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  November 2011
 
Saturday 26th
 
No Northolme blues the second time round
As one cup run finished another began with Hinckley United beating Gainsborough Trinity 0-1 at the Northolme in this FA Trophy 3rd qualifying game.

When the clubs met in the league match here in October the Blues were 2-1 winners, but this time it was Hinckley's turn to keep a second clean sheet this season against Trinity, the first for young Denham Hinds this season. In a scrappy game the all important goal was scored by Andre Gray just after the half hour, finishing a move from 15 yards. Even though Hinckley's goal led a charmed life in the second half when the ball struck a post and rolled along the goaline, Hinckley held on to keep a clean sheet and progress through to the first round, with a chance of being drawn against a Conference Prem side.

click here for: Gainsborough match details
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Tuesday 22nd
 
Tamworth through in last minute
Hinckley United suffered last minute agony yet again as Tamworth won this FA Cup 1st round replay match 1 - 0 with a last minute goal. The game looked to be heading into extra time when the ball was forced home in a melee of players by Kieron St Aimie, after young keeper Denham Hinds had made a good save from a corner.

It was Hinckley that showed first on 5 minutes when Rob Oddy shot goalwards from 20 yards and Jon Hedge dived to his left to turn the ball away. From the resulting corner Sam Belcher's effort was saved on the line by the legs of Hedge and the ball cleared away by Tamworth. Hinckley's keeper Hinds was called into action on 15 minutes and punched away a Tait free kick, gathering the shot from St Aimie who was following up. Danny Newton saw a half chance for Hinckley deflected wide on the half hour before Hinds again got down well to thwart St Aimie and then made an excellent diving save from Dan Bradley's 25 yard half volley. After good work from Oddy just before half time he played in Tom Byrne who's shot was deflected just over the top of the crossbar.

Tamworth stepped up a gear in the second half but were lacking a final touch despite creating quite a few chances. Kyle Patterson saw his early close range effort cleared away off the line by Byrne and then Francino Francis headed wide from the corner. Hinds made a couple of regulation saves from weak shots and then with 15 minutes remaining Andre Gray shot on the turn but the ball was deflected into the arms of Hedge. With the game looking like going into extra time, Tamworth won a corner in the last minute of normal time, as the ball came over Hinds saved well from a close range header but as the ball ran free in a melee of players in the box St Aimie toe poked the ball past the helpless Hinds. There was no time for Hinckley to recover and Tamworth progressed through to the next round and an away trip to Gateshead.

click here for: Tamworth match details
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Saturday 19th
 
Hinckley suffer last minute dejavu
Hinckley United recorded their second consecutive league draw, coming away from Croft Park with a 3-3 against Blyth Spartans. Hinckley had led twice during the match thanks to Danny Newton's goals and looked to be taking all the points until Blyth equalised in injury time.

Denham Hinds was making his first starting appearance in goal due to the broken arm Danny Haystead suffered on Monday, and Danny Newton kept his starting place up front. It was Blyth that opened the scoring though on the quarter hour when Wayne Phillips ran down the Blyth left and crossed for Chris Emms to shoot home. Hinckley equalised 10 minutes later, after Mark Dudley fired in a free kick from the left that wasn't cleared and the ball found it's way through to Charlie Raglan who blasted into the net from close range. Hinckley then took the lead for the first time on the stroke of half time, Danny Newton scoring the first of his two goals, finishing off a cross from the right from 12 yards.

Jamie Mole hit a post for Blyth early after the restart but Blyth did equalised again 10 minutes into the second half when Graeme Armstrong headed home from a corner. Newton put Hinckley ahead for the second time with 20 minutes left when he turned on the ball just inside the area and fired the ball past Knight into the corner of the net. With the game entering injury time, Hinds made a good save from Neal hooks, but couldn't hold the ball and it ran through to substitute Glen taylor, on his own at the far post to simply tap into the empty net and level the scores for the last time.

click here for: Blyth match details
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Monday 14th
 
Striker re'joyces' with clean sheet
Hinckley United returned to league action with a home game against the league leaders Hyde, and recorded a gutsy 0-0 draw, having lost keeper Danny Haystead to a serious injury in the first half.

The only change from the saturday team was Danny Newton would start up front ahead of Jacob Joyce, but the teenage loan striker from Peterborough would soon have a major role in the game from the subs bench.

