Hinckley crashed to a fourth successive defeat at Hutton Moor Road on Saturday in what must rank as one of the most bizarre games yet seen in their league history. From coasting to a comfortable victory at 28-0 as the first half was drawing to a close, Hinckley conspired to concede 64 unanswered points in what could only be described as an absolute capitulation. It was only two tries in the last three minutes by the ever-alert Callum Dacey, by which time Hornets in their heads had retired to the clubhouse for a post celebration of perhaps the most dramatic turn round of fortune in their history, that gave the final scoreline some suggestion of respectability. In the end, Hinckley were hammered!

It is difficult to draw any conclusion from the final score other than that Hinckley were not good enough. But the evidence of the first 30 minutes, when Hinckley were in total control and ran in four converted tries without once having their line threatened, completely refuted that case. As an observer, one can only feel that there is something more fundamental behind such a collapse. This is not a lack of ability but a lack of belief and/or a lack of desire.

Few players came out with much credit from that disastrous final fifty minutes. There were a few exceptions – Callum Dacey stood out, Nigel Mukerati, as always, gave his all, Mitch Lamb and Ben Pointon never gave in – but there is little doubt on the basis of this performance that this is now a team in crisis. Hinckley have now won only one of their last 12 league outings and on the basis of this performance, against a team who had themselves not previously recorded a victory this season, it is difficult to see where the next win will come from There is still time to address the situation but serious questions need to be asked if Hinckley are not to become embroiled in a relegation dogfight.

Director of Rugby Chris Campbell was no less confused by the collapse than the rest of the crowd but did not hide from the issues raised. ‘I’ve never been part of a game like that! In that first 30 minutes we played some of the best rugby, in all areas of the game, that we have played in years, but then it all turned and although we know Hornets are a very dangerous team, we helped them turn it.’

‘I said to the players after the game that I expect everyone to take responsibility and to be prepared to be held accountable. At the same time. However, we need to remain a team and to work to improve as a team. We are in a scrap right now, no point in hiding it, and the way out of it is for us all to work together.’

Hinckley started confidently and were in front after just seven minutes after Dacey had made ground from halfway and solid, patient approach work was finished off by Mitch Lamb cutting back inside for the try. Louis Haley converted.

There was concern when Jack Ramshaw had to leave the field with a dislocated shoulder on the quarter hour, and when Haley missed what looked a simple penalty from 30m, but neither event seemed to disrupt Hinckley’s progress. Haley set up a Hinckley line-out on the Hornets
22m, the ball was sent right and Mukerati forced his way over after another series of well executed phases.

Matt Guilfoyle was next in on the act after Devon Coulson had collected a loose ball on halfway and made good ground before releasing the ball wide where Guilfoyle was the beneficiary of a massive overlap.

Dacey grabbed his first four minutes later with a quick tap and go from 5m out and when Haley added his fourth conversion all seemed rosy in the Hinckley garden after half an hour with the bonus point secured and Hornets looking a beaten side.

Then it turned! An overthrown Hinckley line-out on the Seasiders 22m was seized by Hornets, fed wide and wing Josh Sheppard grabbed his first. Two minutes later, he had his second after Hinckley had lost the ball in their own 22m, and full-back Charlie Carter, who had an outstanding game for the Hornets, added a third try for Hornets from a short line-out. 0-28 had become 21-28 inside seven minutes and Hinckley were in turmoil and desperate for the interval.

Hinckley needed to score early to stem the Hornets’ momentum but when Keifer Laxton was carded two minutes in, the gate was opened for Hornets to capitalise. The equalizing try came on 47 minutes from another catch and drive followed just six minutes later by Hornets taking the lead from a tap and go penalty 10m out from the Hinckley line after the Hinckley scrum had been penalised for pulling the scrum down.

From that point on it was utter carnage. Hinckley conceded no less than five tries in a fifteen-minute spell as Hornets extended their lead to 64-28 in what was simply a catastrophic period of play for Hinckley. Discipline collapsed with penalties being conceded like confetti. Connor Adams and then Coulson were both carded (the former within two minutes of entering the fray), and Hornets simply ripped the Leicester Road men to shreds.

At 64-28, with only five minutes left, much of the Hinckley support had already retired to the Clubhouse to drown their sorrows but Callum Dacey still had time for a cameo performance that brought him two tries and his hat-trick. The first was a lovely break from the Hornets 22m after Hinckley had won a free-kick from a scrum; the second came from a quick tap on halfway and a nice interchange between Ben Pointon and Dacey allowed Dacey to stroll in for his third. He also converted both tries himself. It was a pleasant end to what had otherwise been a depressing afternoon for the Hinckley men.