Joint managers Courtney Hunter-Belford and Joe Conneely reflected on an “unbelievable feeling” after guiding Hinckley AFC to the Midland League Division One title.
AFC wrapped up the league championship with three games to spare after Saturday’s win over Heather St John’s, coupled with closest challengers Droitwich Spa losing, mean they can’t be caught at the top.
Chandler Pegg scored the winner after Hinckley were twice pegged back by their resilient hosts, Jack Edwards and Lewis Rankin both seeing goals equalised by the home side.
And after news filtered through that the league title was theirs, Hunter-Belford, in his fifth season at the club, said the achievement is all the sweeter after two years of play-off heartache.
He said: “I’m delighted for everyone involved at the club. The players have been magnificent this season.
“We’ve been knocking on the door for a long time, we’re probably a season or two late but we’ve worked hard to keep the group together.
“That (winning 3-2) sums up the rollercoaster way we do things, we enjoy attacking football. We try and create an environment for lads to enjoy their football, and they’ve done the business.”
Hunter-Belford said it was “written in the stars” that Pegg would score the winner. Pegg was last season’s leading goalscorer but has played just twice since August due to a knee injury.
It was a fairytale return to fitness for the striker and Conneely said Pegg’s dad Kevin predicted that exact scenario.
“We’ve been unsure about what to do with Chandler. He played a couple of games for his Sunday team and then we got the go-ahead from him and from Dan (White, Hinckley’s physio), who’s been brilliant with him.
“I saw Chandler’s old man just before the second half, he told me ‘just stick him on for 20 minutes and he’ll get you the winner!’
“That’s what Chandler does, he gets in the box and he won’t have scored a more important goal for us. It’s a brilliant feeling for him, he’s worked so hard to get back fit and I’m delighted for him.”
For Pegg himself, scoring one of the biggest goals in the club’s history provides justice for an “absolutely horrible” eight months out.
“It’s brilliant. The boys have put in so many performances over the past few months to get us to this position.
“I’m delighted to be back and get myself a goal. I’m absolutely buzzing, I couldn’t have chosen a better place to come back to. We’re champions now and we’ll celebrate properly I’m sure.”
Having lost in the play-offs in the last two seasons, Hinckley set out from the start to ensure they wouldn’t need that lottery this time around.
Club captain Danny Fraser was part of the side that lost on penalties last season. He endearingly said of his teammates “they’re a bunch of idiots” and praised the way they all stuck together to ensure they finished top of the pile.
“We started the season not thinking about anything other than trying to get over the line this season. It’s heartbreaking losing in the play-offs so we set out just to go for it.
“The squad has been phenomenal and to have some of these lads around is unbelievable. We’ve all stuck together and it’s been a great season. To captain a team like Hinckley is phenomenal, the support we’ve had has been amazing through the ups and downs.”
Picture: Clive Stapleton
