In many respects this was a much-improved performance from Hornets. Their line-out was near flawless in contrast to the previous week, turning over numerous Cinderford throws while retaining almost of their own, the defence was outstanding, the kicking game showed improvement and in attack they looked lively and threatening, although there was still a lack of precision and clinicality in the red zone which did cost them points and arguably the game.

The story of the game, however, very around the scrummage. The Hinckley pack was simply blown away by the opposition at scrum time, retaining virtually none of their own ball and conceding penalty after penalty in what was a devastating demonstration of power by the Cinderford pack. It was men against boys and meant that much of the good work elsewhere was completely overshadowed by the complete failure at the scrum time which made winning the game near impossible.

Hornets did make a fist of it though, coming back from a 0-9 half-time deficit (all penalties) to take the lead with 15 minutes to go only to concede a catch and drive try (which came directly from yet another scrum penalty) and the lead in the dying minutes. It proved too late for a response.

The defeat leaves the Hornets without a win in the current campaign, propping up the division with both Devonport Service and Hornets on a single point. It is still very early in the season but next week’s visit to Hornets now has an alarming air of a relegation battle about it. And the sight of captain and play-maker Rory Vowles being helped off the field towards the end of the game with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury will not have eased the minds of the home support.

Director of Rugby Chris Campbell did not hide from the problems his men had encountered at the scrum but there was also a sense of frustration at what might have been in his post-match comments. ‘There is no point hiding away from the fact that the issues we had at the scrum made winning today’s game very difficult. Cinderford played a very sensible game, exactly the way I would have asked our team to play if we had the assets that were at their disposal, and it got them over the line. But it would be unfair to say that’s the only reason we lost. We had three, possibly four, clear try scoring opportunities in the second half and we couldn’t hold onto the ball. Take any one of them and we win the game. But we didn’t, and the result does not lie and we can’t hide from the fact that we are now 0/3.’

Hinckley’s scrum problems became evident at the very first scrum but the opening exchanges were largely even. It was not until 15th minute that Luke McMahon, who had an immaculate game from the tee, slotted the first of his four penalties to open the scoring after Hinckley had been caught offside.

Hinckley were defending well, denying Cinderford any meaningful scoring opportunities despite them having the lion’s share of possession, but they could not prevent McMahon adding his second penalty seven minutes later from 25m when Hinckley were penalised for a high tackle.

McMahon’s third after half an hour also cost Josh Kent ten minutes in the bin and Hornets found themselves 0-9 down with only fourteen men on the field for the last ten minutes of the half.

They did well to survive until half-time without further damage and might even have stolen a try when a typical Ben Pointon snipe almost took him to the line before a knock-on led to a Cinderford scrum and then the almost inevitable scrum penalty.

A bout of kick tennis broke out immediately after the break but preluded Hinckley’s best chance of the game to date which was only ended when Cinderford’s hooker Nathan Taylor was penalised for a deliberate knock-on and given ten minutes in the bin for his troubles.

Rory Vowles, however, slotted the resultant penalty to close the gap and Hornets began to build some momentum. Pointon and Vowles combined well to go close and then Callum Dacey was only denied out wide when a clever chip from Vowles took a cruel bounce to evade his grasp.

The try did come though when Josh Kent was driven over the line from a short-range free-kick. Vowles added the extras to bring Hornets within two points.

Despite the issues with the scrum, Hornets were now in the ascendancy and were able to grab the lead on 65 minutes. A penalty on halfway was kicked to 15m from the Cinderford line. Hinckley took the line-out and hammered away at the Cinderford line before Oli Bee eventually forced his way over. Vowles slotted the conversion to take the score to 17-12.

Hinckley couldn’t hold on though and it seemed fitting that the killing blow came as a result of a scrum penalty awarded to the visitors just inside the Hinckley half. The kick took them to 15m. A second penalty carried Cinderford to within 5m, and there was a sense of inevitability about the catch and drive which saw Nathan Taylor drive over. McMahon still had to hold his nerve with the conversion but he landed his best kick of the game to take the spoils back West.

Nick Robinson