A pulsating game between Hinckley and Histon ended with honours even as the visitors snatched a draw with the last kick of the match.
It was a game that bore a remarkable resemblance to the most recent meeting between the clubs last season at Bridge Road. Histon raced into a two goal lead before Hinckley improved and sparked a turnaround to take the lead themselves before the Cambridgeshire side salvaged a point late on.
It was a game that had just about everything – six goals, the woodwork struck, a couple of breathtaking saves and some odd decisions that frustrated both sets of players – and given the way the game swung back and forth, both sides will feel it’s two points dropped
As at Oadby on Tuesday, Hinckley started slowly and were punished early on as Histon raced into a two goal lead inside the opening three minutes.
With barely a minute on the clock, central defender Max York rose highest to guide his header home from a free kick and within a couple of minutes, the visitors made it two as Theo Goddard’s pass sent Joe Greenslade-Cross skating clear of the home defence to finish neatly.
Hinckley were shell-shocked but clawed their way back into the game on twenty minutes, an emphatic finish by Jordan Clement from the edge of the area.
Chances came and went at both ends in what remained of a frantic half. Zach Tellyn fired a cross shot wide of the far post and Jared Bradshaw repeated his trick from Tuesday night by pinging a 25-yard free kick off the bar, before Histon could have extended their lead when Greeenslde-Cross mis-hit his shot on the far post.
AFC made a change at half time and the switch worked as they raced out of the blocks at the start of the second half. Tellyn and Chandler Pegg both had shots blocked in the area and Bradshaw curled a shot wide before Histon keeper Jake West made a superb one-handed save to keep out Clement’s shot.
The seemingly inevitable equaliser swiftly followed, from the resulting corner, Clement delivered to the near post and Will Harris powered his header home.
Hinckley seemed the likelier winners now, but Histon almost regained their lead against the run of play as Connor Barnes raced through, but Keelan Fallows blocked his shot.
It was a game you couldn’t take your eyes off and West made another stunning one-handed save to push Lucinee Donzo’s header onto a post before, as the game entered time added on, Hinckley took the lead for the first time. The impressive Tellyn cut inside from the right and drilled home a low shot to make it 3-2 but this frenetic game had one final twist.
Once again, Hinckley couldn’t defend a free kick into their box and the loose ball was gleefully slammed home by Deacon Pattison and that was the final act of the afternoon’s entertainment.
Hinckley: Keelan Fallows, Perry Cotton, Zach Tellyn, Lucinee Donzo, Jacon Shilton, Will Harris, Jared Bradshaw, Reece Massey, Chandler Pegg, Jordan Clement, Kevin Hemagou (James Sanderson 46). Subs not used: Jake Tullin, Henley Hadley, Caleb Yeboah, Amari Osayande.
Goals: Jordan Clement (19), Will Harris (67), Zach Tellyn (90)
Histon: Jake West, Ben Smith, Adden Tokley, Joe O’Neil, Max York, Jake Kerins, Joe Greenslade-Cross (Daniel Gould 50), Theo Goddard (Jacob Dickson 46), Connor Barnes (Deacon Pattison 81), Luke Crisp, Danny Baulk (Harley Delgado 70).
Goals: Max York (2), Joe Greenslade-Cross (3), Deacon Pattison (94)
Attendance: 216
