Hinckley entertained Birmingham side Bournville at Leicester Road on a bright and decidedly cool winters afternoon. Still smarting from the defeat at the league leaders Hinckley’s selection for this game was again affected by injury and unavailabilities. Only seven players started the game that were on duty at Welford Road with only two occupying the same position - added to that a loan signing Joe Budd at scrum half with Jordan Goddard, Sam Masserella and Dylan Weddle making up the bench. It does, however, highlight the clubs strength in depth that players stepped up from the staghounds to contribute to the victory.

Hinckley started slowly as you would probably expect from a side so disrupted. Handling difficulties, wrong decision making and inaccurate kicking kept the visitors in contention until Josh Smith converted a straightforward penalty goal after 17 minutes. Bournville replied with a penalty of their own to tie the score at 3-3. Smith missed a further penalty shortly after, but was on hand to touch down in the middle of a home rolling maul for Hinckley’s first try. He unfortunately couldn’t add the extras. He, soon after, added another penalty after Alex Salt and the visiting fly half were both yellow carded. After 30 minutes the score read Smith 11 Bournville 3.

From then on the Hinckley pack took complete control and denied the visitors any meaningful possession. From the resulting pressure two penalty tries were added by Hinckley, both converted by Smith as the forwards steamrollered the visitors back towards their own line at will.

The half time score of 25-3 outlined Hinckley’s superiority, although it could have been more if the backs hadn’t squandered a number of three on one overlaps.

Alex Norris added the score of the day and bonus point gaining try immediately after the break as he finished off a three versus two overlap after good work by Dave Weston and Matt Loveday. Smith couldn’t add the conversion. Alex rubbed Salt into the Bournville wounds by driving off the back of a dominant home scrummage to score a classic No8 try taking several members of the visitors defence over the line with him. Smith added the straightforward conversion to take Hinckley out to a commanding 37-3 lead.
Hinckley were in complete control and the visitors hardly got out of their half as the home side threw the ball about to try and add to their total. After being held up over the Bournville line and taking two scrummages against the head Goddard was on hand after a lineout catch and drive to score home try number six. Smith again converted.

With the game in the bag at 44-3 Hinckley went to sleep for the last quarter and lost Sam Greasley to a yellow card for disagreeing with one of the referees decisions which also cost his side twenty metres. Bournville were not able to take advantage and the game ended with the visitors back on their own line desperately defending as they had done for most of the game.

Final score: Hinckley 44 pts Bournville 3pts.

As yet no game next week as Belgrave have conceded the County Cup tie. So it’s Syston in the semi final at Barkby Road - TBA

Next league game on January 31st away at Finstall Park versus Bromsgrove who today slipped into second place.
Kick off still 2.15pm.