On what was a glorious autumn day on Saturday, Hinckley endured an immensely frustrating afternoon at Avery Fields and ultimately returned home pointless from a game that they certainly could, and possibly should, have won. The defeat sees them drop a place in the League and they now sit well and truly mired in the relegation zone after Macclesfield saw off last week’s Leicester Road visitors Devonport Services.

Hornets did produce some good moments. The line-out showed some improvement and the experiment of including three prop forwards in the front row reaped dividends as the much-vaunted Bournville scrum was not only held but occasionally bettered. The backs too had their moments with the irrepressible Callum Dacey proving a handful in midfield. But amongst the good stuff were numerous basic errors with the first half resembling a basketball match at times as both sides seemingly suffered from a severe outbreak of ‘dropsy’. It wasn’t good rugby but Bournville held their nerve better in the end and overturned a 3-12 half-time deficit with 24 unanswered points in a 20-minute spell just after the interval to take the spoils from a game that is probably best forgotten.

For much of the first quarter, Hornets struggled to get out of their own half coughing up possession far too easily. It was only poor execution by the home side, coupled with some good defensive work from Hinckley, that kept the scoreboard blank.

It did come as something on a surprise therefore when Hinckley registered the first points. A Hinckley knock-on just outside their own 22 gave the Choccos an attacking scrum in a good position. The ball was fed right but a loose pass was picked off, the ball hacked on and Sam Read won the footrace to the line to register the score. Louis Haley converted.

Bournville did respond with a simple penalty from in front of the Hinckley posts by scrum half Freddie Morgan to see the quarter end with Hinckley leading 7-3.

The second quarter was a little more even but, with the error count mounting, neither side able to impose themselves on the other. It was Hinckley though that broke the monotony. A penalty won at a scrum just inside the Bournville half was kicked to the Bournville 5m line. The inevitable catch and drive was held but Evan Carey was able to break from the rear of the maul and evade the cover to score his first try for the Hornets – 3-12 to Hinckley.

That was how it stood at half-time and there was a feeling that if only Hornets could cut out the errors, the game, and the bonus point, were there for the taking. Bournville though would have been thinking much the same! And it was they who registered the first score.

A kick out of defence by Hinckley was fielded just inside the Bourneville half and run back with intent. Neat interplay between the full-back and wing was eventually finished off by centre Joe Jenkins, albeit with a hint of a forward pass. Morgan’s conversion brought the Choccos within a score.

The turning point though came on 54 minutes. Hinckley secured another scrum penalty on the Bourneville 10m line. Haley kicked them to the 22m line for the lineout. With possession secured the ball was sent down the line but wing Nathan Decalmer was able to pick off an errant pass and ran 70m to touch down under the posts. Morgan’s conversion and a penalty five minutes later for a high tackle in the Hinckley 22m put the Choccos two scores in front.

That became three two minutes later. Hinckley secured a line-out just outside the Bournville 22m but the ball was lost. Bournville pounced and, with the Hinckley cover in disarray, full-back Owen Williams took his chance. Morgan converted and the game was effectively over with 15 minutes remaining.

Hinckley huffed and puffed for the remaining quarter hour and did pull one score back from a well worked catch and drive after they had secured another scrum penalty, Sonny Tongauiha claiming his first try for the Club, but ultimately it was all in vain.

Next week is a rest week but all eyes will be focussed on the return to a must win game against fellow strugglers Macclesfield at Leicester Road. Let us hope that the men in black and amber can regain some confidence after what was another disappointing afternoon.

Nick Robinson