Hinckley have never defeated Clifton but in recent encounters there has been a feeling that Hornets have not had ‘the rub of the green’ and could easily have come out victorious. There was therefore some optimism around Leicester Road on Saturday that it could be Hinckley’s day.
At the final whistle though there was no suggestion that Clifton had been in any way lucky. Hinckley were soundly thrashed by a team who were faster throughout in thought and deed and put in one of the best performances by a visiting side seen in recent years at Leicester Road. Hornets were not helped by a referee whose policing of the offside line was near non-existent, nor by the late withdrawal on Joe Gaffan through injury which robbed them of much needed mobility in the back row, but there was no doubt that Clifton were much the better side on the day. After their disappointing defeat at home to Lions last week which effectively ended their chance of promotion, Head Coach Matt Salter would have been delighted with their response.
Hinckley did have their moments scoring four tries of their own to salvage a bonus point which kept them in fourth place in the table. Callum Dacey was a handful throughout. Joe Wilson had a 100% conversion rate from the tee and the pack were effective in the tight. But some of the defensive frailties that were evident against Hornets last week were ruthlessly exploited by Clifton who were so much quicker in the loose and it was clear why they are the highest scoring side in the division.
DOR Chris Campbell couldn’t hide his disappointment after the game. ‘It is probably one of the most frustrating games any of us have watched or been involved in. We must be honest, at times we were diabolical in defence and need to turn that around very quickly as the grounds have really firmed up.’

‘What makes it more frustrating is that we scored 31 points - the most we have scored against Clifton by some margin and we are starting to look like we are able to score from most areas of the field, but whenever we scored, Clifton quickly were able to go try, try, try.’
Hinckley started well enough taking the lead through a Wilson penalty after eight minutes but were soon behind after some dire tackling in the middle of the field gave flanker Duncan McKenzie the opportunity to dot down for the first try which Luke Cozens converted.
Four minutes later, Clifton got their second when Joe Owen touched down after a line-out on the Hinckley 22m with Hinckley’s defence in tatters. Cozens again converted.
Hornets did respond almost immediately though. A Clifton knock-on from the kick-off led to Dacey just being forced into touch 5m from the line. Jack Ramshaw stole Clifton’s line-out ball and it was eventually worked back to Dacey who went over for the try. Wilson converted to bring Hinckley within four.
That was as close as they got though. Two tries in quick succession from Clifton, both from line-outs around the Hinckley 22m line, the second of which was as the result of silly indiscipline from Hinckley extended the lead to 10-28 after Cozens slotted the conversions. As the half was drawing to a close, a delightful break on halfway by Cozens set up a fifth try for Clifton and the second for scrum half Blake Boyland. Cozens converted to take the score to 10-35 at the interval.
Five minutes into the second period, Alex Kilbane made it forty for the visitors after some woeful tackling from Hinckley but Hornets did score next. A penalty on halfway was kicked to 15m by Wilson and the line-out ball was driven over by the pack, Isaac Norton getting the touchdown, and Wilson converted.
Clifton were soon back though through centre Will Owen who knifed through the Hinckley defence again after a 22m line-out.
Alex Salt got Hinckley’s third three minutes later after patient work in the Clifton 22m after a line-out eventually opened up the Clifton defence. Wilson converted to make it 24-47.
A further exchange of tries inside five minutes, Alex Howman for Clifton and Shae Nixon for Hornets, delivered the bonus point for Hornets but it was the end of the Hinckley resistance.
Clifton full back Zak Ward went over in the corner after Clifton had recovered the ball from a Hinckley knock-on from the kick-off. Then it was Max Murphy’s turn, again from a penalty line-out in the Hinckley 22m, and finally Boyland grabbed his third (and Clifton’s eleventh) after Clifton had opted to run a penalty from halfway and cut the Hinckley defence to shreds. Ward’s conversion took the Clifton points tally to 71.
It was a mighty tough day at the office for the Leicester Road men. ‘Newport is a huge game now, commented Campbell. ‘We have to stick together and show we are able to learn from our mistakes and continue to drive for our best ever national league finish’
Nick Robinson