Tigers show some four-midable form to relegate hapless Hinckley
Gloucester City 4
Hinckley United 1
A STORMING late second half display from Gloucester City saw Hinckley United's relegation from the Blue Square Bet North confirmed, as the Tigers vaulted into the top half, writes Simon Clark.
A Sam Rawlings header gave City the lead before Hinckley levelled in sensational style before the break.
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But Adam Mann restored the lead and an early 18th birthday present for striker Joe Parker sealed the points, before Darren Edwards added a late gloss with a penalty.
The first half started with Dave Mehew's men showing their intent straight from the off, with the Tigers pushing the Knitters back.
However, they couldn't capitalise on their early authority as a Davies half-chance, a speculative Mann shot and a storming header from Chris Holland all failed to hit the target.
The Tigers made the breakthrough on 15 minutes after a peach of a ball from Mann found the head of Rawlings who powered the ball into the back of the net.
City had chances to double their lead but after a piece of interplay between Lewis Hogg and Rawlings, the ball found Mann whose improvised header struck the top of the crossbar.
The visitors then scored a sensational equaliser just before the break as Jack Lane conjured a chance out of nothing from 30 yards, the ball flying past a bewildered Mike Green and into the net.
City roared back but after Davies was played in one-on-one with Martin Conway, the striker scuffed his chance at the very last moment.
The second half continued in the vein of the first, with the relegation-stricken visitors having very little of the attacking play.
However, chances for City kept coming and going without being taken.
These included a difficult header from substitute Edwards, a snatch shot from Mann and a chance from the right for defender Mike Green, all well saved by Conway.
The Tigers hit the woodwork yet again after a third storming header from Holland struck the inside of the post but cannoned into the arms of Conway.
Then, on 70 minutes, the Tigers finally went back into the lead after Mann picked up a loose ball in the area and struck home into the bottom corner.
This was quickly followed by an in-swinging Danny Andrew corner flicked on by Davies, Parker, who celebrates his 18th birthday today, prodded home for his first City goal at the far post.
With time running out, substitute Edwards was brought down in the penalty area by Declan Towers, and coolly slotted home the resulting penalty for a fourth and final goal.
The victory now puts Gloucester City into the top half of the Blue Square Bet North table for the first time since the opening day of the season.
Gloucester City: MJ. Green, MF. Green, D. Andrew, T. Hamblin, C. Holland, T. Webb, L. Hogg, S. Rawlings (D Edwards 45), S. Davies (N Mustoe 82), M. Liddiard (J Parker 70), A. Mann Subs not used: D. Mehew
Hinckley United: M. Conway, D. Towers, T. Brown, R. Conway, D. Kalonji, M. Lopez, J. Lane (Moraka 78), G. Hurren, H. Headley, L. Richards (Canavan 74), J. Pickering Subs not used: S. McGrath, J. Hartland, A. Malhotra
Attendance: 293
Star Man: Adam Mann
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