​From Met Police on January 3rd to Moreton Rangers on December 28th. The last game of the year for me, and another new ground, as I headed into the Cotswolds for the Hellenic Deivison One West clash between Moreton Rangers and Newent Town.

The Ground
Moreton-in-Marsh is an ancient market town in the Northern Cotswolds. The town's football team, Moreton Rangers, play their home games just to the East of the town centre, on London Road. The ground sits back off the road and is accessed via a service road which doubles as a parking area when the small stadium car park is full. The ground is accessed through a single turnstile. All of the facilities are on the car park side of the ground, housed in a single structure which incorporates the club house, the players and officials areas and a small covered standing area. The clubhouse has windows all along the pitchside which allows anyone who wishes to watch the game from the warmth. There are no further covered spectator area around the rest of the ground. Dugouts are opposite the main stand.

The Background
The last two winners of Division Two West were meeting for the second time this season. The first meeting, back in September, ended with Rangers travelling home with all three points after a 3-1 win.
Newent, who won Division 2 two seasons ago, were coming into the game still without a league win and precariously placed just two points above basement boys New College Swindon. Rangers, who were promoted in the Summer, were just below mid-table after five wins and three draws from their opening 12 games.

​The Game
It took both sides a little while to get used to the conditions. The pitch, although very much playable, was definitely soggy with an uneven surface not suitable to any kind of passing game. However, as the teams did start to find their feet it was Newent who not only mastered the conditions first but also looked to be the more confident side despite their lowly position and lack of a win all season. Although neither keeper was unduly stretched in the opening 15 minutes or so, it was the away side who looked the more likely to cause a problem.
That threat came to fruition in the 22nd minute after so excellent down the work from the Daffs number 11 who sent over a driven cross along the six yard line for Morgan Davies to turn the ball into the net. 0-1 and no more than Newent deserved.
Their joy did not last too long though as the home side set about trying to get back on level terms. Only two minutes had passed when a Moreton attack saw the ball strike a yellow hand in the box. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and not too much complaint from the Newent defenders. Moreton's number 9 stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to equalise. 1-1
Conceding the goal did not seem to phase the Newent team. They continued to look the more dangerous of the sides forcing Moreton's keeper into action on a number of occasions. How the away side didn't go in at the break with an advantage is anyone's guess, especially after a raid in the 41st minute where only a very good save and some last ditch, bodies on the line, defending kept the ball out of the home net.

HT Moreton Rangers 1 Newent Town 1. Newent were the better side but couldn't turn their superiority into goals.

It was a rejuvenated Moreton side that took to the pitch after the break, presumably after some choice words from their manager during the interval. Whatever was said, the home side began the half with a lot more vigour and purpose than they had shown in the first 45 minutes.
The game was now being played predominantly in the Newent half of the pitch but Rangers were still not managing to pose any great threat to the Newent goal.
With 15 minutes remaining Newent made the home side pay for not taking advantage of their possession. The ball fell to Jordan Cooper on the right-hand edge of the Moreton penalty area and his first-time strike seemed to catch the home keeper off guard and out of position as the ball went into the far corner of his net. 1-2 

After the goal Moreton stepped up their efforts once again but still could not find a cutting edge. Newent still carried a threat on the break and had a couple of chances to kill the game off completely.

A shorter than normal match blog this week due to time constraints. Names and team sheets will be added when/if I can get hold of them. Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all.

FT Moreton Rangers 1 Newent Town 2. A much improved home performance in the second half but, on the overall balance, a well deserved three points for Newent who pick up their first league win of the season and leapfrog Bourton Rovers, who lost 2-1 at Clanfield, into 14th spot.
 

Att: 
Ground Number: 224
Entrance: £3.00
Programme: N/A

​Work has kept my live football to a minimum in recent months and looks like it may well do again in the early part of next year, so it was great to have an opportunity to take in a Saturday game so close on the heals of Tuesday's visit to Walton Casuals. Not only did I manage to find a game on in this weather but it was also the number 1 game on my list of potentials, a United Counties Premier local derby between third-placed Loughborough University and second-placed Quorn.

