Hinckley United continued their poor home form, carried over from last season, as they
succumbed to an injury time goal to lose to Histon.
Hinckley started without Phil Green, who was at the game on his crutches, and the match
at a fast pace with little quality but end to end chances for both sides. Early efforts
from Jay Dowie were saved by Robert Peet, and Darious Darkin saved by Joe Mellings. Dan
Bragoli saw his header go straight at Mellings and Jake Holt saw his shot deflected just
over the bar. Dowie tried his luck from 25 yards which was just over the Hinckley goal,
before Claudiu Hoban forced Peet into a diving save. Aaron Cole saw his effort go just over
and Bragoli had two chances blocked from close range.
The second half was much of the same, scrappy and rushed, but chances for both sides.
James Stevenson headed wide from a Histon corner, and Peet came out of his goal to
save well at the feet of Jack Eades. Hinckley had a long spell of pressure and Histon
were unlucky not to concede when first Aran Wint had a shot cleared off the line and
then Paul Lister also had his effort blocked on the line, before Ben Richards-Everton
saw his looping header come down on the top of the net. Just as the game looked like ending
in stalemate, Histon scored the winning goal in injury time. A corner was played to the
back post and Adrian Sear ran in unmarked to power a header past Peet.
Hinckley United pulled off an unexpected win away at previously unbeaten Boston United,
and thoroughly deserved their victory.
Hinckley started with new signing Aaron Cole on the left wing, and second new signing
Danny Campbell on the bench, but with Boston having won their opening two games and not
even conceded a goal, many thought Hinckley would be looking for damage limitation.
That couldn't have been more wrong as Hinckley started on the front foot and pushed the
Pilgrims for much of the first half. Phil Green floated in a free kick early on and Ben
Richards-Everton saw his header go just over the bar, and Headley turned neatly to curl
an effort towards the top corner which was tipped around by ex Hinckley favourite Dan
Haystead. Another free kick from Green was met by Richards-Everton and his drive came
off the outside of the post. Debutant Cole tried a long range effort which was well over
before Boston's Jones fired over the Hinckley goal from distance. Boston did get the ball
in the net first, but Jones's goal was ruled out for a foul. Rob Peet was in action when he
held well from Newsham on the half hour and then Dec Towers headed just wide for Hinckley
from a free kick. Hinckley did take the lead on 32 minutes when Towers wipped in across
from the right which was inch perfect for Aron Wint to head back across Haystead into
goal. Darious Darkin fired in from a corner but was blocked en route to goal by Newsham
before Hinckley had a let off just before half time. Newsham saw his effort beat Peet,
but Charlie Raglan got back to block the effort on the line keeping Hinckley's lead going
into half time.
The second half was more even as Boston looked to bring the game back to Hinckley. Newsham
had a good chance early on when he took the ball around Peet, but the angle was too
tight to get the ball back into the empty goal. Peet was again in action as he came out of
goal to clear the ball at the feet of Boston's Milnes, but then Hinckley suffered a blow
as Green was forced off with a suspected dislocated knee. It was a double blow minutes
later as Boston sub Spencer Weir Daley equalised for Pilgrims with virtually his first
touch of the match. Wilson headed on a throughball into the path of Weir-Daley, who went
past Lister and drilled beyond Peet, levelling the scores. The lead did not last long as
less than 10 minutes later Hinckley were back in front. Dan Bragoli took the freekick on
the edge of the area, curling the ball low around the wall and beyond the dive of Haystead.
Boston then threw everyhting at Hinckley, Peet ran out of his box to clear a through ball,
Richards-Everton defended a dangerous cross bravely, and Jones fired well over from distance.
Peet and Lister were involved in a mix up, but got away with it when the ball was cleared
for a corner that Jones then headed over. Hinckley had to withstand 6 minutes of injury
time when there was still time for Peet to save from Wilson, Smith and Jones as Boston
piled everything forward, but held on for their first win this season.
Unfortunately not Frazier or Ashley, but Hinckley United have signed Danny Campbell and
Aaron Cole ahead of the weekends match at Boston.
