Hinckley Hornets fight back to take win

That didn’t last long. On the half hour, a penalty for not releasing allowed Lucts’ full back John Morris to kick to 15m from the Hinckley line and when the drive from the line-out went down, the ball was fed right and then back again before centre Rob Lewis crashed through for the score and Morris converted to bring the score back to 10-12.

Morris missed a kickable penalty from 30m out for Lucts on 37 minutes, and Hornets were unfortunate not to score on the cusp of half-time when a lovely break from Vowles gave Will Cave an opportunity in the corner but he grazed the line with his knee in the act of scoring and the scoreboard remained untroubled before the interval.

Luctonians would have felt fortunate to be only two points adrift at the interval, given that Hornets had looked much the more likely of the two sides to score throughout the half, but whatever the Lucts coaching team said to their men during the break had a real galvanising effect.

Hinckley found themselves pinned in their own half for much of the second period. It didn’t help that, with only three minutes gone Hornets were reduced to 14 when Andy Weaver was carded after being hit by the ball ambling back to rejoin the defence with Lucts just 5m from the Hinckley line.

Lucts were quick to exploit the extra man. From the scrum, with the Hinckley defence not yet properly organised, the ball was fed left and Lewis was able to dart through for his second to give Lucts the lead for the first time. Morris again converted.

The next twenty minutes saw wave after wave of Luctonians pressure being repulsed by a resolute Hornets defence. A change of front-row personnel though gave Hinckley the edge in the scrum and slowly but surely the siege was lifted.

Lucts did further extended their lead with a penalty on 68 minutes when Hornets were caught handling in the ruck but Hinckley were beginning to win ball and their reward duly came with time beginning to run out.

Ollie Povoas got on the end of a great off-load on halfway and set off for the line. He was hauled down 5m out but quick ball found Vowles who went over for the try which Wilson converted.

With just six minutes remaining, Hornets snatched the lead back. The ball went loose on halfway after Hornets had carried out of their own 22m. Callum Dacey was on hand to hack the ball through and comfortably won the foot race for the score. Wilson’s conversion took the score to 20-26.

There was a frantic last few minutes with Luctonians searching for the winning score but Hornets were able to repulse the onslaught and held on for the win, albeit with the odd anxious moment.

Next week Hull visit Leicester Road and Hinckley will be looking to notch their second double in two weeks.