Hinckley AFC return to Kirkby Road looking to continue their impressive home form against third-placed Rugby Borough.
With six games left in the season, Hinckley are three points off the play-offs in their first campaign at this level since promotion last year.
And a win against a Rugby Borough side who will also likely be in the play-offs come the end of April would do their chances no harm on another huge weekend in the race for the top five – as every side between second and 11th plays another club in that bracket.
The opposition
With no fewer than five players in their squad who played for Hinckley since the start of last season, Rugby Borough are a team who Joe Conneely knows well.
And after a sticky start to 2025, Dave Stringer’s team are showing signs that they have now put that behind them.
They started the new year with just one win in nine, including heavy defeats to Aylestone Park and Daventry Town, but the two most recent draws in that run saw them progress in the League Cup on penalties against UCL North high-flyers Bourne, and then draw with fourth-placed March.
They followed that up with a win at Histon last week to ensure that any nerves over their security in the top five have now likely passed.
Still with the best defensive record in the league, they have been the anomaly when it comes to away form. While nearly everyone in the division fares better at home, it’s Rugby’s outstanding away form that has them in third – winning 12 out of their 14 matches on the road.
From the dressing room
“We probably got it wrong in the away game against them, we left them too many spaces and gaps which they exploited. But on the ball I felt we played well on the night, we created chances especially in the second half but just couldn’t put them away.
“It’ll be a tough game against a very good team with good, technical players. We obviously know them well with a lot of lads who used to be here, including the two full-backs and Brady Middleton up front. For us, it’s about finding different ways to win games and we’ve got six games left to try and do that, to achieve something and get into the play-offs.”
Joe Conneely
Key information
A bumper crowd is expected for our Community Day, with Under 16s going free of charge. Lots of other local sports teams and club partners are also invited, with cake available in the club shop!
Kirkby Road has a large, free on-site car park, and we have both cash and card turnstiles available.
Adults: £7 members, £8 non-members
Concessions: £5 members, £6 non-members
Under 16s: FREE
