Three strikes from Lyne seal win
HINCKLEY’S Leicester Road FC produced a superb away display at second placed Atherstone Town FC to run out comprehensive 4-1 winners, writes Greg Rees.
A sublime hat-trick from midfielder Joseph Lyne, plus an opening header from centre half Callum Earls secured the three points that keep LRFC in fourth place, but crucially now just one point behind both Atherstone and Ilkeston Town.
It all started so shakily for LRFC too, when a flowing move down the left and a pinpoint cross set up their captain and centre forward Alex Naughton, who fired in a low drive from the edge of the box past Road keeper Will Highland with only five minutes on the clock.
But credit to LRFC, they didn’t let it deflate them and slowly but surely their trademark pass and move football started causing their confident opponents problems. And after a period of sustained pressure Jake Holt’s teasing corner was met powerfully by Earls’ fore- head and he found the net for a deserved equalizer.
LRFC were now controlling possession and territory and on 40 mins Lyne put the Road in front with a beauty into the top corner from 25 yards.
You’d have thought he wouldn’t hit a sweeter strike all season, but on 44 mins he did it again with a controlled 20 yard half volley that looped over the keeper for a 3-1 lead at half time.
LRFC continued where they left off at the start of the second period, inventive in attack and well organised at the back - to snuff out an Atherstone side that had been scoring for fun in recent weeks.
Lyne was clearly enjoying himself and on 65 mins he completed his hat trick with another wonderful strike from outside the box, this time with his left foot to cap off a fantastic display.
On 68 mins it was almost 5-1 as a Nuno Gomes snap shot was desperately cleared off the line by an increasingly ragged Atherstone defence, but although the home side huffed and puffed with a few half chances towards the end of the 90 mins, LRFC comfortably held firm for a highly impressive away victory.
STARTING XI: Highland, Burrows, Rudd, Earls, Harrison, Lyne, Downes (C), Holt, Esso, Gomes, Langham. SUBS: Blewitt (GK), Acton, Unsworth, Mall, Harris, Kennedy.
Leicester Road’s victory over Atherstone was all the more important after a midweek home reversal against third placed Ilkeston Town FC. In what was a very tight contest, with few clear cut chances, Ilkeston managed to secure the three MFL 1 points with a fortunate deflected strike on 68 minutes.
Once they got their noses in front Ilkeston battled hard to hang on to their slender lead and despite a lot of late pressure from the Road they managed to prevail, but a draw would have been a much fairer result.