19 year old winger Aaron Cole, was released by Barrow after their first 3 games of this
season. He had been a first year professional at Derby County last season spending 2
months on loan at Stockport, then being released by Derby in the summer.
Striker Danny Campbell, a bit more experienced at 26, was with Rushall Olympic last season,
and previously been with Stafford Rangers and Tipton Town.
Hinckley United played their first away game of the season at Conf North newcomers
Brackley Town, and came away with a battering from the Southern League Champions.
Brackley had taken an early lead through ex Hinckley winger Owen Story, but only led
by the single goal at half time. However Brackley were totally dominant in the second
half scoring four more goals, hammering Hinckley 5-0.
Hinckley United opened their 2012-2013 with a home defeat to Harrogate Town. 9 players
made their debut for Hinckley in the match, including 3 players signed the day before.
Hinckley started with new signings Jack Lane, Declan Towers, Robert Peet, Inderjeet Aujla,
Phil Green, Harvey Headley and Aron Wint. Wint signed on the friday having been with
Scunthorpe last season. The other 2 signings from Friday making an appearance from
the subs bench were Richard Bryan, formally of Aston Villa and Matthew Marshall, formerly
of Notts County.
The first half was pretty even with both sides getting to grips with competitive football
after the season break. There were few chances for either side, the closest being when
Indy Aujla played in a free kick for Hinckley and Ben Richards-Everton headed onto the
crossbar. Harrogate took the lead after the half hour with their first effort on target
when a free kick was played in low across the area and not cleared leaving Chibuza Chilaka
a simple task of side footing it into goal. From that point on it only looked like there
was going to be one winner.
The second half was pretty much controlled by Harrogate, as Hinckley's midfield couldn't
keep possesion and struggled to get the ball forward to the lone striker. Just past the hour
Harrogate extended their lead with another gift when a free kick was played into the area
and Shane Killock found himself unmarked to head the ball past Peet into the goal.
Harrogate had the luxury of bringing on striker Jonny Allan from the subs bench, and he
almost made it three, but Hinckley were saved by the post with Peet bravely blocking the
rebound. Hinckley losing 0-2 in a continuation of last season's home form and despite a
good effort, not really looking threatening up front.
The draw for the shirt sponsorship was held last friday night at Hinckley United.
There were 37 entries (companies and individuals) at £495 a go, with the main 3 prizes
being the front of shirt sponsorship, rear of shirt and shorts.
1st prize was won by an individual, who auctioned the prize for the club. A winning
bid of a further £4000 was made by Stuart Elliot (from Stuart Plumbing Nuneatin and
Simply Bathrooms Hinckley), so for the second season Hinckley United's shirt sponsor
will be 'Simply Bathrooms'.
2nd prize was also won by an individual, Ian 'Mac' Robinson. His choice for the sponsorship
for the rear of the shirt will show the LOROS logo. And 3rd prize for the short sponsorship
was won by 'Hardy and Draper Carpets' of Earl Shilton
The luck of the Irish was with Hinckley United as their allocated horse 'Hawkeyethenoo'
won the Blue Square Stewards Cup, netting £2900 for Hinckley in the process.
Blue Square who obviously sponsors the three Football Conference divisions, allocate a
horse from their prestigious Glorious Goodwood race to every club. The horse which wins
the valuable six furlong sprint will earn one club a cash windfall on the eve of the
new season. Blue Square Bet will give the club that ‘owns’ the winner £2000 plus the
equivalent of a £100 bet at the Blue Square Bet SP on their runner. Last year Workington
from the Blue Square Bet North scooped a huge £2700 when favourite Hoof It scored under
Kieren Fallon at a Blue Square Bet SP of 7/1.
Hinckley United were allocated the Irish horse 'Hawkeyethenoo', trained by James Goldie
and ridden by Graham Lee and went on to winthe race by a nose. That meaning Blue Square
will pay Hinckley United £2000 plus an equivalent of a £100 bet on the horse, at an SP of
9/1 an extra £900.