Hinckley AFC 4-2 Aylestone Park
Hinckley AFC progressed to the Semi Finals of the Jelson Homes Senior Cup with a 4-2 win over Aylestone Park.
On a chilly evening at St John’s Park, the visitors took an early lead through Ryan Calver, before Luke Richards equalised for Hinckley ten minutes before half time.
After the interval, goals from Michael Healy, on his first start for the club, Matt Gardner and Marco Adaggio saw Hinckley wrap up their victory, but Jordan Small’s stoppage time consolation ensured that Aylestone had the final word.
After a quiet opening, it was the visitors who took the lead after nine minutes. 25 yards out, Calver wasn’t closed down, and his speculative long range strike skipped off the surface and slipped through the hands of debutant Jack Hartopp in the Hinckley goal.
Hartopp made amends midway through the first half, tipping Callum Armsden’s shot wide, but Hinckley started to gain a foothold in the game and it was no surprise when they levelled after 35 minutes.
Richards’ trademark powerful run saw him cut inside Joshua Bone and side footed a precise left footed shot into Oscar Webb’s bottom corner.
Healy should have given Hinckley the lead shortly before half time, volleying over from close range after Isaac Cooper’s pull back.
After the interval, though, Healy did put his side ahead with a memorable goal. After Richards broke forward, the former Alvis Sporting striker curled a fine effort past the beaten Webb from the edge of the box.
Eleven minutes later, Hinckley added a third; Matt Gardner latching onto Nathan Walker’s through ball and poking the ball past the onrushing Webb. The ball trickled over the line despite Joshua Unsworth’s best efforts tracking back.
And with five minutes remaining, Hinckley sealed their place in the Semi Finals. Walker found Adaggio in the corner of the area, and the striker jinked inside and converted from fifteen yards.
Aylestone grabbed themselves a consolation goal in stoppage time when substitute Jordan Small found the top corner after Hartopp made a good save in the build up.
