HINCKLEY AFC 2-1 PAGET RANGERS: THE MATCH REPORT & IMAGES WITH UNUSUAL CAPTIONS...

 Doyle’s Saves Frustrate Knitters

Hinckley AFC 2-1 Paget Rangers

Several fine saves by Rangers’ goalie Tommy Doyle during Hinckley’s first period dominance, kept his team in the contest only one goal behind at the break. He even saved Chris Lloyd’s second-half penalty, although the eager, grafting striker notched a goal from the rebound. From that point, the visiting Bears, minus skipper Dean Crowley, who had left the field injured before half-time, really made the hosts dither at times and scored an unusual goal, back-heeled in by their impressive left-back Euan Kemp from a narrow angle, following a misunderstanding between Knitters Callum Witherington and ‘keeper Matt Hill. 

THE TOSS.
LLOYD LIKES TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, TOO...

Paget would probably feel that a second goal was deserved too but then again, Hinckley could point to a number of opportunities missed and shots saved before the recess and on chances alone their victory was well earned. Certainly the match was well contested by two expansive teams but rarely did Rangers threaten Hill, although what efforts they did have in the first period came from the boot of top goalscorer Max Turner who was denied once by Hill’s brave save. At the other end Doyle saved so well from Witherington, Lloyd, Reece Giles and Isa Abraham, whilst Giles and Mark Williams glanced headers centimetres wide. 

LLOYD: "SHOVE THAT CHEWING GUM IN MY BEARD, BURNS & I SWEAR I'LL DO TIME..."

INCREDIBLY, LLOYD BALANCES A WOMAN & HER CHILD ON HIS HEAD...

A Ben Kendrick header had given the hosts a lead, Lloyd’s follow-up from his saved spot-kick appeared to have settled the game but home goalie Hill was then forced into a few moments of action as the guests pushed on late in the game and there was some relief around the Barwell FC ground at the final whistle.

TURNER (11) THINKS IT'S HILARIOUS THAT HIS COACH IS BEING TOLD OFF...

Thanks must go to AFC’s Joe Conneely for leaving my name on the gate, thanks too to the two guys at the entrance for their welcome, although whilst giving my phone details at a table I was rather sidelined… Ah, well… Good programme though… The seats were well organised for social distancing in the grandstand and it was fortunate that I arrived early, enabling me to find a decent position to film from.

NOBODY LOOKS THAT BOTHERED ABOUT JACK EDWARDS' INJURY, IN TRUTH...

GILES (10): A REALLY DECENT PERFORMANCE...

Little was seen of the visiting offense as the opening half wore on and AFC were in the ascendancy from the moment when Kendrick back-headed skipper Tom Weale’s long throw goalwards, only for lively Paget defender Jamie Smith to boot clear at the far post. A Witherington drive was turned away to his left by the leaping Doyle but the gloveman was subsequently beaten when Giles took a short left-flank corner to Weale, received the ball back in a wider position and crossed for Kendrick to head back across and thus into goal, although Lloyd made every attempt to get the final touch, as forwards often do…

Giles was busy, effective and creative in the Hinckley midfield and he had two chances to score, glancing a header wide from Williams’ centre and later in the half leaping to volley a shot which Doyle batted away well. Lloyd had been his usual self, worrying defenders, beard dripping rain as he chased about but he drove a low cross-shot wide, smacked an Abraham assist some way wide of the right angle of crossbar and upright, then saw a better effort well kept out by the overworked Doyle.

SURELY ONE OF THE HINCKLEY COACHES ISN'T DEMONSTRATING HOW TO PICK HIS NOSE?

ABRAHAM (RED SHIRT): DANGEROUS AT TIMES...

Abraham’s rushing and control were causing consternation for the guests and in truth, Kemp was often attempting to cover two opponents, as Witherington overlapped and supported Abraham. The winger rolled a shot wide, then dribbled brilliantly to the byeline but Doyle grasped his low centre easily, before the goalie tackled him as he threatened again by reaching the left byeline. Finally, Doyle tipped over a rising effort from Abraham as the interval approached. Williams glanced a header wide of the left upright from Nick Brandish’s right-flank delivery, as the Bears, with striker Clark Wells filling in for Crowley alongside central defender Justin Burns, battled to stay in the clash. 

THE REFEREE THINKS IT'S AMUSING TO POKE PLAYERS IN THE EAR...

HOW TO HEAD A DPD LOGO...

The visitors had seen a curled 18 yard effort go wide by Turner, who later nearly got onto a neat Wells pass but when the skilful Ollie Cook passed superbly along the left flank with the outside of his right shoe, replacement Rhys Fearon fed Turner, unmarked inside the 18 yard box. However, Hill raced from goal to make a fine block and recovered quickly to catch Turner’s headed rebound effort more easily. 

