Hinckley AFC ............. 6 (Edwards 7’ Weale 23’ Rankin 32’, 63’ Padmore 41’ Murphy 80’)
Gedling MW ...............0

Gedling Miners Welfare endured a difficult afternoon with a humbling defeat away at AFC Hinckley on Saturday.

Playing at Heather St Johns’ ground in Coalville in wet conditions it was the visitors who created the first real opportunity with Niall Hylton’s free kick from the edge of the area being comfortably fielded by the Hinckley goalkeeper, Matt Hill.

Three minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Jack Edwards made room for himself on the edge of the area and let fly with an accurate shot into the bottom right hand corner which left Gedling ‘keeper Matthew Simpson rooted to the spot.

Gedling responded well to the early setback by creating a glut of chances in quick succession.

Paolo Piliero charged down the left wing, beating his man with ease, before putting a pinpoint cross into the box. Oliver Papworth got across his man and managed a backheel flicked volley but couldn’t keep it down and it went harmlessly over the crossbar.

Papworth was beginning to make a nuisance of himself, and as a result another chance fell to him a minute later. An inviting ball over the top saw Papworth beat the onrushing Hill to the loose ball on the edge of the area. However, a well-timed sliding challenge forced him wide. The ball did ricochet back to Papworth but his shot was blocked and eventually cleared by the Hinckley defence.

Piliero was the next man to have a chance to equalise. Niall Hylton broke down the right and tried to slip Courtney Hastings in. A sliding intervention from a Hinckley defender diverted the ball into the path of Piliero but his chipped finish was straight at the ‘keeper.

The Miners would be left to rue these missed opportunities as Hinckley increased the intensity, took control of the game, and put the result of the match beyond doubt before half time.

Hinckley skipper Lewis Rankin fired a warning shot with just over 20 minutes played. A well worked corner routine saw the ball played to his feet at the edge of the box. His shot had Simpson beaten but clipped the top of the bar and sailed over.

Gedling did not heed this warning, and two minutes later they were two down. An accurate corner picked out Tom Weale who was unmarked in the six yard box and he turned the ball home to double Hinckley’s advantage.

In the 32nd minute Hinckley added a third. Isa Abrahamu, lively all afternoon, beat Charlie Roberts for pace on the left wing, and delivered a low cross which was slotted in by Rankin.

With half time beckoning Lewis Padmore netted Hinckley’s fourth with a composed finish following a good long through ball from the midfield.

At the start of the second half it was clear there had been stern words in the Gedling changing room during the interval. The visitors came out rejuvenated and more than matched Hinckley for the first 15 minutes of the half. However, despite a good amount of possession and promising build up play they were unable to create anything of note.

Hinckley absorbed the pressure before helping themselves to a fifth goal. Rankin added his second of the match with a deflected effort from the edge of the area that went through the legs of Simpson with just over an hour played.

Weale almost had his second of the game, two minutes later when his free kick thundered into the post with Simpson beaten.

Hinckley completed the rout with ten minutes remaining as substitute Ryan Murphy rose highest in the box to nod the ball home for the club’s sixth of the match.

The final whistle brought to an end a trip to Leicestershire that from a Gedling point of view was a day to forget but saw the hosts celebrate emphatically what was their first league win of the season.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Referee – Terry Simmons

Assistant referees – Chris Banks and Tony Barney

Hinckley AFC- Matt Hill, Nick Brandish (Ben Kendrick 40), Mikkel Hirst, Jack Edwards, Brandon Hallmark, Ben Whitehead, Lewis Rankin (Chris Lloyd 72), Tom Weale (Ryan Murphy 68), Lewis Padmore, Dan Hoskins, Isa Abraham.

Unused substitutes- Joel Heely, Tyson Knight

Cautions- None

Gedling Miners Welfare – Matthew Simpson, Charlie Roberts, Ross McCaughey (Kyme Mason 34’), Kieran Harrison, Felix Hogg, Keiron Lane (Ryan Marsh 79’), Josh Thornton, Niall Hylton (Tony Law 70’), Courtney Hastings, Oliver Papworth, Paolo Piliero

Unused Substitutes –Liam Corrigan, Scott Miles

Cautions- None