Hinckley Stags travelled to Ashbourne on a fine, sunny day hoping to continue their recent good form. Both teams had an identical win-loss record prior to kick-off, with Hinckley higher placed in the table thanks to the number of bonus points they have picked up this season.

Ashbourne kicked off into a slight wind, but it was Hinckley that took the initiative from the start. Good ambition attack from the backline and some strong carries from the forwards enable us to get plenty of good field position. Unfortunately, poor execution at the line out and some early handing errors prevented the Stags from capitalising on this early pressure.

Scrum-half Dylan Weddle, who has been in excellent try scoring form recently, broke the deadlock on the 10 minute mark, sniping close to the breakdown and crossing the whitewash from close range. Kristian Poweel converted for a 7-0 lead. This stung the Hinckley side into action and they only had to wait seven more minutes for another try. This time it was the referee running under the posts after awarding a penalty try when Ashbourne’s winger was deemed to have deliberately knocked on with numerous Hinckley players queueing up to take advantage of an overlap. The Ashbourne winger was rightly sent to the sin-bin and Hinckley were now 14 points to the good.

Hinckley were able to take advantage of the extra man pretty quickly. Several phases in the Ashbourne 22 was rewarded when a James Moreton offload was knocked back by an Ashbourne player, allowing player-coach Steve Harvey to pounce and touch down for his first try of the season. Powell continued his good goal kicking form with a simple conversion. 21-0 and the try scoring bonus point was in sight.

Ashbourne started to get a foothold in the game and were rewarded for there efforts with a try from their 7, who had an excellent game. He took advantage of some wide defensive positioning to step two players and finish in style. The conversion was missed, but this was a warning sign of what Ashbourne were capable of. 21-7

That man Weddle was quick to restore our 21 point lead with almost a carbon copy of his first. Spotting a gap around the edges of a breakdown, Weddle accelerated and dived over the line for a brace of tries. Powell again converted and the try scoring bonus point was in the bag with only 30 minutes on the clock. However, back came Ashbourne and their 7 was able to match Weddle’s exploits and score his second try of the game. This time his try was converted, leaving the score at 28-12.

Powell was able to stretch this lead further shortly before the break, with a well struck penalty kick from long range taking the score to 31-12 in Hinckley’s favour.

Joe Barnes was replaced by Luke Johnson at the interval and he was straight into the action giving away a penalty with an over-zealous tackle from Powell’s restart, taking the Ashbourne player out in the air. Hinckley took full control of the game in the second half and looked threatening every time they attacked.

Tom Lewis joined the action in the place of winger Alex Norris, making his Stags debut, but it was the forwards who were to score next. When a penalty was kicked to the corner, a rolling maul was formed from the ensuing line out and it motored over the line leaving Dom Ames the task of dropping over the line, Powell’s excellent conversion put Hinckley well in the ascendency at 38-12. Six minutes later another penalty was kicked to the corner. When the line out was sacked, Hinckley moved the ball into the middle of the field then quickly attacking the blindside allowing fly-half Powell the space to run through a defensive gap to score a try of his own, which he again converted. 45-12 with 20 minutes to play and Hinckley weren’t finished yet.

Firstly, Tom Lewis scored a debut try from a wide Weddle pass, which was added to by Powell with another excellent conversion. Then Spiers and Lewis combined in midfield putting Lewis Gardner in space in the Ashbourne 22. Showing composure beyond his years, Gardner cleverly changed his running line to commit two Ashbourne defenders and passed onto Norris, who had come back onto the pitch for George Marsden. Norris raced in from 20 metres to settle the game. Powell’s missed conversion was the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding goal kicking display.

Th final score was 57-12 to the Hinckley Staghounds taking us to the top of the table for the first time this season. A position we will want to hold onto for the foreseeable future.

It was another step up in performance with all 18 players producing a very good display from the start. Some poor pieces of defence allowed Ashbourne to score twice, but we were very clinical in the attacking third. We have a rest week before we host Ashby on 15th October.

Player of the match: James Moreton for an all action display in the 2nd row - several strong carries and big defensive hits.

UTS