HINCKLEY UNITED 1 NORTHWICH VICTORIA 1

By ANDY GIBBS at THE GREENE KING STADIUM

United retained third spot in the table but lost ground on the top two as they had to settle for a point in their first home game of 2010.

Vics took the lead midway through the first half before Andy Hall levelled it ten minutes after half-time and a point apiece was a fair enough outcome.

Following the lifting of the transfer embargo, Mark Dudley re-appeared as his loan from Derby County was re-instated whilst Paul Lister’s suspension meant a recall for Lee Collins at the back. There was almost a dramatic start at either end with both sides going close in the opening minute, Wayne Riley saw his header saved by Chris MacKenzie before Chukki Eribenne again went desperately close to opening his goal-scoring account in the league, his deflected shot spinning inches wide.

The chances continued to flow in the early stages, Michael Aspin might have done better when a loose ball fell kindly to him 20 yards from goal but he blazed wide whilst Dan Dillon repeated the trick at the other end soon after.

Eribenne was again out of luck when he beat keeper Curtis Aspden to the ball in the area but defender Ryan Clark read the situation well to clear his goalbound shot and Eribenne’s first goal remains elusive.

The home side went in front after 23 minutes, they built well down their right before Aspin’s low cross found RILEY on the edge of the area and he drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.

Dudley’s long range effort was saved at the second attempt by Aspden before a game that was simmering reached boiling point when a late challenge from Dillon sparked a melee that ended with three players booked.

Vics could have given themselves a cushion either side of half-time, just before the break Chris MacKenzie made a fine double save to deny Jimmy Spencer and Junior Brown within seconds of each other whilst early in the second half, Jonathon D’LAryea created an opportunity for himself in the area that he dragged wide.

The Knitters levelled ten minutes into the second half, a ball was flicked on by Matt West and HALL ghosted in behind his man to beat the advancing keeper.

That goal lifted the home side and Aspden did well to keep out cross shots from both Eribenne and Andy Gooding before producing the save of the game ten minutes from time as United sub Jarrad Pickering, making his debut, shot powerfully from 15 yards but the keeper was equal to it, diving to his left to push the ball away for a corner.  

HINCKLEY UNITED: MacKenzie, Cartwright, Dillon, Franklin, Collins, Hall, Gooding, West (Pickering, 76), Eribenne, Taylor.

Subs not used: Newton, Hamilton, Roberts, Laxton.

Terry Stynes match photos here