The game was open, with Hyde comfortable on the ball and passing it around nicely, but lacking in the final third and didn't create many chances despite their passing ability. Hinckley looked to work the flanks, and with Hyde's open game, created space for themselves, but also lacked that final ball. The game shifted focus on 25 minutes when Danny Haystead suffered a serious injury, confirmed as a broken arm later on, and with no reserve keeper on the bench an outfield player was required to go in goal. The responsibility fell on the young shoulders of Jacob Joyce, who put on the 21 shirt and took his place in the goal. Hinckley now concentrated on defending their young, inexperienced keeper and happy to have the occasional break away. Hyde continued as before and didn't seem to change gear or put the hinckley goal under increased pressure. In fact the best chance of the first half fell to Hinckley, when Newton ran down the left past his marker into the area and when one on one with Dave Carnell, he pulled his shot over the bar.

Hyde continued in the same vein for the second half, with Hinckley happy to sit off them and defend the last third. Hyde did create some chances, but Chris Worsley, Dan Broadbent and Andy Pearson were all guilty of shooting way off target. In fact Joyce had only one real effort to save all game, and that was from a long rage shot that he watched and cleared with his foot. Hinckley could've won it late on, when Tom Byrne crossed in from the right wing and Sam Belcher volleyed goalwards from the edge of the area, but the ball went just the wrong side of the post. Hinckley held firm against the league leaders and recorded their first league draw of the season. Joyce receiving a great cheer from the supporters at the final whistle.

click here for: Hyde match details
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Saturday 12th
 
Hinckley hold Tamworth with 10 men
Hinckley United battled hard for 50 minutes with 10 men and only succumbed to an injury time equaliser from Tamworth, as this FA Cup 1st round game ended in a 2-2 draw.

The first half was a 'cagey' affair with tamworth having the better chances but nothing clear cut. Jay Smith saw an early shot deflected for a corner for Tamworth and Kyle Patterson placed his header just wide of the post. Francino Francis put his header from a corner over the bar when the Tamworth defender was well placed, before Hinckley had a couple of chances. Sam Belcher ran through the middle of the Lambs defence and his shot from the edge of the area dipped onto the cross bar and Charlie Raglan found himself in the unusual position of opposition goal area, and pulled his half volley back across goal but wide of the post. The game exploded in controversy on 40 minutes when Kyle Patterson ran through and fould Danny Haystead as he collected the ball. The ref awarded the free kick to Hinckley, but then the Hinckley keeper kicked out at Patterson while on the ground, with Patterson giving back stamping on Haystead. The referee consulted his linesman, sent off Haystead and awarded a penalty, with Patterson not being disciplined. Following a melee of players the ref was waved by his other linesman who then reminded him that he had already awarded a free kick and the ball was dead. Embarrasingly, the ref then had to revert to his original decision of a free kick. Hinckley's young reserve keeper Denham Hinds was subbed on, with Tom Byrne having to be sacrificed, but the score remained level at half time.

Hinckley battled well with 10 men for the second half, and as is often the case, lifted their game. It was Tamworth who showed first though and it was their turn to hit the cross bar as Iyesden Christie headed against the woodwork from a corner. Hinckley's Belcher saw his goalbound shot blocked and Lloyd Kerry watched as his long range effort drifted wide. Kerry then saw his header from a corner miss the target and substitute Danny Newton ran through on goal and forced Jon Hedge to drop on the ball at his near post. With 10 minutes left Andre Gray gave Hinckley the lead, when Kerry ran on the right through a couple of weak tackles and squared to Gray in the centre on the edge of the area, who hit it first time placing the ball around the defender and keeper into the bottom corner. Unfortunately for Hinckley Tamworth were level within minutes after Raglan had tackled Danny Mills and though won the ball, took the player as well resulting in a penalty. Christie made no mistake from the spot kick. In a frantic finish Hinckley again took the lead with only 2 minutes remaining thanks to a superb finish from Kerry. The diminutive Hinckley midfielder received the ball in the centre and ran through the middle to the edge of the area before deftly chipping over Hedge into the net. Five minutes of injury time where announced, but Tamworth were level for a second time after two of those five minutes. Paul Green hit a long cross to the back post, and unfortunatley for Hinds he misjudged the ball and failed to punch clear, and Patterson, who many thought should have been sent off with Haystead, headed back into goal levelling the scores. Hinckley have it now to do all over again in the replay at the Lamb on 22nd November.

click here for: Tamworth match details
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Monday 7th
 
Trophy gives Hinckley the Blues
It's time for Hinckley United to enter the FA Trophy, and in the 3rd round qualifying draw we have been drawn away at Gainsborough Trinity, scheduled for Saturday 26th November. In an underwhelming draw for the whole of the Conf North, there are six all Conf North matches:

Bishop's Stortford v Tonbridge Angels
Blyth Spartans v Stalybridge Celtic
Boston United v Workington
Colwyn Bay v Halifax Town
Corby Town v North Ferriby United
Droylsden v Leek Town/Witton Albion
Durham City/FC United v Altrincham
Gainsborough Trinity v Hinckley United
Gloucester City v Truro City
Guiseley v Eastwood Town
Hednesford Town/Matlock Town v Hyde
Sheffield v Nuneaton Town
Solihull Moors v Ossett Town
Vauxhall Motors v Marine
Worcester City v Harrogate Town
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Saturday 5th
 
Hinckley's rocket fails to go off
Hinckley United continued their poor league form with a lacklustre showing at Workington losing 3-1 and dropping closer to the relegation zone.

