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| March 2008 | |
| Thursday 27th March | |
| Hinckley show no charity to Ibstock | |
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Hinckley progressed into the Rolleston Carity Cup Final after comfortably beating
Ibstock United. Luke Edwards was man of the match scoring a hatrick on the night.
Gez Murphy scored first then Edwards followed up to give Hinckley a 2-0 half time
lead. Edwards got a second just after half time to make it 3-0, Ibstock got a goal
back minutes later when Danum Russell scored for the Senior League side. A penalty
from Kyle Storer put Hinckley into a 4-1 lead before Edwards wrapped up his hatrick
and the match 5-1. Highlight of the evening was Kyle and Murphy discussing who would
take the penalty, eventually resorting to 'Scissors Paper Stone'. After 8 attempts
all ending in draws, Murphy gave way to Kyle, who buried the spot kick. Hinckley
now play Oadby Town in the final at the 'graveyard of dreams' Holmes Park on May
5th, about 15 weeks after our season has ended... Click here for: Ibstock United match details |
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| Monday 24th March | |
| Hinckley arise over easter period | |
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A successful easter double was completed by Hinckley United, winning the bank holiday
monday game away at Blyth Spartans 1-3. The players and staff travelled up on the
Sunday to be properly prepared for the match, a decision which paid dividends. Blyth
took the lead through Rob Dale after the half hour when his wind assisted cross
caught the defence off guard and drifted into the goal. Hinckley equalised on the
stroke of half time, when Blyth failed to clear a number of Owen Story corners and
Adam Webster was in the right place to shoot Hinckley level. Blyth gifted Hinckley
the lead mid way through the second half when an Owen Story free kick missed the
head of Leon Jackson, but Blyth defender Mike Hedley headed the ball into the roof
of his own net. The win and 3 points were sealed in the last minute when Adam Webster
got around the back of the Blyth defence, controlled the ball and placed it past
Adam Bartlett in the Blyth goal. With two wins from two games over the easter period, this means Hinckley now have risen out of the relegation zone and have a 4 point gap between them and 20th placed Hucknall. Going into this weekend's league matches, Hinckley have no game whilst Hucknall play Leigh RMI. Blyth who could still be dragged back into the relegation fight face a tough game against 'champions elect' Kettering Town. Click here for: Blyth Spartans match details |
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| Saturday 22nd March | |
| Easter, a time of miracles? | |
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Hinckley United took a giant step towards the great escape as they pulled themselves
out of the relegation zone for the first time since October last year. Relegation
rival Hucknall Town came to the Marston Stadium, and a win for Hinckley means the
clubs swap places in the league table. For the first time this season Hinckley had
an unchanged team for a third match running and the team came out really fired up.
They were rewarded by the perfect start being 2 goals up in the first 10 minutes.
Owen Story opened the scoring having run with the ball on the right, played a one-two
with Adam Webster, who back heeled the ball into Story's path, for him to blast home
(with the aid of a deflection) from the edge of the goal area. Webster added the
second after an excellent run from Story through the middle, playing in Webster on
the edge of the area, who's first touch took it away from the defender and second
touch saw the ball in the right corner of the net. After that blistering opening
the game settled down and gradually Hinckley began to sit on their lead, seemingly
becoming more reticent to attack. Hucknall finished the last few minutes of the half
much the stronger and should've had a penalty in the dying seconds, though the ref
did not see a handball by Richard Lavery, so the half finished with Hinckley having
a 2-0 lead. It was Hucknall's turn to come out fired up for the second half, and with
Hinckley looking more and more nervous as the game went on, the Yellows had most of
the attacking play for the start of the second half. Hucknall got a goal back just
short of the hour when Oliver Ryan, with his back to goal on the edge of the area,
was allowed to turn and squeezed his shot just inside the left post. On top of that,
Tom Bonner was then sent off for a second yellow card, and Hinckley had to play the
last 30 minutes with 10 men. The sending off galvanised Hinckley again, though, and
woke them from their slumber as they battled out the rest of the half. Even against
10 men, Hucknall failed to create any clear cut chances, and Hinckley were content
to hit the Yellows on the break, and had chances to add a third late on. Despite
playing 7 minutes of injury time, Hinckley held on for a vital win, and maybe, just
maybe, miracles do happen at easter. Click here for: Hucknall Town match details |
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| Saturday 15th March | |
| Reed in the nick of time | |
