DOR Scott Hamilton highlighted in his pre-match programme notes that Hinckley had won only two and lost five ‘one score’ matches this season and noted that the coaching staff had been working with the players to improve this record. Whatever they had come up with paid dividends on Saturday as Hornets held on to take the spoils at Leicester Road against a Students side who had soundly thrashed them earlier in the season.

The personnel may be the same but this is a very different side to the one that capitulated so badly in the sunshine at Loughborough. The heavy conditions did not favour Students but it was nevertheless a demonstration of the renewed confidence that seems to be pervading the side at present. On a day when Hinckley’s biggest crowd of the season could have expected little more that a wrestling match in the mud, Hornets outscored Loughborough by two ties to nil, with both tries coming from backs, in a game full of tension and drama, despite some pedantic refereeing seemingly designed to deny paying spectators an afternoon’s entertainment.

Henry Povoas was outstanding, Callum Dacey made some scintillating runs, Matt Fearne was as solid as ever, and the scrum dominated their opponents but it was the team as a whole that impressed. The reward is a top six place for the first time this season, something that Hamilton was targeting by Christmas back in late October.

‘We were hanging on at the end, but it was great to get the win’ commented Hamilton after the game. ’It would have been a real downer if we had lost that one after what we had talked about this week. We probably would have lost that earlier in the season and it was very pleasing to see the way we have improved our approach when things aren’t quite going our way. That said, penalties are
still an issue for us. We didn’t adapt to the referee as well as Students, but overall we are still on the up.’

After all the heavy rain in the last couple of weeks, the pitch, in parts, was more akin to the Somme battlefields than a sporting arena as the match kicked off, but it was soon apparent that neither side was going to let this get in the way of playing enterprising rugby. The early exchanges were lively with both sides showing that they had a back three very capable of damaging the opposition.

Students it was who drew first blood after ten minutes with a penalty from Owen Waters after Hinckley had been penalised for pulling down at the lineout on their own 22m.

Hornets struck back as the match entered the second quarter. They secured a penalty line-out 15m from the Loughborough line. The resultant maul went down without making any real progress but Hornets went through the phases and created an overlap out wide on the left. They were only denied by a cynical piece of professional play from Students wing William Brown who deliberately knocked on to prevent a certain try. The act earned him an immediate yellow card but in the event did not prevent the try. A quick tap from Hornets found Dacey out wide and he crashed over in the corner to give Hinckley the lead. Joe Wilson though could not convert.

The lead was short-lived, however. Four minutes later, Waters slotted his second penalty from short-range after Hornets were penalised for not releasing, and, despite both sides creating chances, that was how it remained until half-time.

The second half started badly for Hornets when Adam Johnson was yellow carded for an offence only the referee and touch judge could identify. The penalty attempt was missed, as was another shortly afterwards, but Waters did manage his third score on 55 minutes after Hornets were penalised inside their 22m for an offence at the ruck.

Hornets were struggling for possession at this point. A scrum which seemed to be taking apart the Students eight was repeatedly penalised by the referee, and unforced errors did nothing to help the cause. It began to look likely that the afternoon may finish in disappointment for the home support.

But it was just a matter of faith. Joe Wilson brought them within a point with 14 minutes to go with a great strike from the Loughborough 10m line but the killer blow came on 71 minutes.

Hornets secured a scrum for a knock-on 10m from the Loughborough line. They went for the pushover but were thwarted by illegal play by the Loughborough pack and elected to scrum again. With everyone expecting a repeat attempt, the ball was released quickly and it was Wilson, taking a clever reverse pass from Tom Wheatcroft, who was able to slice through for the score. Wilson converted his own score to put Hornets 15-9 ahead.

That perhaps should have been that but there was still time for a little more drama. Hinckley’s prop Oscar Harper was yellow carded for a scrum offence to give Students a little hope and there ensued a frantic period of play. Loughborough butchered a couple of penalty line-outs when the ball was overthrown but time found Students in possession driving for the line. Hornets held out… just… and a knock-on under the posts gave them the relief they deserved. From the scrum the ball went back to Joe Wilson who calmly knocked the ball dead and the whistle was blown

The season now takes a 2 week break with Hornets next scheduled to visit Luctonians on January 3, never an easy trip despite Luctonians current position in the League.

Nick Robinson