Courtney Hunter-Belford has been delighted with Hinckley AFC’s pre-season campaign but says results count for nothing going into Saturday’s league opener.
AFC came through seven pre-season matches, including three against higher level sides, unbeaten with six wins in that run.
It ended with a 3-1 success over Coventry Alvis and although that was a “low-tempo” game, the joint-manager is pleased with how his side are shaping up ahead of the league campaign.
He said: “The less said about the last game the better! It was a typical end to pre-season where everyone is focused on next week.
“But overall it’s been good. It’s probably been our best pre-season since I’ve been involved in terms of starting from the base of a good group to work from. We’ve brought some good players in and worked off the basis of the majority of the squad staying. In that sense, it was a case of carrying on from last season and integrating a couple of new players into the group.
“It’s nice to not lose in pre-season but the last time we went unbeaten was the UCL season and we didn’t get off to a great start! We look quite a fit side, that’s one positive, and we’ve finished games strongly. And overall it’s been pleasing.”
He’s pleased with the different experiences his team have had – having to control certain games, while being forced to sit off in others – and says that was specifically prepared to try and get the team better defensively.
“It was planned that way, with what we’ll come across in mind. We’ve got aspirations of doing well in the Vase, there are good sides in the league who control the ball as well.
“So we’ve got to be used to not having the ball and better in our shape. One thing we’ve really worked on is our shape and being harder to beat, trying not to concede as many goals. We’re a team that wants to be free-scoring, we want to play an expansive way and sometimes you will concede goals but we are working on that defensive shape a lot more. We’ve got to make sure we’re better defensively.”
With a handful of players departing this summer but replaced early, Hunter-Belford says the squad are coming together well and is confident they have the ability to compete at home, and away from home of tougher pitches.
The likes of Jordan Holmes, Zaki Evans and Jack Kennedy have come into the midfield area while a host of young products have seen pre-season action too.
“The lads we’ve signed, we worked on early to get them early. They were our main targets. We knew we were losing Lewis Collins and Tom Weale early on, so we brought Mitchell Piggon in. Ky Green coming back from injury will be important for us.
“The young lads have been fantastic, Preston got his goal at Alvis and it was the loudest it was all day! We’ll be patient with the young lads, we won’t chuck people in where it’s uncomfortable for them.
“But we have a good mix of experience and youth. It’s a good group with a tightknit bond, which helps with having stability from last season.”
