HINCKLEY UNITED 2 KIRKLEY AND PAKEFIELD 1

Attendance: 322

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round

By ANDY GIBBS at THE GREENE KING STADIUM

HINCKLEY United made it six games without defeat as they moved into the 3^rd qualifying Round of the FA Cup – but this wasn’t the walk in the park that some had predicted against lower league opponents.

Kirkley and Pakefield gave a great account of themselves, boosted by an early goal, they defended as though their lives depended upon it and made United work really hard for their win, but to their credit, The Knitters kept on playing and their patience paid off in the end.

With Adam Webster absent with a groin strain, Matt West returned to the starting line-up partnering Chukki Eribenne up front, but the luckless Eribenne is still searching for his first goal in United colours. Once again he went desperately close, after just six minutes he leapt well to meet Stuart Giddings’ left wing cross but headed against the bar as United looked good in the opening stages.

But that early promise disappeared as the visitors went in front with their first attack on 13 minutes. The ball broke for Russell STOCK 20 yards from goal, he had a glance to see Chris MacKenzie off his line and produced a sublime chip over the stranded keeper and into the net to the delight of the sizeable travelling support.

It could have been two shortly after when Tarren Grint turned sharply on the edge of the area and fired over before United began to apply some pressure. They thought they’d levelled when Matt West crossed from the right for Giddings who’s header was superbly saved on the line by Robert Woodcock. Connor Franklin then headed wide before United equalised six minutes before half-time as WEST scored from close range after Neil Cartwright’s long throw was helped on at the near post by Lee Collins.

Just before half-time, Eribenne was again frustrated as two well struck shots were blocked in the box and the pattern continued after the break as United dominated but were met by a solid wall of grey-shirted Kirkley resistance. United tried to get the ball wide at every opportunity in a bid to stretch the massed ranks of The Royals back-line – Andy Hall whipped a dangerous ball across the face of the six yard box before Cartwrigfht cut in from the left flank into the area before drilling his shot against the bar.

Alex Taylor then shot narrowly wide with Woodcock rooted to the spot before Hinckley got their reward after 73 minutes as a cross fro the right found GOODING with a little space in a crowded goalmouth and he fired his side in front from eight yards out.

Not surprisingly, Kirkley’s immense efforts had taken a lot out of them and they couldn’t mount a final flourish to force a replay and it’s United who go into the hat.

HINCKLEY UNITED: MacKenzie, Mace, Giddings, Dillon, Collins, Franklin, Hall, Gooding, West, Eribenne (Taylor 57), Cartwright. Subs not used: Lister, Hamilton, Barker, Lavery, Hinds.