Hinckley AFC 0-1 Racing Club Warwick
A second half goal from Chris Dusabe saw Racing Club Warwick take all three points by beating a lacklustre Hinckley AFC 1-0 at St John’s Park.
The Racing Club substitute converted the rebound after his own penalty kick was saved by Hinckley ‘keeper Tom Cross midway through the second half to earn his side all three points.
And an off the pace AFC couldn’t force home a goal, their afternoon being summed up before half time when Marco Adaggio’s spot kick was saved by Josh Banks.
Hinckley made five changes to the side that beat Leicester Road last week. JJ Melligan, Lee Thomas, Jean Kalenda and Darious Darkin all returned to the side, while Sam Brooks made his debut in the heart of defence instead of the injured Alex Penny.
Hinckley had plenty of possession in the pouring rain early on, but didn’t threaten Banks’ goal until the twelfth minute. Luke Richards capitalised on hesitant defending, and after pinching the ball ahead of Banks the ‘keeper brought him down.
Adaggio stepped up to take the penalty, but for the second week in a row he couldn’t convert from the spot as Banks comfortably saved.
There was very little in the game for the rest of the first half as the conditions played their part: the closest either side came was when Ryan Seal side footed over after the ball spilled to him on the edge of the box.
The visitors’ first chance of the day came shortly after the interval when Cross easily gathered, before, on the hour mark, Darkin’s low shot struck the base of the post following Brooks’ break forward.
It was looking increasingly like one goal would settle the destination of the points, and it came on 63 minutes. Alex Morris’ rash challenge gifted Warwick a penalty, and after Cross denied Dusabe’s initial attempt, Hinckley’s defence were too slow to react and Dusabe easily converted the rebound.
Carl Abbott’s side continued to lack a real cutting edge going forward, although Sean Williams saw a far post header cleared off the line.
Then, Banks denied Richards when the AFC skipper arguably could have squared to the better-placed Seal as Hinckley searched for the equaliser.
But the goal was to prove elusive. At the other end, Dusabe blazed over in space as he squandered the chance to double his side’s lead, but although Cross was very rarely tested in the home goal, The Racers took home all three points on a day where a lacklustre Hinckley side failed to claw their way back into the game.
Hinckley: Tom Cross, JJ Melligan, Lee Thomas, Sam Brooks, Alex Morris, Jean Kalenda (Jason Wood 81), Sean Williams, Darious Darkin, Ryan Seal, Marco Adaggio (Rico Taylor 68), Luke Richards. Subs not used: Oli Basham, Sam Arnold, Ray Facey.
Warwick: Josh Banks, Matthew Warner, Cameron Knight, Chris Hayden, Tom Reynolds, Ashley Buswell, Terence Morton, Adam Laight, Jamie Smith (46), Elroy Junior Bennett (Jamie Vadasz 83), Wade Malley (Rob Campbell 90). Sub not used: Cowal Dowling.
Goal: Chris Dusabe (63).
Attendance: 164
