Hinckley outplayed by the other Hornets

Hinckley crashed to another heavy defeat on their latest venture down the M5, this time to a Hornets outfit who were sitting in a lowly eleventh place in the League prior to this game. True, Hinckley were denuded by injuries to a number of key players and Hornets are undoubtedly a better side than their league position would suggest (they came into the game having won two and drawn one in their last three games) but this was another woeful performance by the Leicester Road men whose season is in danger of coming off the rails after three defeats in succession. Matters weren’t helped by an M4 closure which delayed the arrival of No. 8 Reuben Logan but it made little difference to Hinckley’s effectiveness when he did join the fray in the second half.

The game was perhaps lost immediately after the interval, when Hinckley yet again conceded points straight after the break allowing Hornets to run in three tries in the space of nine minutes of the restart. That took the score from a rescuable 15-5 at half-time to a near impossible 34-5. From that point on Hinckley were chasing the bonus point and their game disintegrated into a sloppy error strewn mess. There were some exceptions to the general malaise – Callum Dacey continued to show what a classy and intelligent player he is, Jamie Dutton demonstrated what an asset he has become, Ben Pointon was as lively as ever, and Nigel Mukerati, as always, led from the front – but overall Hinckley looked very poor.

Hinckley were seven points down in the first five minutes. A loose pass from Andy Weaver deep inside his own 22m went to ground and the Seasiders pounced with flanker Chris Francis going in under the posts for perhaps the easiest try he’ll ever score. Charlie Carter, who was to prove the best player on the park as the game progressed, converted to give Hornets a 7-0 lead.

Hinckley did respond with a lovely try of their own. A Hinckley line-out on the Hinckley 10m line was quickly sent down the line. A break out wide saw the ball carried to the Seasiders 22m line and a nice offload allowed Jamie Dutton to streak in for the try. The conversion though was too much for Callum Rowe.

Carter extended the Seasiders’ lead with a simple penalty five minutes later after Hinckley had been caught offside 15m from their own line, and the Seasiders grabbed their second try just three minutes later from a penalty line-out 15m from the Hinckley line. The ball was claimed and sent down the line. After several phases, wingman Stan Norman was able to dive in at the corner for the try.

That did seem to spark some intensity in the Hinckley ranks and, for much of the remainder of the half, the Leicester Road men were camped in the Hornets 22m. That they didn’t manage a score was largely down to some tenacious Hornets’ defence but questions have to be asked as to why so much pressure failed to yield a single point.

All did not seem to be lost, however, when the teams left the field for the break with Hinckley in the ascendant and just ten points between the sides.

That optimism rapidly evaporated on the return, however. Hinckley failed to deal properly with the restart kick and, from the resultant line-out inside the Hinckley half, fly-half Danny Bailey put in a clever cross-field kick that was collected by Carter who scooted in for the try.

It was Carter again five minutes later with perhaps the best try of the day. From a scrum inside the Hornets 22m, No.8 Macenzzie Duncan picked up from the base, fed scrum half Hayden Tuttiett who found Carter on the charge. With just one man to beat, Carter chipped over the top and regathered to go over. His conversion made it 27-5.

And then, with just nine minutes of the second half gone, a Hornets turnover just inside their own half gave centre Connor Vickery a free run to the line. He didn’t need a second invitation. When Carter added the extras, Hinckley were 34-5 down…and dead and buried.

Carter went in again towards the end of the quarter to rub salt into the Hinckley wounds and his conversion took his personal tally on the day to 29 points.

With nothing to lose, Hinckley started to throw the ball around and it did reap some reward when Dacey went over and also added the extras but the rest of the game was largely forgettable. Hinckley did threaten occasionally but were simply not able to develop any continuity in their play. For the away support, it was a blessed relief when the referee blew for time. The only consolation was that Hinckley had left the home support delighted.

Nick Robinson