Another dominant Hinckley performance saw Hornets rise to third in the table on points difference, just one point behind next week’s opponents Taunton, and four behind table topping Redruth who are now the only unbeaten side in the division. In the firing line this week were bottom club Exeter University, still without a win, and, even at this stage of the season, looking strong candidates for the drop.

This week it was forward power that determined the issue with four of the six tries being shared amongst the front eight as the Leicester Road men slowly ground down their opponents. Will Callan and Sam Read bookended the four tries from the front men but the game was won in the forty minutes either side of half time during which Hinckley added 28 points with only a single score response from the Students.

Head coach Alex White was delighted with the result after the game. ‘There are no easy away game in this league and I’m really proud of how hard we worked as a unit. We controlled the game from start to finish and showed some smart game management. But it was underpinned by a group of men working incredibly hard for each other.’

Hinckley dominated the early exchanges with Callan grabbing the first try to give Hinckley the lead after only 6 minutes but this was cancelled out within a couple of minutes when a rare lapse in concentration by Hornets allowed Exeter wingman Rory Humphries to cross for a try, and when centre Charlie Bosanko added a second try converted by Woody Walker, for all their dominance, Hinckley found themselves 12-5 down.

But Hinckley’s superiority in the set piece and their territorial advantage was eventually converted to the scoreboard with two tries in the final 10 minutes of the half, first from George Tongauiha making his first start in an Hinckley shirt, and then Alex Catcheside who similarly was starting for the first time. Both tries were converted by Rory Vowles.

That sent the visitors in 12-19 up at half-time and when Sam McNulty and then Ed James added their own score either side of the hour mark (both again converted by Vowles), the match was over. Exeter did add a consolation score from No. 8 Archie Kane on the back of a very charitable intervention from the assistant referee, before Sam Read crossed for the final try on the game. The students were reduced to 13 men for the last eight minutes of the game when both Ed Cartwright and Finlay Gillgrass were shown yellow, and were fortunate not to concede again, but by that time Hinckley had taken their foot off the gas.

Next weeks clash against Taunton now assumes critical importance for both sides. Both lost just the one game and both have scored heavily in their six games to date. Should leaders Redruth slip up at sixth-placed Lymm, with a bonus point win, either side could top the table this time next week. It will be Hinckley’s toughest test of the season since the opening game against Luctonians and, with the Leicester Road men having now played themselves into form, it promises to be a cracker.

Nick Robinson