Hinckley LRFC share spoils in six goal draw

HINCKLEY LRFC’s maiden season in the UCL ended with a 99 point haul and second place in the table after sharing the points in a 3-3 draw at Long Buckby.

Hinckley started off kicking into a swirling wind and eased their way into the game against a competitive Long Buckby side. Their swift passing and moving game forced Long Buckby into defensive mode as Hinckley started to open them up with a couple of half chances that fell to Matty Langham and Tom Smith.

The deadlock was broken after 13 minutess when Simon Alcott sent Tom Smith wide down the left and his cross was met by live-wire Liam Read who curled the ball in off the post to put Hinckley 1-0 up.

Hinckley continued to pressed and monopolised possession playing neat football without seriously hurting Long Buckby.

The game changed on 28 minutes when Liam Read was put through but hauled down just outside the box by a Long Buckby defender who are shown a straight red card for a professional foul.

Hinckley went further ahead after 40 minutes when neat football between Callum Earls, Simon Alcott, Liam Read opened up Long Buckby up for Callum Earls to cross to Danny Jenno at the far post whose intelligent header back across the goal fell to Matty Langham to tap in and make it 2-0.

Long Buckby appeared to have regrouped and seemed a lot more resilient with 10 men and got themselves back into game on 46 mins when Max Produlock found space and shot through a crowded defence and scored on the stroke of half-time.

After the break the hosts took the game to Hinckley and drew level on 55 minutes through Max Proudlock’s second goal of the game.

Neil Lyne replaced Matty Langham with Jordan Burrows after 60 minutes to try and tighten things up but Long Buckby had their tails up and looked the better side forcing attack after attack of which the latter resulted in a fabulous strike by Leo Stone to put them 3-2 up on 70 minutess.

This finally woke Hinckley up and they managed to claw themselves back into the game by dominating the middle of the park again and forcing the play. This resulted in a direct freekick on the edge of the Long Buckby box which Danny Jenno duly despatched leaving the Long Buckby keeper stranded to bring Hinckley level at 3-3 after 75 minutes.