Centre Shae Nixon notched four tries to take his personal try tally for the season to six in a ten-try bonanza at Leicester Road on Saturday in what proved an entertaining game between two old rivals. In truth, Hinckley never looked like losing the game having taken the lead in the second minute when Sam Everett got on the end of a delightful grubber kick from Rory Vowles to claim his first try for the Club, but Stourbridge never gave up and put in a performance which rather belies their current lowly position in the league. The referee too played his part allowing the game to flow and significantly enhancing to an entertaining afternoon for all.
It was a much-improved performance all round from the Hornets and showed what they are capable of when they are allowed to play. Rory Vowles continued the progress of the last few weeks at fly-half, showing some delightful touches; Sam Everett further consolidated his position in the side and Shae Nixon showed how dangerous he can be given a little time and space. Ollie Povoas was relentless in the loose, ably supported by brother Henry, and Josh Leonard looked more than capable in his first start at full-back. That said, it was a solid performance all round by the team as a whole… and there was also a dramatic reduction in the penalty count which contributed greatly to the overall performance, a fact that DOR Chris Campbell noted in his post-match remarks.
‘There were a number of pleasing aspects to come out of today - our attack game in the first half was as good as it’s been in a long time, and the tries from Sam Everett and Olly Povoas were just the sort of scores which we have been working on, while Shae Nixon’s finishing is an example of how we are being much more accurate in the 22… and the penalty count was so much better’ commented Campbell. ‘What is also good to see is that we are developing options in the squad. Although we are regularly losing players to injury, their replacements are showing that we have real strength in depth.’
In contrast to many recent games, Hornets got off to something of a dream start when Vowles and Everett combined for the first score following some great approach work, and when Vowles converted the try to take the score to 7-0, all looked rosy in the garden.
Hinckley had the better of the play in the first quarter and it came as no surprise when Shae Nixon grabbed the first of his four tries after 20 minutes, slicing through the Stourbridge defence after Olly Povoas had peeled off the back of a maul inside the Stourbridge 22m to get within a few meters. Vowles again notched the conversion to give Hornets a healthy 14-0 lead.
Stourbridge hit back almost immediately though when second row William Roach, who proved a real handful all afternoon, set off on a bruising run from just inside the Hinckley 22m, knocking aside a couple of would-be Hinckley tacklers with disdain on his way to touching down under the posts. The conversion by Tim Bitirim took them within seven.
That became two just five minutes later. Hornets conceded a penalty 5m from their own line. Stourbridge opted to tap and go and, after the Stourbridge pack had been rebuffed, fly-half Michael Heaney threw a looping pass wide to find centre Arthur Morgan who crossed for the score. Game on!
Hornets responded with two tries of their own in quick succession to restore the 14-point lead. First, Shae Nixon darted through the Stourbridge cover after a catch and drive from a Hinckley penalty line-out had been hauled down illegally just short (an offence which earned a yellow card for the Stourbridge offender). Vowles converted.
Then, after some lovely interchanges from the backs had carried the ball from a line-out on halfway to deep into the Stourbridge 22m, Ben Pointon spotted Ollie Povoas lurking out wide and threw a miss pass over the heads of two Hinckley players to give the flanker an easy run in for the score and the bonus point.
Hinckley were again looking comfortable at 26-12 when the referee blew for the break at half-time and four minutes into the second period it got better still. Nixon again claimed the score, but it was a delicate mid-air tap pass from Josh Leonard which took out two defenders and opened the way for Nixon. When Vowles converted, at 33-12, the game appeared up for Stourbridge.
Hornets though went down to fourteen four minutes later when Everett was carded for yet another Hinckley deliberate knock-on and Stour were able to take advantage of the extra man when their pack eventually forced their way over from a 5m line-out.
With Hornets restored to a full complement, Nixon added his fourth and final try of the afternoon after intercepting a loose Stourbridge pass just outside the Hinckley 22m and running 60m to score under the posts and seal the outcome with just ten to go. Vowles added his fifth conversion.
Hornets then seemed to take the foot off the gas, and Stour were quick to seize their opportunity to grab a bonus point of their own. A penalty line-out 5m from the Hinckley line was eventually driven over by the Stour pack and Bitirim slotted a difficult conversion from out wide.
That ended the scoring. Stour mounted a spirited attempt to close the gap, but Hinckley simply played out time. With other results going very much with form, the win leaves Hornets still in sixth position in the league but very much part of the chasing pack behind table-topping Dings Crusaders. Next week sees Hornets visit Exeter University who sit two places and three points ahead in the table. A win there would see Hornets very in the mix at the top of the table.
Nick Robinson