CORBY TOWN 1 HINCKLEY UNITED 1

Attendance: 266

By ANDY GIBBS at Rockingham Triangle

ANOTHER game, another draw and another lead that United surrendered as they had to settle for their fifth draw of the season at The Rockingham Triangle.

In each of those five games, The Knitters have taken the lead only to be pegged back but despite the frustration of relinquishing an advantage once again, this was a decent point at the home of a side who began the game in the top five.

A draw was a fair outcome, United were the better side in the first half and took the lead ten minutes before half-time through Andy Hall, but Corby levelled just before the break and they enjoyed the better moments after the interval.

With Adam Webster absent with ‘flu, Chukki Eribenne started in the only change from the side that drew at Southport on Saturday, and after a scrappy start to the game, Hinckley began to get on top. Eribenne’s effort from an acute angle was pushed over by Mark Osborn, Hall twice shot wide from long range when he had the opportunity to take the ball into the box and Osborn held on to Neil Cartwright’s long range free kick at the second attempt.

United went in front when Eribenne did well to hold the ball up in the area before laying the ball into the path of HALL who struck his 15 yard shot low into the net before embarking on a bizarre celebration that saw him kick a corner flag out of the ground for reasons best know to himself, and picked up a yellow card for his troubles.

Eribenne thought he’d doubled Hinckley’s lead moments later when he glanced Andy Gooding’s cross inches wide before Corby levelled two minutes before half-time when Steve DIGGIN was free on the left hand edge of the area before drilling a shot into the roof of the net.

That goal galvanised The Steelmen and former Corby keeper Chris MacKenzie was forced into saves either side of the half-time whistle to deny Jason Lee and Leon Mettam but though the home side enjoyed longer spells of possession, Hinckley defended well. Corby rarely saw sight of goal other than a Joe Francis shot that was deflected over after a superb solo run from deep in his own half by David Deeney and a late melee inside thei own area that Hinckley managed to scramble clear.

United’s best opening of the second half came when both Hall and Matt West had shots blocked in the area as The Knitters had men over in an attack but a point apiece was the right outcome.  

HINCKLEY UNITED: MacKenzie, Mace, Giddings, Lavery (Taylor, 78), Collins, Franklin, Hall, Gooding, Eribenne, West (Taylor, 83), Cartwright (Dillon, 75). Subs not used: Lister, Storer, Hamilton.