Luke Coltman, Tom Morris (2) and Sam Greasley score tries with Mark Lord adding two conversions.

Hinckley travelled to Barkby Road to face Syston in the semi final of this season’s Leics County Cup competition. A close game was anticipated as are all local derby’s involving Leicestershire clubs at this level of rugby. A place at the Tigers Welford Road ground for the final was at stake for the victors.

Late changes to the Hinckley team meant Luke Coltman starting at hooker (he was due to be on the bench in the front row rotation) with Jordan Goddard starting at blindside flanker for the absent Ben Avent. Mitch Lamb made his debut at inside centre after joining the club in midweek after returning from New Zealand. Ewan Bartlett, Phil McQueen, John Roux and Sam Greasley made up the bench.

On a dismal afternoon both teams battered away at each other in order to gain supremacy. Errors in handling reflected the greasy conditions although Syston had the first chance, but James Morgan skewed his penalty wide after 15 minutes. It was becoming very difficult to determine who in fact was refereeing the game as the home coaching staff and replacements were allowed to prowl the touchline influencing the decision making process. Is there not a technical area?
It was obvious that Hinckley would be up against it throughout the match.
They did, however strike first as Luke Coltman barged his way over the try line from a series of rolling mauls. Mark Lord couldn't add the conversion from wide out. The home side responded with two converted tries by Morgan and Ferguson, both converted by the former as the host team put together some powerful and aggressive phases of play. The half time score of 14-5 favoured the hosts.
A further penalty by Morgan stretched Syston’s lead to 17-5 as the penalty count mounted against the visitors. Suddenly Hinckley clicked into gear, despite not dominating the scrummages as they had done all season in the league, Matt Fearn, Alex Salt, Coltman and Matt Loveday all carried deep into home territory. Tom Morris was on hand to touchdown on the back of a number of penetrative phases of play. Lord converted and the Syston scrum half saw yellow as the score moved to 17-12 and game on.
Again Hinckley were deemed to have infringed and Morgan slotted his second penalty moving the score out to 20-12 in the hosts favour. Hinckley were now getting the better of the forward exchanges and surged forward as Syston tired. Morris lead the charge to score his second try on the left although Lord couldn't land the conversion. It did cut Syston’s lead down to three points and Hinckley’s collective confidence grew. From a midfield scrummage the ball was moved through a number of pairs of hands, held up twice by the Syston defence, but Sam Greasley ran powerfully to touch down and move Hinckley into the lead for the first time 20-22. Lord added a fine conversion to give the visitors a four point advantage with ten minutes on the clock.

From then on it was all Syston who threw everything at the visitors. Matt Fearn saw yellow with five minutes to go, but as they have all season the Hinckley defensive system, even with a man down, repulsed all that Syston could offer to grind out another victory and passage through to the final.

Collectively the Hinckley squad can be well satisfied with the comeback although in the early part of the game they were slow to get into their stride. They were, however, under considerable duress throughout and how the scrummage power that has blown everybody away this season including South, was negated is baffling. Wayne Barnes certainly knows how to deal with an infringing wheeling scrum…………..and get the right decision!!

Back to league action next week with a trip to Dudley Kingswinford with a 2.15pm kick off.