Hinckley entertained Bromsgrove this week in the latest round of N3M matches. The visitors were the last team to win at Leicester Road back in October 2014 some nineteen home league games ago.
Ben Marshall made his first start of the season with Luke Coltman, Sam Greasley and Josh Smith also returning to the starting line up after injury. Liam Warren, Ed Dunn and Sam Driver made up the bench. The game was relocated to the third team pitch due to poor underfoot conditions while the 2nd’s also played Bromsgrove at JCC.

The visitors kicked off down the slope and were immediately on the receiving end of some positive driving play from Hinckley. Combined good handling and an eventual scrum against the head set the tone for the game. Mitch Lamb was the recipient of possession gained from the scrummage and darted over for the game’s first try. Mark Lord was narrowly wide with the conversion.
The game settled down and the visitors were continually on the end of Hinckley’s dynamic play finding it very difficult to get out of their own half and when they did via inaccurate kicks Hinckley’s back three ran the ball straight back at them.
Huw Marsden broke free and added the hosts second try as the Bromsgrove defence was pierced again. Lord converted for a 12-0 lead after the first quarter. Although Hinckley were in complete control they should have added further scores, but kicked away too much possession and therefore lost the momentum until just before half time.
A series of scrums on the Bromsgrove line re-established Hinckley’s credentials resulting in the award of a penalty try which Lord routinely converted. Tom Morris added the fourth Hinckley and the bonus point gaining try from a dynamic rolling maul again converted by Lord. It took the hosts out to a 26-0 score at the interval and the expectation of more of the same in the second half.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as Hinckley took their foot off the gas, Bromsgrove came back into the game, found some heart and fought hard to deny the hosts any further advantage.
Although Bromsgrove never looked like scoring, well harnessed by the Hinckley defence, neither did the home side. A couple of home penalties that should have been converted and not kicked for the corner, a yellow card for each side and a midfield arm wrestle were the only dubious highlights. Hinckley should have pushed on to score an emphatic win, but in the end had to settle for, admittedly, a bonus point victory, but it could and should have been so much more.

The only positives was that while both Scunthorpe and Old Hales lost their games to the weather, Hinckley have the points in the bag as the lead at the top widened to seventeen points. Both challengers now have to play catch up on reserve weekends.
Good news that Joe Glover and skipper Alex Salt returned to action as the Staghounds recorded a resounding 54-0 victory over their Bromsgrove counterparts.

Weather permitting Hinckley visit Barkby Road next week to take on local rivals Syston - a 2.15pm kick off.