The Ground
Unsurprisingly The Scholars play their home games within the grounds of the University and what a superb facility they have. The university is known for its prowess in sports related subjects and boasts an amazing alumni including Sebastian Coe, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Paula Radcliffe amongst many others. In the football world they can list FA Cup winner Lawrie Sanchez and former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
The ground itself was opened in 2012 and has a capacity of around 3,000. It features a main stand that incorporates all of the facilities, clubhouse and covered seating areas. The entire ground is surrounded by concrete terracing seven rows deep and, most unusually for Step 5, has an electronic scoreboard. The pitch is a UEFA standard Fibresand Grass construction which, even after the continuous downpours we have ad in the past week, looked in absolutely immaculate condition. Overall this is a top class stadium maintained to an extremely high standard. This seems to be a running theme for this part of the country. Over the past couple of years I have visited a number of the grounds around Leicstershire and the majority are great examples of non-league stadia. Quorn themselves have a fine ground at Farley Way (On The Rebound), Barrow Town's stadium (Down By The Riverside) is one of the best I have been to, Anstey's Cropston Road has been lovingly renovated (A Game Of One Half), and Shepshed's Dovecote (Moore Woes For Shiners) is also an excellent ground full of character. 

​The Background
Coming into the game the United Counties Premier League top three was a triumvirate of Leicestershire clubs all located within around 3 miles of each other. Leaders Shepshed Dynamo on 36 points (13 games) were top on goal difference from Quorn (18 games), with Loughborough University in third a point behind (16 games). Both sides were in a reasonably good run of form, Quorn had won 5 of their last 6 league outings including a 2-1 defeat of Shepshed (Dynamo's only defeat of the season so far). The Scholars had won 3 and lost 3 of their last 6, but this did include a  13-0 hammering of bottom side Sleaford Town 2 weeks ago. Interestingly, both teams transferred from the Midland League at the end of last season, when Quorn finished in the top 6 whilst Loughborough ended the season third from bottom although well clear of the drop zone on points. Quorn had won 3-2 at Farley Way whilst this fixture ended in a 3-3 draw. To make matters more interesting the next match for both teams is away at Shepshed. Loughborough travel there on Boxing Day whilst Quorn, who don't have a Boxing Day fixture, visit the Dovecote on the 4th of January.

​The Game
On what had been quite a mild day for December, it was definitely starting to drop a little chillier as the teams came out. However, the atmosphere soon warmed up as first Loughborough attacked from the kick-off but were then caught on the hop as Quorn hit back with a swift break down their left. Rackeem Reids's shot was parried by James Stallan but it fell kindly to Micah Jebbison who hammered it back past the keeper to make it 0-1. What a start to the game!
Loughborough's response was to start pinging passes around the pitch in the style that they love to play. It's great to watch but Quorn were clearly well aware of the threat and worked hard to close the University players down, win the ball back and break forward themselves. Even after going a goal ahead so early on, Quorn had certainly not come to defend, and the goal made no difference to their style.

The away side doubled their lead on 17 minutes. Once again it came from an attack down the left. This time the ball was only cleared as far as the edge of the box where the lurking Stephen Hart fired it back at goal. It took a deflection on the way, deceiving Stallan. 0-2.

Still Loughborough continued to play their football with the lively pairing of Dawes and Cashmore making sure that the Quorn defence could not relax.
Just before the half-hour mark the home side's task got a lot harder. Another Quorn attack, this time down the right side, was finally thwarted by the outstretched hand of Theo Sackey-Mensah in the box. The referee had no hesitation in pointing the the spot and then, after a taking a little time to consider, produced a red card for the Scholars defender. There were cries of double-jeopardy from the local support but the referee clearly felt that a clear goal-scoring opportunity had been deliberately denied. Stephen Hart took the spot kick and sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 0-3.

For the remaining 15 minutes of the half Loughborough changed tack, moving Connor Smith further up the park on the right and launching the ball towards him in the hope of winning a flick-on for the speedy pair of Cashmore and Dawes. Smith did manage to get a head to a few of the long balls, but the tactic did not seem to unduly worry the Quorn defence who comfortably saw out the remainder of the half.

HT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 3. A very solid performance by Quorn who were in control even before the penalty incident. However, the red card has probably ended the game as a contest.

​At 3-0 up and with a man advantage, Quorn could well be excused for taking their foot off the pedal somewhat. However, plenty of credit has to go to Loughborough who went back to playing their more natural style of keeping it on the deck and passing their way through the opposition. You have to say as well that for much of the second period it was Loughborough who looked the better side. Again, Quorn may well have sat back a little, but they were being stretched by the 10 men at times. An early second half attempt from Cashmore set the tone and only a very good stop from Max Culverwell kept the three goal lead.

Six minutes after the hour mark, however, Quorn did get a fourth when Tawanda Mangondoze headed in from a right-wing corner. 0-4.

