Jared Bradshaw inspired a dramatic second-half comeback as Hinckley AFC came from 2-0 down to take an unlikely three points at Northampton Sileby Rangers.
On a wet and windy night, Hinckley found themselves with a hill to climb early in the second half but showed tenacity and spirit in abundance to fight back for a third straight league victory.
Bradshaw came off the bench to play a key role in Hinckley’s first two goals for Jordan Clement and Zach Tellyn, before netting the winner himself to claim a win that seemed improbable half an hour earlier.
The match was played during constant pouring rain, with a gusty wind blowing from corner to corner meaning far from ideal conditions – but despite that, and all the rain in the preceding 48 hours, the pitch at Fernie Fields was immaculate.
On a night like that, chances were always likely to be at a premium, but both goalkeepers made smart saves to keep it goalless in the early stages. Ashton DeMulder, on his first Hinckley start, fashioned himself the game’s first chance, a neat turn on the edge of the box before John Bowers tipped his strike away from the top corner.
But Sileby, with the wind behind them in the first half, had the better of it and Divin Emmanuel made a smart double-stop from Hilton Arthur ad Kobi Bivens, before pushing wide from George Herbert who was left unmarked on the edge of the box.
To their credit, Sileby looked a much better side than their third-from-bottom placing suggests. They pressed Hinckley well and were first to a lot of loose balls, new manager Brett Solkhon was a calming influence at the back and returning top scorer Bivens always carried a threat.
After spending decent portions of the first half on the back foot, Hinckley would have been happy to go in at half time goalless but Sileby got their goal five minutes before the break as a ball was headed back across goal and Solkhon turned it home.
Hinckley nearly responded on the stroke of half time when Bowers beat away Tellyn’s free kick, but they were hoping to gain the ascendancy when they had the wind behind them in the second half.
Instead, the home side added a second just four minutes after the break – Bivens reacted quickest to a loose ball, knocked it past Emmanuel and gleefully tapped into the empty net.
By that time, Hinckley had already introduced Clement from the bench and soon after, the management team threw on Bradshaw and Prince Ogbe in an attempt to turn the tide – and it worked.
Just three minutes after coming on, the substitutes combined as Bradshaw’s corner found Ogbe, who headed wide when unmarked six yards out.
But that was a sign of things to come, and only another three minutes had passed when Bradshaw’s strike was parried by Bowers and Clement headed home the loose ball to give Hinckley hope.
Sileby twice came close to restoring their two-goal cushion – as they continued to threaten from set pieces. Rico Alexander’s header was blocked following a wide free-kick, and then from another dead ball situation, Bivens’ fierce strike cannoned back off the post.
And Hinckley made the most of that as they pushed on entering the final quarter of an hour. Bradshaw’s corners were a real threat, he made the most of the wind, and from one of them, a delivery caused chaos at the back and Tellyn got a touch and Sileby substitute Kelvin Moyo’s desperate effort couldn’t prevent it from crossing the line.
And the cheers from that had barely died down when Bradshaw turned scorer for the winner – picking the ball up on the left, getting past his man and picking out the bottom corner to spark jubilant scenes from Hinckley’s damp contingent of travelling fans.
They could have added a fourth – Bowers saved when Ogbe bore down on goal and Bradshaw’s rebound was blocked, and Hinckley managed the game well to close in on another win.
There was one nervy moment deep into stoppage time when Emerson Lloyd’s well-struck effort from 25 yards sailed not far over the bar, but that was the last kick of the game and Hinckley could celebrate an important three points that showed much about the spirit in the squad.
Sileby Rangers: John Bowers, Josh Drain, Kiantay Licorice-Mullins (Kelvin Moyo 75), Dan Lyons, Brett Solkhon, Rico Alexander, Marley Falcon-Manser, Kieran Ashman, Kobi Bivens, George Herbert, Hilton Arthur (Emerson Lloyd 75). Subs not used: Harry Slaymaker, Kieran Spencer, Urijah Gordon-Douglas.
Goals: Brett Solkhon (40), Kobi Bivens (49)
Hinckley: Divin Emmanuel, Drew Kear, Henley Hadley, Reece Massey, Will Harris, Jacob Shilton, Zach Tellyn, Lucinee Donzo, Brady Middleton (Jordan Clement 46), Ashton DeMulder (Prince Ogbe 55), Luke Jones (Jared Bradshaw 55). Subs not used: Jake Tullin, Charlie Williams.
Goals: Jordan Clement (61), Zach Tellyn (80), Jared Bradshaw (83)
Attendance: 96
