Joint Manager Courtney Hunter-Belford felt his side’s second half performance in the 4-0 win over Coventry Copsewood was their best “for a long time.”
AFC scored three times and missed a penalty after the break as they made it back-to-back Division One wins to maintain their place at the top of the table.
After missing plenty of chances in recent weeks, Hinckley were more clinical after the break against Copsewood and Hunter-Belford said they played with much more freedom.
He said: “We told the lads to take the handbrake off and play without fear. We’d started doing things we wouldn’t normally do, so we tried to strip it back, simplify the game and play with freedom.
“We put a fit team on the pitch, got lots of legs around the ball so every time we lost the ball we could get it back. Fair play to them, they’re a good honest side so for us to take six points and score eight goals against them this season we’ve done really well.
“So I’m made up because it’s just reward for our hard work over the last few weeks. We’ve not got on the right end of results but we’ve still worked hard and that pays off.”
Preston Bitemo was given the Stuart Plumbing Supporters’ Man of the Match award for his midfield display. Hunter-Belford called his performance “breath-taking” and praised the wider defensive unit for keeping their first clean sheet since December.
“We got our two full-backs over the halfway line, Drew Kear stepped in really well at left-back. Everyone man for man. Preston will have an unbelievable career in football and for us to have him at the age he is, the things he does for how young he is is testament to him as a footballer.
“The two centre halves were brilliant, we gave Ky the armband and he was fantastic. We missed him in the last few years and I’m delighted he’s settled back in injury-free now. Joe Obi was like a Rolls Royce for us, hopefully we can tempt him back in.
“We were missing a few experienced players, but lads really stepped in and took control of the game. It’s three points, that’s all it is. Nobody will stop chasing you. Nobody will give us anything.”
The game was watched by a superb crowd of 390 – the highest at step six across the entire country this weekend. It also marked a new club record attendance for a regular season league match – and Hunter-Belford says that spurred the team on too.
“When you walk out and see so many young kids, they’re the future of the club. We’ve got a loyal fanbase who have followed us through different ground, we need to get younger fans in and hopefully today they’ve seen entertaining football and they come back again.
“This is a community club, the more people who come and see this is brilliant. The noise, the atmosphere, it’s what non-league is about. I’m pleased we’ve sent them all home happy.”
