‘We were mugged’ pronounced a disappointed Sedgeley President after witnessing one of the strangest yet most pulsating matches witnessed at Leicester Road for many a season. Hornets eventually trounced their illustrious opponents with their highest score and biggest winning margin of the season but after 20 minutes, with Tigers leading by two tries and fifteen points, the home crowd were fearing that Hinckley’s recent winning streak was heading for a train crash. At that point, Hornets had not been out of their own half and a rampant Tigers side were shredding the much vaunted Hinckley defence.

The turnaround was astonishing with Hornets scoring seven tries and 50 points without reply to send a sizable crowd home on the crest of a wave. Tigers looked shell-shocked by the end of the afternoon, struggling to understand what had just happened,

After the match, DOR Scott Hamilton pinpointed what he felt was the moment the tide turned. Tigers were pressing for a third try 5m from the Hinckley line when Henry Povoas, who was outstanding all afternoon, won a turnover ball. Tigers were penalised and Hornets were able to release the pressure.

‘If they had scored there,’ commented Hamilton, ‘and gone 20 points up, I don’t think we could have come back. Sedgley had played well up until that point but I did feel we handed them the two tries on a plate. When the floodgates opened, though, it was great to see the confidence flooding through the team. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the ball. We’ve talked a lot about confidence in training and it was really pleasing to see it all coming together. Next week we have yet another tough challenge at Fylde. This was a great way to prepare.’

Sedgley started like a team on fire and Hornets were rocking on their heels right from the kick-off. A dreadfully sliced kick out of defence by Rory Vowles gave Tigers a line-out 15m from the Hinckley line. With the Hornets defence collectively contemplating their navels, a quick throw to Sedgley fly-half Steve Collins allowed him to stroll in unopposed for the opening score.

It got worse for Hornets six minutes later when No 8 Tom Ailes picked up off the back of a 5m scrum and strolled in for the score with the Hornets defence AWOL. Collins converted and when he slotted a penalty shortly afterwards after Hinckley were penalised for not rolling away 30m out in front of their own posts, the Tigers were looking unstoppable.

But then came the fight-back… and it was spectacular. First, a superb reverse pass from Ben Pointon to Joe Wilson allowed the wing-man to slice through the Sedgley defence from their 22m for Hinckley’s opening score in what was their first incursion into Sedgley territory. Wilson converted.

From the kick-off, a sweeping move, initiated by a great break from Pointon, carried the ball to the Sedgley 5m line. Hornets won a penalty and opted to scrum. The ball was picked up at the back and worked to the line by the pack for Povoas to touch down. Again, Wilson converted.

Next, from a Hinckley line-out 30m from the Sedgley line, Pointon gathered and set off on a scintillating run that carried him to the posts for a superb solo try. When Wilson converted Hornets had scored three converted tries in ten minutes. Half-time couldn’t come fast enough for the Tigers.

The second period though offered no relief. Eight minutes in, Callum Dacey got himself on the score sheet after Hornets had opted to scrum a penalty 5m from the Sedgley line. The ball was released quickly to the blindside and Dacey was on hand to jink through.

Wilson converted and added a penalty five minutes later when Tigers were penalised for not releasing to take the score to 31-15.

Rory Vowles added the fifth try six minutes later collecting a lovely grubber kick from Tom Wheatcroft 10m from the Sedgley line to score in the corner. Wilson added the extras from out wide.

Five minutes later, Povoas grabbed his second, looking every bit the winger with an excellent 20m finish out wide following yet another Hornets penalty line-out. This time, though, Wilson couldn’t convert, the only blemish on what was a top class effort from the tee.

There was just time for Hornets to rub salt into the Tigers wounds with a penalty try awarded when Tigers collapsed the scrum with Hinckley advancing steadily towards the line. That brought up the half century of points. The referee blew for time shortly afterwards with a despondent Tigers side eager for the sanctuary of the changing room.

The win takes Hornets up to fourth place in the division after Loughborough were surprisingly beaten at home by Luctonians. The challenge will be to stay there next week against a powerful Fylde side who themselves put 64 points past Stourbridge in their weekend game.

Nick Robinson