After a disappointing performance the previous week against Sedgeley Park, Hinckley got back to winning ways with an 8 try demolition of Sheffield Tigers. Captain Alex Salt led from the front with a first half hat-trick as the Black and Ambers recorded their biggest ever victory at Level 4. A game Tigers side were simply blown away.

Sheffield kicked off but were immediately on the back foot as Hinckley stole possession and forced a penalty which Joe Wilson kicked to the corner. Possession was secured, the ball driven to within 5m, and recycled before Salt eventually dived over to open the scoring on 2 minutes. Joe Wilson converted.

Three minutes later, Wilson extended the lead after James Martin had broken out of Hinckley’s 22 with a superb run which resulted in a penalty on the Tigers 10m line.

Wilson added three more on 9 minutes after Tigers were penalised on their own 22 after failing to hold the Hinckley scrum.

A minute later, Tigers lock Aaron Langan was shown a yellow card for an offence in the ruck.

Hinckley sought to capitalise forcing the depleted Tigers back into their own 22 with a series of carries involving both backs and forwards. Alex Salt eventually went over for his second which Wilson converted to take the score to 20-0 after only 14 minutes.

That became 25-0 just 3 minutes later when Callum Dacey danced over the line to end a move that started from a line-out inside the Hinckley 22. Joe Wilson missed a difficult kick.

From the kick-off, Hinckley were penalised allowing Tigers to set up an attacking line-out inside the 22. A poor throw, however, was judged not straight. Hinckley powered back into the Tigers half and Callum Dacey was bundled into touch inside the Tigers 22.

From a scrum on 5m the Hinckley eight destroyed the Tigers pack to win the put in. Subsequent scrums saw Tigers penalised several times before the referee lost patience and awarded a penalty try to Hinckley to take the score to 32-0 and secure the bonus point.

Again Hinckley came back from the kick-off with a spectacular break-out by Salt. A line-out to Hinckley on 15m resulted in a penalty to Hinckley on the Tigers 5m line and a second yellow card for the visitors when prop Ed Simmons was ordered off. Hinckley opted to scrum and Salt scored his third from a push-over.

As the interval approached, Hinckley were again camped in the Tigers half but a wayward pass gifted Tigers wing Henri Packard a soft interception try. Joe Duffy converted to take the score to 37-5 at the break

Atrocious conditions at the start of the second period saw a number of handling errors by both sides as the ball started to resemble a bar of soap. Wilson did put over a penalty on 55 minutes when hooker Ross Thornton collected Tigers’ third yellow card of the afternoon.

With the rain relenting, however, Hinckley were able to re-assert their dominance. A crunching drive by Salt resulted in the Tigers full-back limping off and a penalty to Hinckley which was despatched to the corner. A catch and drive saw flanker Ben Avent go over and Wilson converted – 49-7.

The final try came at the death ad was arguably the best. Dacey collected the ball from a kick deep in the Hinckley half and set off on a dazzling run to the Tigers 22 before off-loading to Jamie Skerrit to run the ball in. Wilson duly converted to take the final score to 56-7.

This was an utterly dominant performance against a Tigers team that had ended the unbeaten run of local rivals South Leicester just a week earlier. Alex Salt was outstanding but it was difficult to pick fault with any of the Hinckley side - a highly satisfactory day at the office for Chuter’s men. Next week sees a visit to pre-season title favourites, Sale.