Chuter is happy to take derby day spoils

HINCKLEY claimed derby day bragging rights with a bonus point victory at home to South Leicester in an intense affair.

Talisman Alexander Salt gave the hosts an early lead before a penalty try and a Sam Driver score either side of half-time.

Gareth Turner and Callum Dacey completed the scoring to secure the bonus point.

Myles Bean crossed twice for the visitors as did Adam Nunney but it was only enough for a losing bonus point.

Hinckley director of rugby, George Chuter, was happy with the points but expects improvements to be made in the coming weeks.

“In terms of the allround performance, I’m pleased but there is more to come from us,” he said.

“I’m happy with the result certainly and the grit and determination that we showed, but I think in the first half we were pretty inaccurate.

“Some of our lads were perhaps too motivated for the game.

“There’s lots of local rivalry here and we got a bit distracted from what we were trying to do.

“Fair play to South, they flew off the line in the firsthalf and made it difficult for us.

“Obviously you want to win your home games, that’s the same for everyone, but our away form has been pretty disappointing.”

Hinckley skipper Salt crossed the whitewash with just three minutes on the clock, but the boot of Rickie Aley kept South very much in the tie.

Good work from the tee by Leicester’s Aley, including a fantastic long range effort from his own half, steered the game in their favour along with Nunney dotting down to add to Bean’s earlier score.

Hinckley had a lot of work to do to get back into the game and found themselves down to 14 late into the first half with fly-half Joseph Wilson sent to the sin bin.

However, on the stroke of half-time, the referee levelled the numbers with Joseph Collingham also sent from the field.

The hosts capitalised and were awarded a penalty try to bring themselves to within a converted score.

The home side started brightly in the second half, with substitute Driver claiming the ball at the restart and immediately touching down.

Bean replied with his second try of the day but Turner crossed over to restore the lead.

Dacey extended the hosts’ lead just past the hour mark and Hinckley’s resilience in the latter stages ensured they came away with derby day spoils.

South Leicester coach, Mike Holford, believes the tie could’ve gone either way with some decision making proving to be the downfall.

“I am disappointed with the result, I knew it was always going to be a touchand-go affair.

“Neither side played the best rugby, it was just a physical battle and could have gone either way, a couple of calls went against us and we made a couple of poor decisions.”