Loughborough heads didn't drop though and they continued to ping the ball about with substitute Dan Collins looking very lively when he came on. The fresh legs and running ability giving the Quorn defence plenty to think about if they wanted to keep a clean sheet. In fact, just before the final whistle, with Quorn also down to 10 after an injury picked when all three subs had come on, Collins again jinked through a few tired looking tackles before unleashing a low drive that beat Culverwell but clattered off the inside of the post and flew to safety. 

FT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 4. All in all, a brilliant and well deserved result for Quorn who go top of the league for Christmas after Shedshed were held to a draw by Anstey Nomads.
Great credit to Loughborough for their refusal to change their style of play. This is the third time I have seen them and they always try to play an entertaining brand of football. Even at 4-0 down and with only ten men, they continued with this style of play today. As a coach myself I find it heartening to see a team stick to their beliefs in this way. 
No doubt that both of these sides will be up there come the end of the season.

Loughborough University: Stallan, Ferrinho, Davis(c), Sackey-Mensah, Turner, Duah, Smith, Ogunmekan, Cashmore, Dawes, Connor. Sunds: Cooke, Hilton, Fadahunsi, Iaciofano, Collins

Quorn: Culverwell, Stringfellow(c), Marshall, Oshungbure, Chapman, Meikle, Jebbison, Dale, Mangondoze, Hart, Reid. Subs: Hencliffe, Rowlamd, Brothwell, Ebanks

Att: 162
Ground Number: 223
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £2.00

Following yet another enforced week away from football due to work, I was again looking for a game to go to on Tuesday evening. With the weather playing havoc, it was not as easy as just picking a game. My first choice was the top of the table Combined Counties clash between Spelthorne Sports and Ascot United, but that was called off, as were several other Step 5 and 6 games that were on my list. However, I had always had a backup plan and the artificial pitch saved the day, so off I went to check out Walton Casuals v Hayes & Yeading United at the XCel Sports Hub.

The Ground
Walton's ground is part of a large sports complex which offers a gym, sports hall, swimming, squash, indoor climbing, athletics and more, as well as they state of the art football stadium and 3G pitch. There is ample free parking available adjacent to the ground which is accessed through a turnstile in the corner of the stadium. There is, I believe at least one more entrance turnstile for busier times. All of the facilities are on the athletics track side of the ground, to your left as you enter. There is a fairly large stand which also incorporates the clubhouse and bar (on the top floor). There is also a separate snack bar at ground level, next to the turnstile block. The rest of the ground is given to wide hard-standing. Dugouts are on the far side, opposite the main stand. It's a very tidy and clean stadium, as you would expect for a comparatively new facility.
As with all new stadia, especially ones that have artificial surfaces, it does lack some character at the moment, but maybe this will come as the ground ages.

​The Background
Before kick-off the teams were sitting next to each other in the Southern League Premier South table. Casuals occupied 11th spot, a point and a place above Hayes & Yeading but having played 5 games more than their visitors. Casuals came into the game having won 3 and drawn three of their last 10 games, a significant improvement on the start to the season where they had lost their opening 5 games. Their current mid-table spot had seemed a long way off in September.
Hayes & Yeading were promoted as Champions of the Isthmian Division One last season but also transferred into the Southern League at the same time. Therefore, there was no game between these sides last season. Recent form for United was pretty good, having won 6 of their last 10 outings in the league.

​The Game
Both sides started the game very well, knocking the ball around fluidly on the perfect artificial surface. I've said before that I am not the biggest fan of 3G pitches but I can certainly see their advantage, especially to non-league clubs who need to make full use of their facilities and for getting games played when grass pitches were being deemed unfit all across the country. 
Casuals were forced to make an early substitution after David Fitzpatrick picked up a knock and, despite trying to continue, was taken off after 20 minutes. He was replaced by Cheyce Grant.

​Casuals' Rhodell Gordon was clearly their danger man. By the time Fitzpatrick had departed he had already had a couple of sighters at the United goal and had the ball in the net - although the referee's whistle had already sounded for an infringement before the shot was struck. However, the range finders proved invaluable in the 28th minute when the ball was again played to Gordon on the corner of the penalty area, out to the left. He angled a perfect shot over Smith and into the far corner to make it 1-0 to the home side. A superbly taken goal.

The lead was not to last long though as United responded brilliantly, hitting back within three minutes of going behind. A move down the left ending with the ball being squared across the six yard box to give James Clark the simplest of tap-ins to equalise. 1-1
Maybe the quick response was just what United needed and knocked a bit of the stuffing out of Casuals because, as the half drew to a close, it was the away side who seemed to finishing the stronger of the two.

