Hornets bounce back from loss
IT promised to be a thriller and so it proved. Hinckley held on to take the honours at Leicester Road in a match which went right to the wire, writes Nick Robinson.
Two sides determined to run the ball served up eight tries, four each, in what proved to be a superb advert for the game. The result leaves Hinckley hanging on to third place in the league. Sale won again and now seem to be champions elect but with Sedgley Park losing to Stourbridge at home, the Hornets are still very much in the race for the one play-off place.
The early exchanges gave few clues as to what was to follow. Virtually all of the play took place between the two 22’s as the two sides tried to get a measure of each other. Joe Wilson missed a long range penalty on 8 minutes but other than that there was little to get excited about.
Things changed on 13 minutes. Hinckley’s first incursion into the Tynedale 22m almost resulted in a score but turnover ball allowed the Tyne backs to run the full length of the field for winger Olly Walker to score under the posts. Ash Smith converted. From the kick-off, Hornets recovered the ball and struck back when Joe Wilson went over in the corner after a patient build up. The conversion was missed – 5-7.
Tynedale came again with another end to end move.
Collecting the ball on their own 22m, a combination of good interchanges between the Tyne backs and some inept tackling from Hornets saw Will Miller, the pick of a very lively Tyne back division, touch down under the posts. Smith again converted.
But it wasn’t long before Hornets were back on terms. Another patient build up took Hinckley close to the Tyne 22m and a typical charge from Sam Driver allowed him to break the line to score. Joe Wilson converted to take the score to 12-14.
Tyne went down to 14 men a few minutes later as Hinckley pushed for the lead but some excellent defending saw then hold out. As half time approached however, a Hinckley line-out steal on halfway eventually saw Mitch Lamb go over under the posts. Wilson converted and Hornets were able go into the break 19-14 ahead having been behind for the majority of the period.
On the return, the response was swift. Turnover ball on halfway saw Tyne run the ball back and flanker Joe Mills dotted down under the posts to give Smith an easy conversion.
Three minutes later, a quick tap penalty by Tyne on their 22m line seemed to have caught Hinckley napping, but a fortunate interception by Joe Wilson on halfway allowed him to run the ball back to score almost unopposed. The conversion restored the Hornets lead at 26-21.
Tyne came again. Hard driving from a lineout on the Hinckley 10m line eventually saw flanker Nick Cairns go over to level the scores and both sides had secured a bonus point with more than 30 minutes to go.
With Tyne continuing to run the ball at every opportunity and Hinckley responding in kind, the final half hour was hardly boring.
Both sides went close but neither was able to break the deadlock.
Wilson missed a penalty attempt from just outside the Tyne 22m on 60 min- utes but as the approached a seemed the most outcome.
In the end, Hornets better held their nerve.
With time almost up, a foolish penalty to Hinckley for not rolling away on the Tyne 22m gave Hinckley the chance to grab the lead and Wilson duly obliged; final score, 29-26.
It was difficult to believe that this was the same side that crashed to Sheffield just a week ago.
Yes, the pitch was much better underfoot and Tyne came to run the ball, something which a ponderous Sheffield side never aspired to, but the lineout was transformed and more patience in attack saw Hornets take chances they may have butchered in recent weeks.
A week off next Saturday will give some battered bodies a little time to recuperate before a trip to Macclesfield on March 3. whistle draw likely