was Haystead’s opposite number when Hinckley played Tamworth in the FA Cup first round in 2011, has returned.
From the dressing room
“There’s no hiding from the fact that there has been frustration so far at our inability to consistently produce complete 90-minute performances. Equally though, there have been long spells in every game that have demonstrated the quality of our unit and the direction we’re moving in together.
“Results are close in all games in this league if the first few for everyone are anything to go by. There is everything to play for, and we firmly believe that if we find consistency across 90 minutes, we are in a position to stamp our authority on this league.”
Adam Davies
Key information
Fans are encouraged to get down to Kirkby Road early to put your questions to joint managers Ross Innes and Adam Davies as they host an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session in the Barn from 12.30pm.
Tomorrow’s match will also see the launch of our #YouAreEnough campaign in conjunction with Mind and the Football Supporters’ Association.
Kirkby Road has a large, free on-site car park, and we have both cash and card turnstiles available. Hinckley AFC members gain £1 discount on the admission prices below.
Adults: £8
Concessions: £6
Under 16s: £2 (FREE with a Hinckley AFC Junior membership card)
