Hinckley U7’s vs Syston

The U7s played 4 full games and 3 half games fixtures on Sunday, with a win one draw and two losses in the main fixtures. The opening match saw a solid win of 11-8, involving Doyle, Simmons, Dunne Curless and Stockton, with a debut try from Dunne. Lumb, Abrahamson, Causon, Palmer and Kennedy held Syston to a 9-9 draw in the next match with 11 tags from Causon. Match 3 saw Kime, Cooper, Moore, Hicks, Cooper and Abrahamson up against a textbook attack from Syston. Despite a spirited defence, they were pushed to a 7-9 defeat. The final full match resulted in a 5-7 loss, but tags came thick and fast for Doyle and Simmonds. A further three half matches were played to ensure everyone got a good amount of game time.

NO REPORT OR MATCH SCORES RECEIVED

The first home game of 2013 started off cold, but the light frost soon burnt off on a bright sunny day. Hinckley were hosting festival rivals Syston RFC, bringing two teams to the Leicester Road ground.
Hinckley as usual fielded two balanced teams, all keen and raring to go for four games of rugby.

Hinckley Lions - Game 1
Syston won the toss, but with coach Barnes’ pep talk ringing in their ears, Hinckley Lions took the game to Syston by straight away shutting them down with some fierce tackling, leaving Syston wondering if they were on the wrong pitch.

In a lesson in team cohesion, there were first half tries from Barnes (2) and Drakeford (1) with great tackling, offloading and support from every player, with a half time score of 15-0. The great work of the first half continued in the second half with tries from Barnes (1), Drakeford (2), Perry (1) and Whittingham, L. (1) with some particular crunching tackles from Duggins, Goodwin and Buckler.

With great spirit and team work, it was great viewing for the home crowd, with hat tricks for Barnes and Drakeford for a final score of 40-5.

Hinckley Lions - Game 2
The second game for the Lions looked like more of challenge with Syston fielding a much stronger team with some big players. Again, Syston won the toss, and with a momentary lapse of concentration from Hinckley, Syston slipped in a quick scoring the first try, but soon Hinckley brought it back to one all with a great try from Goodwin. Syston scored again, but soon to be matched by strong work and a great try by Buckler, resulting in a score of 10-10 at half time.

The overall performance of the first half, left coach Smith in a quandary of who to play, given the fantastic passion that all seven players had shown. Once again, inspirational words from coach Smith fired up the boys, turning the passion dial up to eleven, leading to a second half try tally of five tries, with Barnes (1), Buckler (2) and Drakeford (2) all adding to the score. A narrow miss from Perry just short of line, and ferocious tackling from every player lead all concerned to agree that it had been a highlight match of the season. With a final score of 35-10, including the first hat trick of the year for Buckler.

Overall, a great display of rugby from Hinckley Lions.

A TALE OF TWO TEAMS

Hinckley were first up against the larger of 2 squads from Syston, we got off to a flying start putting 2 very quick tries past a sleepy Syston by a quick side stepping Hurley-Smith and quick running Moore. Burton and Moore showing some excellent team play with a fabulous pass from Moore to a supporting Burton to pop it over the whitewash for the third home try.

With the home team rubbing their hands thinking they were in for an easy morning, Syston stepped up their defence considerably and put a whole load of tries past Hinckley ending the first half level 15 all.
Going into the second half, unfortunately, our tackling went to pot and passing went static with Syston putting another couple of tries on us. Morrissey not giving up went the length of the pitch to score her first of the day showing superb persistence and then Salisbury weaving his way and scorching up the pitch for our fifth try, Syston immediately answered back with a try of their own and finished winning 25-30 despite some determined efforts from the home side.

A dejected team plodded their way over to the other pitch to face the smaller team but with non existent tackling, 364 knock ons and waving the other team through to the try line, the first half finished 0-20 to the opposition. A blurry eyed Hurley-Smith, Salisbury and Burton all trying their best with Burton putting in a flying tackle in the corner and going off injured. Syston put another 2 unanswered tries on us in the second half taking the score to 0-30. Finally a bit of spirit showed by Salisbury saw him taking a consolation try in the dying minutes to finish 5-30.

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The first fixtures of 2013 saw Hinckley Under 10's host Syston. Both clubs fielded two teams with a mixed bag of results for Hinckley, winning one, drawing one and losing four. The first of Hinckley's teams losing the first two games 4 - 2 having lead 2 - 0 at half time in both matches, with try scorers Inman (2) and Hicks (2). Then in the final match Gardner scored a last minute try to level the match 2 - 2 with Warren scoring the first. The other Hinckley team lost the first match narrowly 6 - 4, scorers Smith (2), Towers and Reid one a piece. In their second match Hinckley lost 7 - 2 with Halka and Colloby scoring for the home team. In the final game Hinckley won a close fought match 2 - 1 with Halka scoring both tries.