Workington had a great start with Phil McLuckie being given acres of room on Hinckley's right, and he ran in one on one with Danny Haystead after just 3 minutes chipping the keeper from just outside the area. Hinckley hit back on 20 minutes with a good worked move finishing in Jacob Joyce playing through Andre Gray on the right, and he ran into the area and finished at the near post.

Workington regained the lead on the hour when they broke down their right flank resulting in Gareth Arnison shooting and Haystead making a good save, only for the ball to run to McLuckie unmarked on the far side of the area who simply sidefooted the ball into the empty net. Hinckley lifted themselves a bit, having looked a shadow of the team they were in midweek against Darlo, but for all the neat approach play Workington were strong in defence and Hinckley could not create many chances. Gray had a glorious chance to get the equaliser right on time when one on one with Aaron Taylor, but the Reds keeper saved well and then Workington caught Hinckley pushed up and broke away. Substitute Jake Simpson found himself free on the Workignton left, ran into the area and finished into the top corner from 15 yards, sealing the win and lifting his team out of the relegation zone. While Hinckley were left with a long journey home to reflect on a poor performance ahead of their 1st round FA Cup match next week.

click here for: Workington match details
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Wednesday 2nd
 
Early firework show for Hinckley
Hinckley United put in a performance beyond their league standing to win this FA Cup replay with Darlington, and earning themselves a home tie against Tamworth in the process.

There was the one forced change for Hinckley with Mark Dudley replacing Connor Gudger, who was injured in the game at Darlington, with Darlo also replacing the injured Liam Hatch, who apparently 'fell down some stairs' and nothing at all to do with the amount of chances he missed in the first game.

The game started in much the same vein as the first tie, with Darlington having most of the possession for the first 20 minutes and creating the chances. 10 minutes into the game Ryan Bowman was one on one with Danny Haystead, with the Hinckley keeper standing up well to make the save. Hinckley responded with the livewire Tom Byrne running in from the left flank and unleashing a 25 yard shot that drifted just wide. Haystead was again called into action saving from John Campbell and then Greg Taylor. Bowman was then guilty of missing an absolute sitter when Adam Rundle shot from the edge of the area and Haystead could only parry it to the feet of Bowman who inexplicably blasted his effort onto the post when easier to score. Hinckley took advantage of this let off opening the scoring on the half hour. From a free kick Tom Byrne ran down the left and squared back to the edge of the area for Sam Belcher to run onto and and blast into the top corner from 16 yards. This galvanised Hinckley and Darlington began to lose shape and discipline. Lloyd Kerry crossed the ball into the area and the diminutive Byrne managed to win a header, seeing it pushed wide of the post. From the corner Rob Oddy tried his luck from the edge of the area and Sam Russell was again on hand to tip it over the bar, Hinckley taking a 1-0 lead into the break.

Expecting Darlington to regroup at half time and come out all guns blazing, but it just did not happen. They had lost all self belief and Hinckley were in control for most of the second half. Andre Gray and Belcher linked well, from a corner, on the edge of the area and played in Jacob Joyce who beat Russell with his shot but was cleared off the line by Aaron Brown. Greg Taylor unleashed a swerving speculative drive from 35 yards for Darlo and was unlucky to see it drift away and hit the outside of the post and rebound to safety. Then Hinckley doubled their lead with an excellent worked goal on 70 minutes. Tom Byrne had switched wings and ran at the Darlington left flank, drawing a couple of defenders before squaring the ball to Gray who placed his shot wide of Russell into the net from 15 yards. There was still no urgency from Darlington and 10 minutes before the end Hinckley put the match beyond doubt scoring their third. Gray picked up the ball from a Haystead throw out on the edge of his own area, he ran through the middle of the Darlington midfield evading three tackles before moving in to the area from the right, and then unselfishly playing in the unmarked Belcher to blast the ball past the stranded Russell making it 3-0 to Hinckley. Darlo couldn't even manage a consolation goal, as James Walshaw saw his effort cleared off the line by Charlie Raglan in the final minute. Hinckley finished deserved winners and will now play Tamworth in the FA Cup 1st round at De Montfort Park, on Saturday 12th November.

click here for: Darlington match details
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