Hinckley AFC won the Simon Blyth Memorial Trophy after a strong second-half showing in a 5-2 pre-season-opening win at Heather St John’s.
The annual curtain-raiser saw the trophy change hands again, after the game looked in the balance at the break at 2-2, but Hinckley scored three times in the second half to get their campaign off to a winning start.
Jack Edwards, back for a fourth season at Hinckley, scored twice including the opener after a neat exchange of passes with new signing Mitchell Piggon, but Kyle Jardine quickly levelled for Heather after missing a brace of chances of his own.
Hinckley restored their lead when Danny Fraser’s free kick made it 2-1, but again it didn’t last as Tom Mangan levelled for the hosts.
After the break, though, Hinckley looked stronger and once they took the lead for the third time, Edwards netting his second from Adam Barber’s set-up, Hinckley never looked like relinquishing it again.
Chandler Pegg added a fourth and Tom Parker a fifth late on as AFC added some emphasis to the scoreline and lifted the trophy in front of a strong following.
Hinckley’s attention now turns to Monday evening, and a home game against another step six side who lost in the play-offs last season as Birstall United are the visitors.
