Joint-manager Joe Conneely is pleased with how Hinckley AFC have settled back into matches after two wins from their opening two pre-season friendlies.
Victories over fellow step six sides Heather St John’s and Birstall United have given optimism to fans after two months away, with familiar players and new faces playing their part.
Conneely says this pre-season has started well – but says it will now ramp up with two trips to step four opponents.
He said: “We started well on Saturday at Heather, but conceded a poor goal twice to get pegged back. Then we dominated the second half and scored some well-worked goals. We were really pleased with that run-out, and we looked at plenty of young lads.
“Monday against Birstall was much more like a league match. It was aggressive and physical, tackles flying in, and Jack Edwards picked up his usual yellow! It was realistic to what we’ll get in the league, but we were brilliant first half and took our goals well. We conceded poorly again but I’d rather make those mistakes now than later down line.
“We’ve been well in control against two teams at our level. But it gets a lot tougher now with Quorn and Coleshill to come. We’ll plan properly and get out of them what we can.”
Conneely says a defeat to Birstall this time last season was the point where he realised the level of work needed to get his new-look squad ready for the competitive season.
But 12 months down the line, he’s in a much better place.
“I listened to the interview following that match earlier this week. A year on we’re in a much stronger position.
“We’ve got a nice squad settled and it’s really pleasing that lads want to stay. Players like Chandler Pegg are massive for us and he knows what we want to achieve. His family love it here, his mates are here, his football is in a good place.
“We’ve added some nice players to those we retained. We’ll try to get a couple more over the line but overall we’re in a much stronger place than last year.”
With the majority of the squad now signed on, and Tom Weale, Lewis Collins and Joe Obi confirmed as leaving, Conneely also ran through the remainder of the squad from last season.
Isa Abraham is training with a step three club but remains in touch with Hinckley over a return if that move does not come to fruition.
Sam Ellis has departed for a move to step four, while Joe McNulty is back in the squad for this weekend’s trip to Quorn following a knock.
And Conneely says retaining the bulk of the squad has been a huge positive.
“We’re quite set now. We’ve got one or two still to look at, but we have lots of centre-back cover, great full backs, plenty of midfielders.
“We’re in a really good place. Being settled is important as we haven’t had that in the three years I’ve been here so far.”