HT Walton Casuals 1 Hayes & Yeading United 1. The half was as tight as the scoreline suggests with very little choose between the sides at the break, although United did seem to be growing stronger as the half progressed.

​Sure enough, Hayes & Yeading came out for the second period looking rejuvenated and immediately set about their opponents with some vigour. We had only just reached the 50 minute mark when some sloppy home defending allowed Omar Rowe to get in a shot that took a deflection on the way past the stranded Tokarczyk and into the home net. 1-2
To their credit, United scented blood and were immediately back in possession from kick-off almost snatching a third goal two minutes after going in front. Casuals were wobbling at the back and 10 minutes into the second-half, following some more lax defending that allowed Rowe to win the ball back inside The Stags 18 yard area, they found themselves two goals behind. Rowe's effort in winning the ball set up Scott Donnelly who shaped a delightfully calm finish past Tokarczyk and into the lower far corner of the net. 1-3

Hayes & Yeading were in full flow now and it is to the credit of Walton that they managed to steady the ship somewhat despite being pushed back time and time again, they at lest managed to stem the flow of goals. However, they weren't making any real inroads up front. Substitute James Ewington saw an effort skim Smith's right-hand post but that was as close as they came. That was until the 82nd minute when, inexplicably, there was all manner of miss-kicks and miscues from both sides inside the United box. Eventually the ball fell to another substitute, Charlie Fox, who was left with the simple task of rolling the ball into an unguarded net. 2-3 and still maybe enough time for an onslaught on the United goal? Unfortunately for the home side that never transpired and their task was made even harder when they lost Wayne Brown to injury after already using all three subs. Down to 10 men and still chasing the game, they inevitably left some gaps which United tried to exploit. They came very close in the closing minutes when Sheppard's dipping shot beat Tokarczyk but came crashing back off the bar.

FT Walton Casuals 2 Hayes & Yeading United 3. A decent game of football for the neutral. United just about deserved the points on the basis of their very strong showing for the first 30 minutes of the second half.

Walton Casuals: Tokarczyk(c), Atkinson, Mason, Pearce, Gasson, Brown, Skinner, Gogonas, Howe, Fitzpatrick, Gordon. Subs: Ewington, Grant, Gyebi, Fox
Hayes & Yeading United: Smith, Renee, Little, Robinson, McDevitt(c), McCreadie, Donnelly, Sheppard, Clark, Rowe, Williams. Subs: Obi, Toomey, Piorkowski, Hanlon, Weight

Att: 178
Ground Number: 222
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00

​Yes, I know that it's not non-league but as a coach of a girl's football team and an avid follower of the women's game, I thought it was a bout time that BotP branched out into watching some women's football. Wife and daughter fancied some Sunday shopping therapy so an opportunity presented itself. They could drop me at Adams Park and then head off to the Eden Centre whilst I took a look at Reading taking on the league leaders Arsenal. Plenty of talent on view for both teams but, as a neutral and a lover of watching the game, the names in the Arsenal squad were, I admit, the ones that attracted me to the game. Their starting eleven reads like a who's who of the women's game, Zinsberger, Evans, Williamson, Beattie, Schnaderbeck, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van de Donk, Miedema, Mead.

I have been to the Adams Park a few times previously, the most recent being for the visit of Stourbridge in the FA Cup 3rd Round a few years back. A fantastic fantastic day out when The Glassboys were the Pride of the Black Country and nearly pulled off a cup shock. 

Enough of the reminiscing though, back to the current day. Arsenal came into the game top of the table ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, not in any small way because of their 11-1 destruction of Bristol City in their last game. In Vivienne Miedema they have the league's most prolific striker, bang in form after scoring six and getting an assist for at least three others in the last game.
Reading were on a run of four unbeaten in all competitions and were fairly comfortable in mid-table. With former England international Fara Williams driving them on in midfield alongside Jade Moore, Angharad James and a host of other international experience, the Royals were not to be underestimated.

​This was shown to be the case when the game kicked off. It was Reading who started the brighter with Williams being presented with a golden opportunity in the first 5 minutes. Van de Donk's wayward backpass let in the Reading captain who side-stepped Leah Wiliamson to make space for a shot, but Zinsberger narrowed the angle well to block the effort. Reading continued to look the brighter of the two teams, Chaplen having another effort that had Zinsberger scrambling as it went wide. Arsenal looked a little off the pace in the opening encounters.

