Hornets completed their first double of the season with a bonus point win over old rivals Luctonians at Mortimer Park, further consolidating their position in the top half of the division. The win saw Hinckley move into fifth place in the division courtesy of Caldy’s victory over Sheffield Tigers who slip to sixth. There is no realistic chance of Hinckley challenging for promotion this season - Caldy remain unbeaten at the top of the division 27 points ahead of Hinckley and second placed Fylde are 19 point in front – but after the travails in the early part of the season, a fourth place finish is now a realistic ambition. Luctonians on the other hand are hovering precariously just above the relegation zone.

It was an entertaining, if not pulsating, game in what have become unfamiliarly dry conditions and on a decent surface. In the end it was Hornets’ defence which won. After withsanding the best part of 30 minutes sustained Luctonians pressure in the second half, Hinckley scored twice in the last 10 minutes with breakaway opportunities to snatch the game.

There was little doubt that the home crowd thought they had been robbed of a much needed victory but the Hinckley men showed their mettle under pressure and were good enough to take their chances when they were presented.

DOR Scott Hamilton was again pleased with the display. ‘I really enjoyed the day to be honest. It was a tough game in front of a big crowd who made lots of noise. I thought we were a bit unlucky to be only 2 points ahead at half-time but we defended really well in the second half and took our chances when they came. We were probably only in their 22m area twice in the half but we scored on both occasions. On the negative side, I don’t think we looked quite as fit as we should have been after the Christmas excesses and we struggled for possession throughout the second period but the game as a whole showed how far we have come in the last 6-8 weeks. We would probably have lost that game earlier in the season.’

It has to be said that Luctonians were the faster out of the blocks and put Hornets under some pressure in the early exchanges. But it was Hinckley who drew first blood after 9 minutes. A penalty on the Lucts’ 10m line for not rolling away gave Joe Wilson the chance to drill the ball deep into the Lucts’ 22m. Hornets claimed the line-out, and although, the initial drive went down, Dave Peck picked up to drive over for the first score which Joe Wilson converted.

Lucts pulled three back with a close range penalty four minutes later but it was Hinckley’s game at this stage. Joe Wilson went over on 22 minutes after Hornets had won a lineout around 30m from their own line and driven towards halfway. When the ball was released to the backs, Rory Vowles made good ground before shipping the ball on to Wilson to score in the corner. Wilson couldn’t convert but Hornets were looking comfortably in charge.

That didn’t last long. On the half hour, a penalty for not releasing allowed Lucts’ full back John Morris to kick to 15m from the Hinckley line and when the drive from the line-out went down, the ball was fed right and then back again before centre Rob Lewis crashed through for the score and Morris converted to bring the score back to 10-12.

Morris missed a kickable penalty from 30m out for Lucts on 37 minutes, and Hornets were unfortunate not to score on the cusp of half-time when a lovely break from Vowles gave Will Cave an opportunity in the corner but he grazed the line with his knee in the act of scoring and the scoreboard remained untroubled before the interval.

Luctonians would have felt fortunate to be only two points adrift at the interval, given that Hornets had looked much the more likely of the two sides to score throughout the half, but whatever the Lucts coaching team said to their men during the break had a real galvanising effect.

Hinckley found themselves pinned in their own half for much of the second period. It didn’t help that, with only three minutes gone Hornets were reduced to 14 when Andy Weaver was carded after being hit by the ball ambling back to rejoin the defence with Lucts just 5m from the Hinckley line.

Lucts were quick to exploit the extra man. From the scrum, with the Hinckley defence not yet properly organised, the ball was fed left and Lewis was able to dart through for his second to give Lucts the lead for the first time. Morris again converted.

The next twenty minutes saw wave after wave of Luctonians pressure being repulsed by a resolute Hornets defence. A change of front-row personnel though gave Hinckley the edge in the scrum and slowly but surely the siege was lifted.

Lucts did further extended their lead with a penalty on 68 minutes when Hornets were caught handling in the ruck but Hinckley were beginning to win ball and their reward duly came with time beginning to run out.

Ollie Povoas got on the end of a great off-load on halfway and set off for the line. He was hauled down 5m out but quick ball found Vowles who went over for the try which Wilson converted.

With just six minutes remaining, Hornets snatched the lead back. The ball went loose on halfway after Hornets had carried out of their own 22m. Callum Dacey was on hand to hack the ball through and comfortably won the foot race for the score. Wilson’s conversion took the score to 20-26.

There was a frantic last few minutes with Luctonians searching for the winning score but Hornets were able to repulse the onslaught and held on for the win, albeit with the odd anxious moment.

Next week Hull visit Leicester Road and Hinckley will be looking to notch their second double in two weeks. Hornets were comfortable winners in the fixture at Chanterlands Avenue but Hull in recent weeks, despite losing at home to Stourbridge on Saturday, have put together an impressive series of results, and will be anxious to get back to winning ways.

Nick Robinson