Chasetown 5-2 Hinckley AFC

Chasetown 5-2 Hinckley AFC

Hinckley AFC’s inaugural FA Cup run is over after a 5-2 defeat at Chasetown.

The side from two levels higher in the non-league pyramid were a pace quicker than their Midland League Division One opponents, and took an early lead through Paul Sullivan.

Hinckley’s loud and sizeable following were sent wild when Kristian Ramsey-Dickson equalised a minute into the second half, but their side then fell asleep for a fifteen minute period in which Chasetown scored three times to take a 4-1 lead.

Luke Richards gave AFC hope when he slotted home to make it 4-2, but that hope was quashed five minutes from time when Danny Edwards secured progression for the home side with a fifth goal.

Carl Abbott made three changes to the AFC side that were beaten by Nuneaton Griff on Wednesday as Liam Smith, Alex Morris and Darious Darkin took their places in the starting line up.

And it was Hinckley who had the game’s first chance. Richards beat home ‘keeper John Bateman to the ball, but couldn’t get enough power behind his goalbound prod and Francino Francis cleared off the line.

Chasetown took the lead on eleven minutes. From an attacking throw in, Hinckley contrived to lose the ball and the hosts broke forward at pace and scored courtesy of Sullivan’s deflected fifteen yard strike.

Hinckley had a golden opportunity to level midway through the half. Richards was sent in on goal by Jean Kalenda, but Bateman stood firm and beat his shot away.

The remainder of the half was fairly bereft of chances, though Morris had to be alert to block after Hinckley failed to deal with a corner.

Hinckley made a double change at the interval, introducing more pace in the form of Rico Taylor and Javia Roberts. That made for a more frantic, end-to-end second period, and Hinckley had to wait just a minute to level as Ramsey-Dickson met Richards’ corner on the half volley and found the back of the net via the crossbar.

Parity lasted only six minutes, though. Taylor was beaten down the flank by former Hinckley player Michael Williams, who crossed low for Stan Mugisha to convert from close range and restore Chasetown’s slender advantage.

That advantage was doubled ten minutes later when a ricochet inside Hinckley’s box fell kindly to James Dance, who was adjudged to have been brought down by Mitchell Tomlinson. Dance dusted himself down and sent Sam Arnold the wrong way from the spot.

Five minutes later and the tie was all but over. After Arnold denied Mugisha at his near post, the resulting corner was poorly dealt with and Ryan Wynter headed home following Dance’s cut back.

At this stage AFC’s cup run looked dead and buried, but they gave themselves hope with sixteen minutes to go. Marco Adaggio sent Richards through on goal, and he wasn’t to be denied a second time as he found the bottom corner of Bateman’s goal to give his side a glimmer of hope.

Richards had provided Hinckley’s main attacking threat through the afternoon, but his game was ended with eight minutes to go after he was cynically hacked down by John Haynes. From the resulting free kick, Roberts’ header was tipped over as Hinckley searched for another goal.

That goal wasn’t to come, though, and Chasetown secured their progress with five minutes to go as Edwards capitalised on slack marking to head home a fifth.

So Hinckley AFC’s inaugural FA Cup run is over, but they can take heart from reaching this stage as they remain in cup action with the trip to Ashby Ivanhoe in the Jelson Homes Senior Cup on Tuesday.

Chasetown: John Bateman, Rhys Thompson, John Haynes, Chris Slater, Francino Francis, Simon Brown, Stan Mugisha (Garfield Robinson 76), James Dance, Ryan Wynter (Danny Edwards 70), Paul Sullivan (Michael Williams 29), Jono Gould. Subs not used: Nathan Waite, John Birt.

Goals: Paul Sullivan (11), Stan Mugisha (53), James Dance (63), Ryan Wynter (68), Danny Edwards (85).

Hinckley: Sam Arnold, Mitchell Tomlinson, Liam Smith (Rico Taylor 45), Kristian Ramsey-Dickson, Alex Morris, Jean Kalenda, Elikem Amenku (Javia Roberts 45), Nathan Walker, Darious Darkin, Marco Adaggio, Luke Richards (Justin Nisbett 82). Subs not used: Jamie Newton, Oli Basham, Jack Hartopp.

Goals: Kristian Ramsey-Dickson (47), Luke Richards (74)

Attendance: 327