Gomes adds brace to his growing tally
HINCKLEY’S Leicester Road FC made it five wins in six games – and a half dozen unbeaten - with a comfortable 2-1 home win over Brocton FC writes Greg Rees.
The Stafford-based team were making their first ever visit to the Leicester Road Stadium and played in MFL Premier last season, but were undone by another Nuno Gomes brace (that’s nine goals to date) and a tight, disciplined display.
The Road were forced to make two changes with Jack Harrison and Joe Kennedy slotting in for Luke Kingsley-Smith and Matt Langham respectively (after their highly controversial red cards against Pershore Town) and they
Hinckley Times Sport: Call 01455 891965 or email hinckleytimes@ trinitymirror.com £1 began much the brighter.
On eight minutes good work between Sam Munton and Gomes created a good chance but the defender made a last ditch clearance for a corner; then on 10 minutes a powerful header from skipper Greg Downes was very well saved by the Brocton keeper.
It was all Leicester Road and on 14 minutes a penetrating run from Munton opened it up for midfielder Jake Holt, whose stinging shot was only parried into the path of Gomes who slotted home.
Gomes has another glorious chance on 25 minutes with a free header, but it just lacked a bit of power and the keeper was able to palm it away – and then on 31 minutes, completely against the run of play, Brocton got an equaliser when a corner wasn’t cleared and the ball was eventually scrambled home.
The livewire Gomes was causing Brocton all sorts of problems with his pace and trickery and just before half time he was cleverly played through, but opted to cross instead of putting his laces through the ball and the danger was cleared.
So, honours even at the break, with LRFC playing neat, attractive football and creating chances, but the visitors dangerous at set plays.
Determined to make their superiority count, LRFC again began sharper and more switched on, pressing with intent and putting Brocton on the back foot.
A period of sustained pressure eventually told when on 56 minutes a mix up in the Brocton defence allowed Kennedy to shoot towards goal and whilst it was probably creeping inside the post, Gomes made absolutely sure with a neat flick.
Credit to the visitors, they didn’t fold and toughed it out, but if made for quite a scrappy second half, although the Road look more likely to increase their lead than Brocton drawing level.
On 81 minutes Joseph Lyne made space for himself and drew another great save from the Brocton keeper from 20 yards, but then the Road comfortably saw time out to take the spoils.
Leicester Road Starting X1: Highland, Acton, Rudd, Earls, Harrison, Downes (C), Lyne, Munton, Holt, Kennedy, Gomes. Subs: Blewitt (GK), Unsworth, Jones, Whitehouse, Reid.