After a dismal run of four straight defeats, Hinckley put in one of their more convincing performances to ‘do the double’ over their high-flying visitors who had been hoping to both enhance their promotion prospects and avenge their earlier defeat when Hornets had visited the south coast. A hat-trick for winger Euan Kelly and a try each for Joe Wilson and Ben Pointon secured a bonus point win which lifted Hornets above Canterbury in the table and put them in striking distance of eleventh placed Barnes.

It was not without drama though. With just 8 minutes left on the clock, Hinckley were sitting on a comfortable 31-12 lead and seemingly coasting towards a big win. Three minutes later after two converted Worthing tries, both as a result of Hinckley errors, Hornets found themselves clinging on to a 5-point lead with an anxious home crowd fearing the worst in what would have been one of the most blatant cases of daylight robbery in modern times. As it happened, Hinckley won a turnover from the restart and the forwards successfully shepherded the ball until Joe Glover was able to kick the ball dead for the referee to blow for time.

‘It was a very pleasing performance against a very good side who came here with everything to play for,’ commented a clearly delighted DOR Scott Hamilton. ‘We were again much more aggressive at the breakdown which set us up well to score some good tries. The forwards responded well after a very average performance against the Lions last week. We were dominant in the scrum and made a nuisance of ourselves at the lineout, although they also gave us problems in that department. The game wasn’t as close as the score suggests – they did score four tries, but we handed at least two to them on a plate. I’m happy for the lads. It was good to put on a performance like that in front of a sizable crowd on what was a beautiful day. There will have been a few eyebrows raised round Esher and Redruth when they saw the result and it’s certainly made it very hard for Worthing to win promotion from here.’

Hornets took control from the start and looked to be odds-on to score first. But, with Hornets threatening the Raiders’ line, a loose pass went to ground on the Worthing 22m, and winger Matt McLean gratefully picked up the ball and ran the 80m to the Hinckley line for a score under the posts. McLean easily converted the try and the sense of frustration amongst the home support was palpable.
Hornets did respond though when a patient build-up from halfway first saw Pointon and then James Moreton go close before Wilson eventually found a gap in the Worthing defence to go over. Wilson converted his own try, and it was 7-7 after 10.

It was some twenty plus minutes before the next score, however. Both sides had their moments but neither could break the other’s defence until Worthing centre Jack Forrest broke from halfway and ran to the line as the Hinckley defence seemed to melt away.

Hornets came back again just before the half-time break when Kelly was put through in the corner by Callum Dacey after a period of sustained attacking play. Wilson couldn’t make the conversion and the sides went in all-square at the interval.

Hornets went in front for the first time five minutes into the second half when, with Worthing down to fourteen men, Ben Pointon picked up at the back of a scrum and wriggled over by the posts. Wilson’s conversion made it 19-12.

It got better still for Hornets 12 minutes later when Kelly intercepted on halfway and just about outpaced the defence to score under the posts. Wilson duly converted and Hornets were looking comfortable.

That did not last though. Rory Vowles was yellow carded for a very dubious high tackle (all the more irritating given that just a couple of minutes earlier Pointon had almost been decapitated by a challenge from the Raiders second row which received no sanction whatsoever), and a frantic series of substitutions ensued as Hornets were forced to re-structure their defence.

In the event, they survived unscathed, and even extended their lead at the end of the 10-minute period. Pointon fed the ball right from a Hinckley scrum on their 10m, Kelly received the ball out wide, chipped over the oncoming defence, retrieved his own kick, and just made it to the line ahead of the cover defence for a well-deserved hat-trick try.

At 31-12, the game seemed to be over and indeed should have been. Hornets do though have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot at crucial times and it almost happened again. What seemed like a dreadful lapse of concentration from the restart allowed Raiders’ flanker Kemp Price an easy run to the line. Then, with Hornets apparently back in control a couple of minutes later with scrummage possession on the Worthing 22m, yet another loose pass was picked off by Worthing centre Harrison Sims who streaked away to bring Raiders within five points. Fortunately for Hinckley, calm heads then prevailed, and Hornets were able to see out time to claim the win.

Next week, Hinckley travel to Rochford Hundred with the chance to claim another home and away double. Rochford will be coming into the game off the back off a surprise victory at Henley and will be seeking to close the gap on Hornets in the league table.