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Another injury time goal conceded meant that Hinckley United dropped two vital points
at Workington, having lead since just before half time. The match was a scrappy
encounter on a very heavy pitch, leaving little room for football, but plenty of
space for mistakes, made by both sides in abundance. Workington had the better of
the first half chances but Hinckley took the lead just before half time when Owen
Story chased a ball into the right corner pulled it back to the near post and Leon
Jackson's looping headed dropped over Adam Collin into the goal. The second half
was the reverse of the first with Hinckley having the better of the play, and a
few chances to put the game beyond Workington, but the Reds then equalised in injury
time after a corner was headed on to Michael Reed who scored from close in. Before
the game supporters were accepting that a draw would be a good result, but afterwards
the feeling was that of being beat by losing those extra two valuable points. Click here for: Workington match details |
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| Saturday 8th March | |
| A lifeline against Leigh | |
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Hinckley United took a big step towards dragging themselves out of the relegation
zone with a 3-1 win over bottom of the table Leigh RMI. Michael Jones was making
his debut in the Hinckley goal, but had very little to do in a very scrappy first
half. Neither side got to grips with the strong wind and both teams looking very
nervous. Leigh did have the ball in the net, but was ruled out for a clear
'hand ball' controlling the ball before the shot. For Hinckley Adam Webster fired
a first time shot just over the bar from a Owen Story corner. The first half ended
0-0 and both teams were lucky to have scored that many! The second half though Hinckley
came out from their tense restraint and commanded the game for long periods. Webster
flicked a Story corner just wide with a glancing header, before Hinckley took the
lead 5 minutes into the half. Story again fired a free kick into the area and Tom
Birch got infront of Richard Mottram, in the goal for Leigh, to head the ball into
the roof of the net. Only 5 minutes later Hinckley had doubled their lead. A ball
down the right was controlled by Leon Kelly and his pace took him past Rob Marsh-Evans
into the area, where the Leigh mans desperate tackle brought him crashing to the
ground. The ref had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, though strangely showed
no card to the offender. Adam Webster stepped up to take the penalty and despite
Mottram diving the right way, Webster struck the ball with enough power to go under
the keepers body to make it 2-0, and opening his Hinckley goal account on his third
appearance. Adam Webster and Leon Kelly, beginning to find the understanding that
they had together at Worcester, both forced Mottram into saves, before Hinckley
added the third. Rich Lavery ran from the back of midfield with the ball and played
Callum Lloyd on the left, who held the ball up then put in an inswinging cross, that
Webster got the faintest of touches to guide it past Mottram for a 3-0 lead. Leigh
did manage a consolation when Mark Smyth broke clear on the left and crossed to the
back post, with Hinckley's defence caught out, the unmarked Brad Maylett scored
easily with Michael Jones having no chance. Hinckley relaxed too much in the final
stages and Tom Bonner rescued a casual defence with a last ditch perfectly timed
tackle just inside the area when Leigh had broke clear, keeping the final score at
3-1 to Hinckley. Click here for: Leigh RMI match details |
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| Friday 7th March | |
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Keeping |
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Panda Cola League Two Wrexham have loaned reserve keeper Michael Jones to Hinckley
United as cover in the wake of departed Sean Bowles. After the Stalybridge game
Bowles decided he could not continue at the club, and his contract was mutually
terminated on Thursday allowing him to join Midland Alliance Quorn. Bowles said: "I had to decide whether to stay and not play and pick up my wages or really push to have my contract cancelled so I decided for footballing reasons that I would leave the club. I would like to stress that I have left with no settlement pay, this was purely footballing reasons. Again I would like to say thanks to everyone at the club and especially the fans." Jones has come in from Wrexham, being a second year professional, having risen through the ranks at their Academy, gaining promotion to the first team squad in 2005. He has made 10 first team appearances and is a regular in the Reserve side. |
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| Saturday 1st March | |
| Bucks kick Hinckley where it hurts | |
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Hinckley United conceded 3 goals for the third consecutive match, and have now
lost the last 4 games, by losing 3-0 away at Athletico Telford. Hinckley old boy
Matt Lewis scored their first on 14 minutes then Gary Birch and John Adams added
further goals in the second half. Click here for: Athletico Telford match details |
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