Hinckley AFC ended 2025 in defeat as an early header was enough to settle a forgettable A5 derby in Atherstone Town’s favour.
A bumper Boxing Day crowd of 466, Hinckley’s highest for a non-play-off game, saw a lowkey affair in which Leo Wood’s header was the only difference between two fairly flat sides on a day where neither goalkeeper had too many saves to make.
Hinckley came within a whisker of an equaliser in stoppage-time through Jared Bradshaw but in the end Atherstone just about held out to win the first league game between the sides in nearly seven years.
The visitors started the brighter and got their reward inside four minutes. Hinckley were slow to react to a corner being taken short and Lewis Noon crossed into the box where Wood gained a yard on his man and glanced inside the far post.
Atherstone continued to have the better of a cagey opening, they forced plenty of corners but chances were few and far between – former Hinckley man Jack Edwards had one blocked after a free-kick fell to him in their best other opening of the half.
Hinckley grew more of a foothold as the half wore on but Lewis Gwilliams’ only work in the visiting goal was to hold two routine efforts from Zach Tellyn and Luke Jones on either post.
Much as they started the first half well, Atherstone had the first chance of the second half too and Lewis Collins ought to have doubled their lead, but sent his free header wide from Edwards’ cross.
That was about as much as either side managed in terms of goalmouth action for most of the half. There was plenty of effort from Hinckley, but they were missing a cutting edge and Atherstone managed the game through the second period.
They threw bodies in front of a couple of well-struck Jones efforts midway through the half as Hinckley sought a way through, and they came close to a second late on when substitute Dylan Parker bore down on goal but Divin Emmanuel raced out to block.
And Hinckley nearly earned a point in stoppage time – Bradshaw’s 30-yard free kick came back off the inside of the post and Atherstone scrambled clear to preserve their clean sheet and mean Hinckley end the calendar year inside defeat ahead of starting 2026 at home to Eynesbury Rovers on 3rd January.
Hinckley: Divin Emmanuel, Drew Kear, James Sanderson (Jared Bradshaw 46), Jake Tullin, Jacob Shilton, Reece Massey, Zach Tellyn (Rufus Brooks 81), Lucinee Donzo, Ashton DeMulder (Jordan Clement 70), Chandler Pegg (Brady Middleton 53), Luke Jones. Sub not used: Charlie Williams.
Atherstone: Lewis Gwilliams, Jack Wells, Adam Barber, Tom Healy (Tom Smith 75), Niall Rowe, Josh Steele, Jack Edwards, Lewis Noon (Harry Walker-Donovan 72), Lewis Collins (Dylan Parker 87), Leo Wood (Roan Newey 85), Chris Cowley. Sub not used: Ryan Quinn.
Goal: Leo Wood (4)
Attendance: 466
Picture: Farouk Kigonya/Takenby17
