Hinckley AFC manager Courtney Belford praised his side’s “clinical” first half in their club record-breaking 5-0 win at Ingles.
AFC were 4-0 up by half time for the second match in a row as Ryan Harkin hit a first half hat-trick.
It meant Belford’s side broke a club record winning streak that they’d equalled earlier this season.
And the manager was delighted with the way his side hit the front early on. He said: “It’s not the easiest place to come but it’s one that we’ll hopefully look back on and see that it means a lot.
“We said that no matter how it happens, we just needed the three points. We were clinical in the first half.
“When you’ve got strikers like Ryan Harkin and Charlie Evans and you create chances, that’s likely to happen. Harks took his goals very well. Charlie found his harder to come by but when you work as hard as he does you get that little bit of luck.
“We’re massively pleased and it’s another one ticked off.”
He admitted that, in a season where his side have broken win margin and clean sheet records, another to add to the collection is a nice feeling.
But he also said they won’t mean anything at the end of the season if his side aren’t celebrating at the end of the season.
“It’s been a season for records but they fall by the wayside if you don’t go and finish the job. The aim is to get promoted, and has been throughout the season.
“We’ve worked hard to get where we need to be but there’s a lot of hard work to do. Kimberley aren’t going away and that makes it exciting.
“It’s a nice record to have, it shows we’re a hardworking team, creating a lot of chances and scoring goals. That’s full credit to the lads who have worked their socks off. We’re working off the basis of being a hardworking team and to still create chances in the last 15 minutes shows how fit we are.”
It was also the seventh match in a row in which Evans has scored, netting in every game since his return from injury in December.
Belford was quick to praise the former Rugby man for his work rate and impact on the team.
“It’s some record for him. He’s enjoying his football and that’s the difference sometimes, you just need to freshen up.
“He came in at the perfect time, and results have been on the upturn. It’s the same with Ben Vallance, we’re creating chances at one end and keeping them out at the other.
“We don’t look like being opened up. Teams need to work hard to create chances against us. That’s how we’ve got to be.
“It’s been a long season but we’re at the business end now. The pressure’s on but we’ll face it head on.”
