LRFC turning Greene King into a fortress
HINCKLEY’S Leicester Road FC made it four straight league wins on the bounce with a hard fought 2-1 home victory over local rivals Heather St John’s writes Greg Rees
Goals from skipper Greg Downes and striker Matty Langham helped seal another three points, which consolidates LRFC’s fifth position in Midland Football League 1 – but with a game or games in hand over all their rivals above them.
The home team started quicker and livelier, applying pressure onto Heather with high intensity and after a wave of attacks it was Leicester Road who took the lead when on 13
Hinckley Times Sport: Call 01455 891965 or email hinckleytimes@ trinitymirror.com £1 mins Downes stabbed home unmarked from a deep Jake Holt corner, his eighth goal of the season so far.
To their credit though, Heather came back into the game and there were some exciting goalmouth skirmishes and good solid defending and blocks, with LRFC keeper Will Highland having to smartly tip one goal bound effort over the bar.
The visitors levelled on 34 mins from the penalty spot; however it was another dubious and bemusing decision for the Road with the Heather forward going to ground quite very easily with no contact being made.
Later on too the linesman flagged for a foul made on Nuno Gomes in full flight that was a yard inside the penalty area, but the ref inexplicably gave a free kick literally just outside – and surely very soon the Road will start to get some of these decisions in their favour?
And so it stayed 1-1 until half time in what was – as it always is with Heather – a close and competitive fixture.
LRFC again got into their pass and move stride quickest in the second half, smothering the opposition every time they were in possession of the ball and looking the more likely team to score again.
And the second duly came on 59 mins when after a flowing move Sam Munton fired across the face of goal for Langham to guide home his sixth of the season – despite a last ditch attempt to clear.
Highland had one more save of note to make on 70 mins, turning a testing free kick around the post, plus Langham made way for wing back Jack Harrison on 80 mins as Heather tried to take the direct route to goal – but LRFC stood strong and took a deserved win.
Next up on Saturday October 21 is an away fixture at Pershore Town, when LRFC will be looking to make amends for a last minute 2-3 home loss early in the season.
Starting X1: Highland, Acton, Rudd, Earls, Kingsley-Smith, Downes (C), Lyne, Munton, Holt, Gomes, Langham. Subs: Blewitt (GK), Harrison, Unsworth, Burrows, Kennedy.