A goal in each half condemned Hinckley AFC to defeat as NKF Burbage took the bragging rights in the local derby at the Welfare Ground.
In what was a largely eventless affair throughout, a far cry from the reverse fixture in December, Burbage took the honours through Alex Coultas’ close range finish which gave them a first half lead.
And Jesse Adcock made sure of the points with a second half free kick as Burbage continue their quest for an FA Cup spot.
Missing Chris Hollist and Louis Hamilton through other commitments, John Ramshaw named a young Hinckley side with Ollie Hart making his first league start, while fellow under 18s Matt Jelfs and Chad Timson also started – as did young Tamworth loanee Chandler Pegg.
The first real chance took 12 minutes to arrive, and it was Hinckley who had it when David Jones’ shot from 20 yards had ‘keeper Alec Hill at full stretch – but the ball struck the side netting.
And Burbage took the lead midway through the half when Tom Smith’s ow cross from the left found Coultas, who buried his shot beyond Yinka Adebowale from 12 yards.
As Hinckley looked to hit back, Alando Lewis’ acrobatic effort clipped the bar as they came close to an equaliser, while at the other end, Adebowale had to be alert to deny Smith’s effort from the edge of the box with a full stretch save.
AFC needed a quick response after the break, and they went in search of it immediately when Tyrone Burton curled one just wide after Burbage couldn’t clear a corner.
But they didn’t force Hill into a real save, and Burbage doubled their lead midway through the second half when Adcock curled home a free kick from the left hand corner of the penalty area.
The game petered out somewhat after that, and the closest AFC came to making their visitors nervous was in the final minute of normal time. Jelfs’ corner was headed goalwards by substitute Hossein Khorami, who nearly marked his debut with a goal but Coultas, having given his side the lead in the first half, turned saviour with a goalline clearance.
But it’s a fourth straight defeat for Hinckley, who are need to dust themselves down quickly ahead of the visit of bottom side Littleton on Tuesday evening.
Hinckley: Yinka Adebowale, Chad Timson, Matt Jelfs, Jean Dakouri, Liam Cross, Tyrone Burton, Chandler Pegg (Ryan Mills 69), Ryan Murphy (Hossein Khorrami 71), Alando Lewis, David Jones (Anton Daniels 62), Ollie Hart. Subs not used: George Warren, Harrison James
Burbage: Alec Hill, Josh Kind, Dan Heath, Mitchell Barwick, Grant Ball, Oli Bradshaw, Jesse Adcock (Jack Whitehurst 83), Adam Zia (Tristan Atkinson 46), Jake Brown (Jake Gardner 55), Tom Smith, Alex Coultas. Subs not used: Pele Orton, Jordan Pickering
Goals: Alex Coultas (25), Jesse Adcock (67)
Attendance: 163
