The curse of Steel Park continued to plight Corby Town on Wednesday evening, as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat against Hinckley United.

Second-half goals from Richard Lavery and Craig Farrell ensured the Knitters inflicted the Steelmen’s ninth home defeat of the season and left Steelfans wondering whether the hoodoo hanging over Steel Park will ever disperse.

Despite sitting nine places above the visitors in the Blue Square Bet North Corby struggled to grab a foothold in the game and rarely troubled Patrick Lane in the Hinckley goal.

Setting the tone for the evening the Knitters had their first effort on goal straight from the kick-off. Farrell found space on the edge of the box but his attempt floated wide of Chris Mackenzie’s left-hand post.

Steelmen striker Mark Jones then spurned a glorious opportunity to fire the home side ahead but he pulled his shot wide after finding himself one-on-one with Lane in the Hinckley goal.

As the first half progressed the away side began to dominate proceedings, both Farrell and Gray going close to grabbing the opener.

The ever-present Mackenzie was on hand to deny Lloyd Kerry as the game reached the thirty minute mark, the Steelmen stopper sprawling at the striker’s feet to snatch the ball away.

An audacious Sam Belcher effort called time on first-half proceedings at Steel Park, as both sides went into the break deadlocked at 0-0.

Belcher then had another pop at goal ten minutes after the restart but found Mackenzie equal to his long-range effort, the Corby ‘keeper pushing the ball over the bar.

Mackenzie then saved a Haydn Hollis header from the resulting corner but Corby’s failure to clear meant his efforts went in vain. Andre Gray floated the ball back into the box where Lavery was waiting to duly nod his side into the lead.

The away side then wasted no time in snatching their second, scoring just six minutes after netting their first. Delroy Gordon cleared off the line from Gray following another Hinckley corner, but there was to be no Steelmen save from Farrell’s follow-up.

There was also to be no Steelmen comeback on the cards as the Knitter’s continued to dominate proceedings at Steel Park. Corby Captain Phil Gulliver kept the score at 2-0, bravely blocking Gray’s stinging shot at goal, whilst Belcher blasted the bar against the bar with a free-kick in the 70^th minute.

Richard Jones went close to grabbing a consolation goal for the home side in stoppage time but after his burst into the box he lost his footing and blazed the ball well wide.

Corby: Mackenzie, Gordon, Mayo, Malone (sub Farden, 79 mins), Gulliver, R Jones, Ozmen (sub Dossou, 62 mins), Towers, M Jones (sub Smith, 43 mins) ,Mullarkey, Hall.

Hinckley: Lane, Darikwa, Flanagan, Lavery (sub Bragoli, 62 mins), Lister, Hollis, Kerry, Gooding (C), Farrell, Gray (sub Newton, 92 mins), Belcher.

Goals: Lavery (54 mins, 0-1), Farrell (61 mins, 0-2)

Attendance: 286