Chelmsford City failed to lift the somewhat depressing cloud lingering over New Lodge this season, well beaten on Saturday by an organised and efficient Hinckley United side.
Matt Lewis was the hero for the Knitters - the former Kidderminster striker scoring twice to sink another nail into City's hopes of qualifying for the reorganised Conference South set-up next season.
It took only 11 minutes for the Leicestershire outfit to break the deadlock. Livewire striker Chris Smith tricked his way into the box, and his scuffed shot landed perfectly at the feet of Lewis who tucked the ball past Jonathan Venter.
Venter then reacted well to push Smith's drive over the crossbar, and Wayne Dyer was unlucky with a ball that bobbled as he made contact and missed the target.
If City were outclassed with eleven men, they would struggle even moreso with ten, though that was the situation they faced when Ian Wiles was dismissed on the stroke of half-time when he fouled the onrushing Neil Cartwright.
Predictably, Hinckley wrapped up the points with ease in the second period. Smith got on the end of Cartwright's pass for 2-0 on the hour, and Lewis hit his second with two minutes left after Justin Jenkins' initial shot had been parried by Venter.
All pretty depressing for Steve Mosely's men.
Published Monday January 19, 2004
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