Abbo: The Lads Play for the Fans

A jubilant Hinckley AFC manager Carl Abbott praised his side’s supporters as Hinckley came from behind to win 3-2 at Bromsgrove Sporting yesterday.

AFC were trailing 1-0 until Tyrone Clarke-O’Connell’s 79th minutes strike sparked a dramatic period of four goals in eight minutes.

After Jake Bedford’s own goal gave AFC the lead and Lewis Clarke equalised for the hosts, Dom Smith prodded home in stoppage time to spark pandemonium on the terraces as Hinckley returned to winning ways.

And Abbott praised the way his players never give up, saying that they do it for the supporters. He said: ‘Brilliant! These lads are playing for this crowd, it matters so much and they carry us on. We said second half, down the slope, that the crowd would get behind us, we’d pen them in and we’d get our just desserts, and we have done.

‘I said to the lads to just follow the fans, they don’t realise what a part they can play. Fantastic!’

The period of four goals in eight minutes had both sets of supporters on a rollercoaster of emotions, and Abbott said it was a ‘crazy’ spell of play.

‘It was crazy, and no disrespect but I think we were the better side. We managed the game in the first half, we had better pockets of play but it’s hard up the bank and they had territorial over us.

‘We knew if we got in at half time, we’d play the flanks. We didn’t carve out that many chances for all our possession but we’ve all got so much heart and soul and big cojones in this team and you always believe we’re going to get something out of the game.’

That game extended Hinckley’s unbeaten run to 24, and they will look to reach a quarter of a century without defeat against league leader Highgate United in a fortnight.

‘I said to the guys a few weeks ago, we could go on and win a league and never have a run like that. It’s brilliant. We’re thoroughly enjoying it and long may it continue.’

To see the full video interview with Abbo, visit our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCwt4-hE95rHEkhV_6mcm35A