Basic errors prove costly as Hornets crash to defeat
ON A bright, sunny afternoon in Suffolk, Hornets crashed to their seventh defeat from eight starts against mid-table Bury St Edmunds.
Once again it was a game that Hornets could have won were it not for basic errors that Bury were well able to capitalise on. After an initial period of absolute dominance largely engineered by the pack, Hornets leaked four tries in an 18-minute period just before half-time which more or less ended the game as a contest.
For ten minutes after the restart, Hinckley again showed what they are capable of, scoring two tries of their own without response and pulling back to within eight points, but then fell away again and, for the last few minutes, were desperately hanging on for the final whistle.
Direcot of Rugby Scott Hamilton could not hide his disappointment at the end of the game: “We started both halves well but for the 60 minutes outside those golden patches we struggled to contain them. We were too passive in defence and there were too many missed tackles.
“We are responsible for our own undoing at the moment.
Little mistakes are costing us points and losing us games. We have been in all the games we have lost but we desperately need to find a way to turn this run of defeats around.
“When you have a run of losing games, every error is compounded. That said, we need to stay positive, build on the good stuff and learn from our mistakes.”
Hornets had all the early possession, and a series of penalty awards presented several opportunities to score. The pack did drive to the line on eight minutes but were halted illegally by the Bury forwards but Joe Wilson duly registered Hornets first points from the penalty.
It was all going swimmingly for Hornets seven minutes later when Wilson added a second penalty after Bury were first penalised at a scrum just inside their own half, and then gifted an extra 10 yards to Hinckley for back-chat to the referee. But it wasn’t to last.
Ben Pointon knocked on from the restart to give Bury their first quality possession inside the Hinckley 22m and from the scrum a series of drives eventually led to the defence opening up to allow the Bury flanker to crash through for the score. The Bury full-back added the extras.
Eight minutes later, Bury added a second from a quick tap penalty inside the Hornets’ 22m which was driven over for the score, and then a third converted try on 28 minutes taking the score to 21-6.
Worse was to follow. The ball was released quickly from a Bury scrum on halfway and fed wide to present an easy run in for the Bury wing as the Hinckley defence was found wanting for speed.
The conversion was missed but Bury had their bonus point, Hornets went in at halftime 26-6 down and the game seemed over.
Hornets were not done though and came out for the second period a team transformed. Two minutes in and a neat offload from Euan Kelly to Josh Smith gave the full-back a run into the corner for a try. Just three minutes later, Smith returned the compliment, picking up a loose ball from a ruck on the Bury 22m and feeding Kelly to score in the opposite corner. Wilson this time managed the extras and at 26-18 with half an hour to go, Hornets were back in the game.
Bury wrested back control though ten minutes later. Bury kicked to the corner after Hornets were penalised in their own 22m and from the back of the resultant line-out, the pack were able to drive over for the score which was duly converted.
Adam Johnson pulled one back after a series of patient, disciplined drives from the pack took them over the line (Wilson converted) but it took only six minutes for Bury to nullify the score when, from a driven maul, the ball was released along the line and kicked through for a footrace which the Bury centre comfortably won.
The last few minutes were something of a frenetic affair as Hornets chased the bonus point but couldn’t find a way through. Indeed, Hornets finished the game with only 13 men after first Harry Bower and then Ollie Povoas were carded for persistent offending in the red zone.
Next up is Canterbury at home in two weeks time. Given that they lie 11th in the league only six points ahead of Hinckley, Hamilton and his coaching team will be hoping for a second victory at home. A two-week break may also give the opportunity for some of Hinckley’s walking wounded to return to the fray.