Hinckley AFC lost a home league game for the first time since August as Rugby Borough came away with a 4-1 win.
In front of a bumper crowd of 301 for the club’s Community Day, Hinckley’s mightily impressive home sequence in the league looked like continuing after a bright start in which their former player Matt Dawson put AFC ahead with an own goal.
Borough soon equalised but the points were decided by a spell of three goals in ten minutes either side of half time.
But the game could have longer-lasting meaning for Hinckley with three further injuries adding to an already long list, Joe Conneely forced into using three different centre-back combinations in the game in a backline that was already patched up.
With Ky Green still out, AFC were also without both full backs who started on Tuesday as Adam Barber and Harry Walker-Donovan both missed out with the injuries they picked up in midweek. That meant Jay D’Lionga had to switch to the left side, and midfielder Lucinee Donzo played at right back.
But for the opening half hour, Hinckley were on the front foot against their high flying visitors. Early on, Bryan Kohyrelon’s good work picked out Leo Farruch in a good position. He was crowded out, but from the resulting corner, Calum Flanagan’s shot deflected onto the bar and looped into the air. When it came down Dawson, who scored 19 goals during his two years at Hinckley, made it to 20 by heading into his own net on the line.
But the lead lasted just four minutes. Borough’s best move of the opening stages saw them level, as Hinckley half-cleared a cross and the ball fell to Gez McGahey to drill home at the second attempt.
Not deterred by that, Hinckley stayed on the front foot and continued causing problems. Farruch drew a superb save from John Meadows after Isa Abraham skipped past Danny Fraser, and Zaki Evans glanced the resulting corner wide from close range.
Then, Jared Bradshaw’s great work down Hinckley’s right saw him fizz a cross just out of Kohyrelon’s reach.
Any problems Hinckley had in the opening period were mostly of their own making – twice they have the ball away in their own half and Keelan Fallows denied Will Grocott, and then McGahey bent one narrowly wide.
But the momentum shifted after 35 minutes when Donzo, outstanding in an unnatural position, landed awkwardly on his arm after winning a header and had to be replaced.
Joe Obi came on at centre-back, Oli Szymanski shifted to the right but Hinckley never looked as comfortable after the enforced change.
Szymanski had to get a crucial toe to deny Thabang Dube, but there was no denying the winger in stoppage time when he converted McGahey’s square ball from close range.
After that, Rugby Borough didn’t look back and they started the second half rapidly. Dube came close to a second when he hit the base of the post, and David Kolodynski spurned a great chance when he shot into the side netting with only Fallows to beat.
But Kolodynski did score a minute later, almost a carbon copy of the second goal as Dube was creator this time, squaring for Kolodynski to tap home.
And just two minutes later, it got worse for Hinckley when Calum Flaganan was penalised for handball in the box and Fraser score the penalty.
The game rather petered out after that, with the visitors content to sit on their lead and restrict any Hinckley chances of getting back into the game.
They did that well, Meadows saving Bradshaw’s free kick in his only action of note, but Hinckley had to substitute two of their substitutes as Obi and Lewis Rankin both came off due to injuries.
And it means Conneely will need to dust his squad down and assess availability going into the final five games of the season, starting at Leicester Nirvana next week.
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Lucinee Donzo (Joe Obi 38 (Lewis Rankin 51 (Luke Jones 79))), Jay D’Lionga, Zaki Evans, Calum Flanagan, Oli Szymanski, Isa Abraham (Keaton Blackbird 84), George Atwal, Bryan Kohyrelon (Chandler Pegg 79), Jared Bradshaw, Leo Farruch.
Goal: Matt Dawson (7 OG)
Rugby Borough: John Meadows, Matt Dawson, Danny Fraser, Max Proudlock (Luke Downes 88), Oran Jackson (Harry Sawyer 83), Yahiya Todd, Thabang Dube, Gez McGahey (Shad Reza 68), David Kolodynski (Brady Middleton 73), Will Grocott, Antonio Cristofaro (Zach Tellyn 84).
Goals: Gez McGahey (11), Thabang Dube (45+3), David Kolodynski (53), Danny Fraser (56 pen)
Attendance: 301
picture: Rugby Borough