Then, just before the half-hour mark we finally got to see what Arsenal are capable of producing. The Gunners midfield won the ball back on the halfway line, Danielle van de Donk drove forward with overlapping runs going past her on both sides, she let the Reading defence edge towards Kim Little's run to her right before laying the perfect pass off to her left and perfectly into the stride of Miedema. The star striker took a touch before lofting the ball over the advancing Moloney to make it 0-1. A goal devastating in it's simplicity but superbly executed in both weight of pass and delicate finish.

The goal shook Arsenal out of their slumbers and they went on the hunt for a second goal. On the 37th minute it came, and what a goal it was. Beth Mead's corner from the right was pulled back to the edge of the box for Kim Little who played a one-two with Leah Williamson, exchanged another one-two with Jordan Nobbs and then executed the perfect volleyed lob over Moloney into the far corner. 0-2. A goal of sheer quality.

Arsenal looked for a third before the break but Reading held on and were probably glad to her the whistle for half-time.

HT Reading 0 Arsenal 2. The home side started brightly but were undone by two pieces of world class football from Arsenal. 

​After the break, Reading renewed their efforts to get back into the match. It was turning into a tough encounter for both sides with no quarter being asked or given in some crunching tackles. The Royals huffed and puffed for much of the second-half, causing Arsenal plenty of problems and making Schanderbeck, Evans, Beattie and Williamson work very hard. However, they could never commit too many to the attack for fear of the danger posed by the speed of the Arsenal break, especially through the wing-play of Beth Mead and movement of Vivienne Miedema.
Fara Williams almost put her name on the goal of the game award with a fantastic first time lob from 30 yards but the ball sailed narrowly wide with Zinsberger well beaten.
Just as we headed into time added on, Arsenal once more showed how incisive they can be. Van de Donk, taking a pass out on the left-flank played a first time pass over the Reading defence and perfectly into the path of Miedema. There was only one outcome as the striker once again executed the perfect lob over Moloney to make it 0-3.

FT Reading 0 Arsenal 3. The scoreline reflects Arsenal's superior quality on the ball but does not really tell the whole tale of the game. Reading gave as good as they got for much of this game but just lacked the additional skills required to unlock the Arsenal defence. The Gunners, who were probably not at their best, produced three moments of sheer class and three top quality finishes when it mattered.
A thoroughly entertaining game of football which had an edge to it but was, for the most part, played in a sporting manner. Good to see a work colleague of mine, Richard Hulme, officiating and keeping a tight rein on any potential flash points.

Reading: Moloney, Pacheco, Potter, Leine, Howard, Allen, Moore, James, Williams, Utland, Chaplen. Subs: Eikeland, Farrow, Laws, Bennink, Reynolds, Quirk

Arsenal: Zinsberger, Schanderbeck, Beattie, Williamson, Evans, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van De Donk, Mead, Miedema. Subs: Roord, Maier, Mitchell, McCabe, Quinn, Magnin

Att: 943
Ground Number: Re-Visit
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: £1.00

A rare occurrence for me lately, a second consecutive week of Tuesday night football. With a number of games to choose from I eventually settled on a two hour journey up the M1 to Leciestershire and a top-half versus bottom-half clash in the Midland League Division One, Hinckley v Stafford Town.

The Ground
Hinckley currently play their home games some 10 or so miles North of the town at the former home of Ibstock Town, The Welfare Ground. This is now logistics country. On the way to the ground from the motorway you will pass an Amazon fulfilment centre, Stobart, MTS Logidstics and Premier Logistics depots. Not forgetting that Hinckley are sponsored by another logistics company, DPD. A landscape that was once littered with 
winding gear from the mines is now peppered with large warehouses and containers.
The football stadium is part of a larger complex, the Ibstock Miners Welfare Sports & Social Club which also caters for bowls, has a 3G five-a-side pitch and is home to the local pigeon fanciers. There is ample parking adjacent to the ground, which is accessed through a brick-arched turnstile bearing the name of the original owners, Ibstock Welfare FC. The ground itself has been completely re-badged for Hinckley AFC (with a nod towards local Sunday side Sporting Dynamo, who also play here), with the club logo adorning the clubhouse, the stands and the Portakabin that serves as a small bar and club shop inside the ground.
The facilities are all on the car park side of the ground. The club shop, a snack bar, the dugouts and all of the covered areas are along this side of the pitch. The are two covered stands, either side of the rear wall of the main club building. Nearest the entrance is a white-posted covered standing area with a small seating area further down the ground.The ground has been around for quite a while and, as such, has plenty of character about it, something that was also noted by The Wycombe Wanderer on his visit here to watch Ibstock United just before they went out of existence.

