Hinckley Colts have to settle for draw after late try
HINCKLEY Colts maintained their unbeaten league run, but only just, as they played out a close fought draw against an inform, powerful Syston unit.
Syston kicked off into the biting north-easterly wind on Hinckley’s third team pitch and went straight on the offensive using their big ball carriers. Hinckley’s defence held firm as A. Whittingham, Handford, L. Whittingham, Kew, Toon, Bosworth and Connolly put in bruising tackles.
The Black & Ambers turned over the ball and Kennerson sent a booming kick downfield using the wind advantage. Hinckley maintained the offensive from the resulting line-out through strong carries by Drakeford and Wilson. Syston were let off with a penalty and counter-attacked, but a huge hit by Miller forced a stray pass which was superbly intercepted by Handford, who cantered in from the halfway line for Hinckley’s first try. Bosworth split the now upright posts to give the home side an early 7-0 lead.
Hinckley doubled their lead shortly after the re-start as tackles by Duggins, Kennerson,
Toon and A. Whittingham stopped the visitors in their tracks. The ball fell loose and was hacked forward, Barnes winning the foot race to splash down over the try line. Bosworth added the extras to extend Hinckley’s lead to 14-0.
Syston responded as the game re-commenced, again using their sizeable forwards to punch through Hinckley’s midfield, but a monster shot by Kew resulted in a turnover ball. Syston were, however, let-off with another penalty and punted the ball downfield, but a magnificent line-out steal by Barnes, out-jumping the opposition’s levitating second row, set up a Hinckley counter-attack as a sniping Carey break took the black & ambers back into Syston’s half.
Hinckley came close to a third score as A. Whittingham chased Bosworth’s through kick, but he was just beaten to the line. Drakeford then barrelled forward but was held up just short and Syston managed to clear their lines with an ingoal drop out.
The visitors then launched a series of attacks from deep within their own half but Hinckley’s resistance was solid, Duggins forcing a turnover from which breaks by Connolly and Plowman took the home side back into Syston’s half.
Syston regained possession and eventually penetrated Hinckley’s defence to score out wide, reducing the deficit to 14-5. The visitors’ tails were up as they launched a series of offensives from the restart, but crunching tackles by Carey, Duggins, Toon Beck and Bosworth kept them at bay and the ball was turned over.
Hinckley came close in the final play of the first half, strong carries by Barnes, Bosworth and Kennerson taking them into Syston’s 22, but the ball was spilled and the opportunity lost as the referee signalled half-time.
Hinckley kicked off the second period into the wind and were back in defensive mode as Syston sniffed a comeback, Burton, Miller, WIlson and L. Whittingham putting in bone crunching tackles. Syston used the wind advantage to send the ball downfield and spent the next 10 minutes camped in Hinckley’s 22, right in front of their raucous supporters.
Hinckley finally gained possession and counter attacked from deep in their own half through powerful runs by Barnes, Miller and A. Whittingham, taking the home side out of their own 22, but the ball was knocked forward and Syston took advantage, breaking through for their second try to reduce the deficit to a nervous 14-10.
Hinckley extended their lead shortly after the game re-commenced as they set up a driving maul following Underwood’s sublime catch from the kick-off. The referee awarded a rare penalty to the home side in front of the posts, which Bosworth neatly slotted, taking the score to 17-10 and setting up a tense final quarter.
Syston responded, again using the bracing tailwind to play the game in Hinckley’s half, but the black & ambers’ resistance held firm and they continued to run the ball from deep, Drakeford, Underwood, Bosworth, Barnes, Plowman, Buckler and Burton all making good yards.
Syston threw everything they had at Hinckley, who had a man down in the sin bin, in the final five minutes and, despite brave tackles by Buckler, Burton and L. Whittingham, they crashed over from a penalty 5m out to salvage a draw as the referee sounded full time, final score 17-17.