Veteran DoR does his bit, but Hornets suffer defeat
INJURY BRINGS SURPRISE RETURN TO ACTION FOR HINCKLEY’S DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
It’s still early days, though, and we do have another 29 games to put things right.
Hinckley DoR Scott Hamilton
THIS was poor fare to serve up to an enthusiastic Leicester Road crowd attending their first competitive match in over 18 months, writes Nick Robinson.
Hornets bore no resemblance to the team that concluded the last National 2 North campaign with 10 straight wins. One wit in the crowd remarked that at least the scoreboard operator had a good game.
Barnes were quick and competitive, exploiting the many opportunities Hornets presented them with, but were hardly the titans that the score suggests. Their pack offered little in the set-piece, where Hornets did achieve some dominance, but overall the visitors were quicker in thought and act and much better at exploiting the new laws to protect the “jackal” at the breakdown.
Hornets were disorganised, imprecise, profligate with ball in hand and gave away too many penalties. And in gifting three tries to the visitors, they effectively handed the game to them on a plate.
The opening exchanges looked promising for Hornets as they enjoyed the better of possession, but that ended abruptly on nine minutes when a horrible attempted kick by the hosts just inside their own half ricocheted into the arms of Barnes centre Jordan Souter, who had a simple run-in to open the scoring. Josh Hammett converted.
Rory Vowles and Hammett then exchanged penalties before Hornets returned to parity when Vowles set up a catch-and-drive attempt from a penalty in the Barnes 22m, and Adam Johnson went over with a classically executed move. Vowles converted.
But it was to be short-lived as Hornets conceded first a penalty and then two tries in two minutes on the cusp of half-time.
When Hammett then converted another penalty immediately on the return, Hornets seemed in tatters, but briefly threatened a comeback courtesy of a try by veteran DoR Scott Hamilton, making something of an unexpected appearance after Josh Smith had been forced out before the kick-off through injury.
But Hornets wasted a number of opportunities to put pressure in the visitors, whose victory was assured on 68 minutes, when Alex Branson was carded for his reaction following a tackle on scrum-half Josh Davies.
Hornets’ problems were compounded when Josh Raqio inexplicably collected the failed penalty kick behind his own line and attempted a clearance with the Barnes team bearing down on him. The kick was inevitably charged down and it was a simple job for Barnes to dot the ball down for a score.
DoR Hamilton was chastened but not entirely downbeat after the game.
He said: “It was a very disappointing start. The score was not pretty reading and we didn’t deserve to win, but we probably made more chances, particularly in the first 60 minutes, than they did. “The difference was that they took their chances and we didn’t. It didn’t help that we gave away three tries and we were not quick enough to the breakdown today. Their No 7 had a brilliant game.
“It’s still early days, though, and we do have another 29 games to put things right. Henley next week will be a big challenge. The injuries we picked up to the two Povoas boys and Josh Smith won’t help, but hopefully we’ll have Joe Wilson and Joe Lane back.”