NO REPORT OR MATCH SCORES RECEIVED

Hinckley Under 12's welcomed the visit of Syston RFC on a cold frosty Sunday morning.
Syston travelled to Hinckley with a large squad hoping for revenge after Hinckley came away from the Syston Festival as winners earlier in the season, with Victory over the hosts in a winner takes all final game.
Hinckley's first competitive match for over a month saw them get off to a sluggish start, Syston learning from previous encounters quickly spreading the ball out to their pacey backs and avoiding contact with Hinckley's dominant forward pack, but despite this it was Hinckley who crossed the white wash first with a short burst from Lockett. Both teams then continued to cancel each other out for long periods with great defence, Nixon, Upton, and Wass for Hinckley putting in great tackles, before the visitors finally levelled. Davey then edged Hinckley ahead after excellent forward play, before Syston levelled once again, a tense last few minutes saw both teams surely going in level at half time, but Hinckley edged ahead once more, a powerful run down the wing saw Dalby cross for a first half lead. Hinckley 15pts Syston 10pts.
The second half once again saw both teams cancel each other out early in the half with great defensive efforts, Nixon, and Dalby for Hinckley with excellent tackle counts, but once again the visitors levelled the match with a great score of their own. Hinckley got stronger as the second half went on and edged ahead once more with a score from Sharkey, and with Hinckley's forward pack dominating the scrums and breakdowns, finally wore down the visitors who suddenly found themselves unable to complete tackles, allowing Nixon to find gaps in their defence and punish them with an excellent brace, two scores followed from the visitors clawing themselves back into the match, but this was short lived as Hinckley stepped up a gear, a great phase of play from the forwards, picking and driving towards the line, for Lockett to polish off the move for his second of the match, Dalby then put the match out of Syston's reach with a score with only minutes left on the clock. Final score Hinckley 40pts Syston 25pts.

Hinckley 52 Oadby Wyggs 0

Hinckley U14’s v Leamington RFC
Something of a try-fest against visitors Leamington today, Tries from Taylor, Wykes (3), Beale(3), Harper (2), Gretton, Wheatcroft and Ridgway (3) and 14 points from the boot of Brogden killed the game off, the final score 79-7.

Lutterworth 7 Hinckley 21
Hinckley's U15 put in a very strong and confident performance to produce a convincing win by beating a well organised Lutterworth team.
An early bright start from the visitors, dominated in the scrum and provided the three quarters with some good ball. Bradbury made some sharp incisive moves from centre, and it was within the first 10 minutes when a switch move led him to break through and score under the posts. Baker converted to give an early 7-0 lead.
Hinckley worked hard to spoil the Lutterworth rhythm and stop them from getting back into the game; once again good possession and a sustained period of pressure led to Branson's determined run to score from close range. Rowe converted to double the visitors lead. 14-0.
Hinckley continued to build on their lead, the inside centers once more combining well with the half back, Baker calling the moves and Bradbury finding a superb angle to run in his second try by the close of the first half. Converted by Rowe.
The second half was a closely fought battle and was only just dominated by Hinckley who defended well and overall showed strength and domination with excellent try saving tackles coming from Rowe, Kingdon and Bradbury.
Finally, Lutterworth found some reward for their efforts with a late try, but it was too late for them to find their way back into a match. The Hinckley side can be commended for a very organised and robust performance, playing simple and direct rugby through the effective work rate of the pack producing good ball for an eager three quarter line. man of the match Lewis Baker.

Hinckley’s U16 first match of the new season was slow starting and showed they had had a long Christmas break but still managed to hold back the undefeated Leamington Spa
Soon Hinckley settled into their strong and steady play and started to use the forward to move the ball up the pitch for Pook to place it over the Try Line. They quickly followed with a breakaway try from Letts in his usual athletic form
Leamington kept trying to break through but just could find that gap.
Not so for Hinckley as the ever reliable Spencer scored a solo try from about 30 meters which Nixon converted making the score at half time Hinckley 17 Leamington Spa 0
Although Leamington came out after half time with their heads still up they just could stop Spencer from scoring another breakaway try, although Nixon didn’t get chance to try to convert as a Leamington player was injured in a collision and an ambulance had to be called
The Ref then called the match with the score at
Hinckley U16 22 Leamington Spa U16 0
Our best wishes went with the Leamington player