The Background
When Hinckley United folded back in October 2013 a group of supporters got together and formed a new team, Hinckley AFC, owned and run by the supporter's trust. The new club came into being in 2014 and was placed in Division One of the Midland League three steps below the level that United played at before they went under.
Stafford were promoted back to Division One in the Summer after spending a season in the Staffordshire County League. So far it has not been a an easy transition back into Step 6 life. Going into this game they were just a point above basement boys Nuneaton Griff and could only show two wins and eight points from their 17 games. Those two wins both came early in the season, the first being a 2-1 victory against Hinckley in the reverse of tonight's game. The last win in any competition came early in September and their last 6 league games had all ended in defeat, conceding 29 goals an scoring just 4 themselves.
Hinckley, meanwhile, were placed 6th with 26 points from their 15 games, although they had lost their last league game, a 4-0 home defeat Leicester Road, who were also formed after the demise of Hinckley United and actually continue to play at United's old De Montfort Park ground.

​The Game
The game started at a frantic pace. From the kick-off Stafford attacked but when their foray fizzled out, Hinckley were quick to break to the other end of the pitch and start a raid of their own. In fact, within the first five minutes the home side could easily have been two goals to the good, with both Green and Richards coming very close, the second after two consecutive corners caused chaos in the Town defence with Richards seeing his effort hacked off the line by a grey-clad defender.
Hinckely continued to make the running in the game but could not completely relax with the lively-looking Kyle Ashman giving their defenders plenty to think about on the rare occasions that the ball found him.
17 minutes in, Hinckley won a free-kic kjust outside the box. Bekir Halil curled an effort around the wall which beat George Hill in the Stafford goal but, unfortunately for the home side, also just beat the keeper's left-hand post. However, Hinckley were now completely in control of the game and it seemed just a matter of time before they made their dominance count.
Just before the half-hour mark though football played one of its little tricks that so often happen. Totally against the run of play a Stafford throw-in was flicked on by Ashman. Ed Page latched onto it, drove into the box holding off a challenge as he did, and slipped the ball under the advancing debutant Elliott Taylor to score his first goal for Stafford and give them a very surprising lead. 0-1

The goal served to galvanise both sides but Stafford's joy was only to last for 4 minutes when, on 31 minutes, some great work on the right-hand side led to a low cross laying a tap-in on a plate for Shane Benjamin. 1-1. This would surely be the boost that the home side needed to go on and win the game? However, despite plenty more pressure before the end of the half and at least one more effort being cleared off the line, they couldn't grab a second and had to be happy with a share of the first half spoils.

HT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 1. Not sure how this game was level at the break. Stafford would be pleased with their night's work up to this point, but surely Hinckley would make their dominance pay as the game wore on.

​The second half, however, started with Stafford looking a little livelier and Hinckley looking flatter. It was a much more evenly contested game at this point. Then, on 56 minutes, came the moment that swung the game in favour of Stafford. The ball broke to the feet of Kyle Ashman some 25 yards out. He unleashed a swerving effort that seemed to deceive Taylor and flew into the top corner. It was a great strike but I think the home keeper will be disappointed not to have saved it. 1-2

Hinckley continued to huff and puff but didn't really cause Hil any moments of concern until the 72nd minute when Thompson got on the end of a free-kick inside the box. However, even then the Stafford stopper needn't have been worried as the ball was sent sailing over his bar when it really should have been the equaliser.

Hill finally got his hands warm when he was forced into a couple of good stops in the last five minutes, the second of which was a superb tip over the bar from a Ky Green header. A great save which turned out to be the one that kept the three points in the bag for his team.

FT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 2. A superb three points for Stafford, well deserved on the effort they put in. Hinckley, after dominating the first half but failing to take advantage, were disappointing in the second period, conceding a goal and then failing to make the Stafford keeper make a save until 2 minutes from time. 
​
​Hinckley: Taylor, Reuben, Rowe, Kendrick, Green, Ball, Thompson, Halil, Benjamin, Richards(c), Hirst. Subs: Cross, Giles, Brown, Commins, Webster

Stafford Town: Hill, Marshall(c), Jessup, Turner, Wright, Webb, Milgate, Ashman, Page, Baker, Heath. Subs: Dufft, Redford, Marshall, Kelly, Concar

Att: 120
Ground Number: 221
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £1.50