"IT'S OK, I'M A DOCTOR.
SADLY THOUGH, I NEED TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM YOU..."

Half-time arrived for the players who trooped off for burgers, fruit cake and Bovril (really?) and then reappeared in slightly worsening weather to re-engage… 

THE REFEREE TELLS WEALE THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE HIM...

...& HERE WE CAN SEE WHY THE REFEREE DOESN'T LIKE WEALE...

Fewer chances were created in actuality although for Hinckley, Weale’s free-kick from downtown curled round the right angle of crossbar and upright and Abraham shot low at Doyle. The second goal came from a challenge on Abraham by Wells but there was some discussion between referee and an assistant, probably as to whether the offence had taken place within the penalty-box or just outside. Lloyd grabbed the ball, although Abraham seemed keen to take the ensuing and agreed upon spot-kick and although Doyle beat Lloyd’s shot away, the striker nudged the rebound just inside the right stick to offer the hosts some, er, breathing space. They didn’t get any…

Another Rangers replacement Louie Newbold was cautioned (as was substitute Harry Parker later), who was joined in the referee’s naughty notebook by AFC’s Kendrick and replacement Scott Smith.

LLOYD HAS JUST SCORED...

THE CONFERENCE ABOUT WHETHER TO AWARD A PENALTY.
THEY DID...

So, when Turner broke well and passed to Fearon, who drove over the target from 15 yards, AFC seemed slightly concerned, then the same player back-headed a Kemp cross past the right stick, leaving Hinckley rather more concerned. They were very concerned when Hill left his goal to claim a bouncing ball but Witherington attempted to nod it back to his ‘keeper, who of course wasn’t there… The ball was rolling across the goalmouth, left to right but it was heading wide, yet Kemp had spotted his opportunity and sprinted after it, reaching it beyond the right post. Without looking, he simply back-heeled the ball and it rolled past the rather surprised covering defenders into the bottom of the net… Amazing.

"HEY, HARRY, IF YOU LIFT YOUR BOOT THIS HIGH, YOU'LL GET YOUR NAME IN THE REF'S NOTEBOOK..."
HE DID, TOO...

SOMEONE IN THE DUGOUT HAS LOST THEIR MOTOR BIKE...

Hill was forced into leaping at his near post, as his colleague Callum Martin did too, to clear another Kemp cross and a Kemp free-kick delivery was touched over the crossbeam by the Knitters’ ‘keeper, who fisted the resulting corner away from his goal-line. Hinckley, by then severely concerned, managed to hold out with some forays into corners and survived the creditable efforts of their keen guests.  

"IT MATTERS NOT A SHIT IF YOU TIE MY LACE FOR ME, CUZ YOU'RE BOOKED ANYWAY..."

"ANYWAY REF, I WAS IN ONE STOP YESTERDAY & I WAS THE ONLY PERSON WEARING A MASK. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?"

The Bears were well served by comfortable right-back Smith, the very decent Kemp, the commanding Burns, the wily Cook and midfielders Oli Gethin and Ryan Butler, who scavenged throughout. Wells did rather well as a centre-back, filling in for his hurt skipper but Doyle was certainly the MVP for Paget. McKenzie Humphreys made some runs for the visitors but two free-kicks late on were wasted as the Bears fought for parity, one being overhit and the other going out of play on the opposite side of the pitch, behind his waiting, expectant team-mates. Kendrick and the indefatigable Luke Edwards defended well in the latter stages for the Knitters, Giles was good throughout, Abraham was generally quick and clever, although he did slip a lot early on and ‘keeper Hill was audible and did OK… 

"LOOK, I SCORED, I'M SOAKED & NOW YOU WANT TO CAUTION ME? WHAT A SAD BLOKE YOU ARE, REF..."

A tense finish and a good response from Paget, who had looked buried after Lloyd had scored his goal…

TEAMS: 

HINCKLEY AFC:

MATT HILL, NICK BRANDISH, CALLUM MARTIN, MARK WILLIAMS, BEN KENDRICK, LUKE EDWARDS, CALLUM WITHERINGTON, TOM WEALE (CAPT), CHRIS LLOYD, REECE GILES, ISA ABRAHAM.

SUBS:

KY GREEN, LUKE RICHARDS, SCOTT SMITH, DAN HOSKINS, JACK EDWARDS.

PAGET RANGERS:

TOMMY DOYLE, JAMIE SMITH, EUAN KEMP, JUSTIN BURNS, DEAN CROWLEY (CAPT), RYAN BUTLER, MCKENZIE HUMPHREYS, OLI GETHIN, CLARK WELLS, OLI COOK, MAX TURNER.

SUBS:

HARRY PARKER, BRAD LEDIARD, LOUIE NEWBOLD, RHYS FEARON.