Grant Ryan netted four goals as Atletico comfortably beat Heath Hayes, recording their first
home win, and the biggest win of the season so far.
Ryan returned to the team after being suspended last week, and for the first time this season
both pacey wide players Nkosi Mzungwana and Matt Antcliff started, and they both proved to be
the catalyst for the whole team performance. AFC put Hayes onto the back foot from the kick off,
Ryan glancing an early header wide, Antcliff drilling across the face of goal, and Jean Dakouri
scraping the outside of the post with his long range effort. Hinckley took the lead 20 minutes
in when Ryan flicked on a goal kick into the path of Sam Belcher, beating the off side trap,
and slotting past the advancing Tom Burns in the Hayes goal. A great run and cross from Mzungwana
was met by Ryan who's chance went straight into the arms of Burns, before Mzungwana set up the
second goal. On the half hour a tricky run down the left for Mzungwana saw him cut inside into
the penalty area where he was met with a clumsy challenge from Marcus Shaw resulting in a penalty
being awarded. Ryan made no mistake from the penalty spot and AFC had a 2 goal half time lead.
Within 30 seconds of the restart AFC had effectively won the game, Belcher winning the ball in
midfield and playing in Ryan who held off his marker and fired past Burns scoring Hinckley's third
goal. Adam Harrison had to make his first meaningful save of the game just short of the hour
diving low to his left to deny Todd Sherwood after the Hayes wide man had gone on a neat run
down the wing. Then just after the hour a quickfire double from Ryan, completing his hatrick
in the process saw Hinckley wrap up the points. Mzungwana again ran down the left, cutting
past a couple of chances and when in on goal selflessly crossed for Ryan to tap in his hatrick
goal. 2 minutes later and almost exact carbon copy as Mzungwana again caused havoc on the left
and setup Ryan for his fourth and Hinckley's fifth. Hayes could have collapsed at this point, but
their keeper Burns decided 5 was enough as he was in outstanding form for the final half an hour.
He made seven excellent saves from Antcliff, Belcher, Mzungwana, Ryan and Rich Hanslow as AFC
pressed to increase their goal difference in the latter stages, but had to settle for five.
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Heath Hayes details
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