Luke Richards scored twice as Hinckley AFC held off a spirited Chelmsley Town to emerge 3-2 winners at St John’s Park.
On Tuesday, AFC failed to score in a league game for the first time in 15 months but they returned to scoring ways against Chelmsley, even though they had to come from behind.
Steve Hart and Richards put Hinckley ahead, and even though Jamie Barrett pulled the visitors level again, Richards scored the decisive goal late on to secure all three points.
Richard Lavery made one change to the side that was beaten by Littleton, with Nick Goold dropping out to be replaced by Mitchell Tomlinson.
But it was the visitors, despite their lowly position, who started the brighter and took the lead seven minutes in. Carl O’Neill tipped over a shot, but from the resulting corner Barrett drilled the recycled ball into the box and Richard Munday’s outstretched leg diverted it into his own net.
Hinckley were struggling to retain possession for any length of time but pulled themselves level midway through the half. O’Neill picked out Hart with a diagonal ball, and the striker beat his man before firing home.
That seemed to lift AFC, who started to gain the ascendancy after the goal. Richards hit the post, before then giving his side the lead four minutes before the break when a long throw eluded everyone apart from the forward, who glanced home.
But the visitors weren’t lying down, and hit back immediately. After a series of corners, one was taken quickly and although O’Neill palmed away, the clearance went only as far as Barrett on the edge of the box, who fired his side level again.
Entering the second half, Hinckley started to feel the effects of their fixture backlog and much of the half was played in midfield.
Josh Willis headed over and Hart shot straight at the ‘keeper as Hinckley sought the goal that would put them ahead again, but chances were few and far between.
That was until ten minutes from time, when AFC secured the points. James Jepson fed Hart, who in turn released Richards to run into the left channel, beating his man before firing home on the angle and move Hinckley up to fourth.
