This was so much better from Hinckley! In a must-win game for two sides currently haunted by the threat of relegation, Hornets came away emphatic winners at Leicester Road on Saturday and leapfrogged their rivals in the league standings to move up to 12th.

It was not quite the romp that the scoreline might suggest, however, and there were periods in the game, particularly in the first quarter, when Hinckley were second best. Hornets struggled to get out of their own half in the first 15 minutes and then, having built a 19-7 lead as the half was coming to an end, wasted a gift-wrapped chance to go in 26-7 up with the bonus point secured and instead gave away a try at the other end to go in at the interval just 19-14 ahead with Macclesfield back in the game.

It would be churlish to be over-critical however. Hinckley grew in confidence as the game progressed and by the end were in absolute command, scoring four unanswered tries in the final quarter. The line-outs, previously an area of concern for Hornets, proved a happy hunting ground on Saturday with Hinckley holding the vast majority of their own ball and stealing Macc’s ball almost at will. The defence was sound, and held out the Blues for the last 25 minutes as they frantically went in search of the try which would have secured them a bonus point, and Hinckley’s backs had far more penetration than those in blue. All in all, this was the convincing win that Hinckley have been looking for throughout the season and will give them a tremendous boost to the confidence when they visit Exeter next week.

DOR Chris Campbell was heartened by the result ‘For the first time this year I felt we managed to bring all elements of our game together and deliver as close to an 80-minute performance as we have for a while. It wasn’t perfect, and our contact skills in the first half weren’t good enough at points and gave Macclesfield opportunities. But we were clinical in the 22, using a range of attacking methods and our cohesiveness in defence is improving.’

‘I thought Matt Guilfoyle at 10 was very good. We asked him to play a particular role and he did that. We still have work to do around the balance of kicking from 9 and 10 but today was an improvement. The maul stats say 2 scored and none conceded, again another improvement.’

‘But we are still miles off where we should be and the league table doesn’t lie. We are playing serious catch up and today means very little if we don’t deliver a performance in Exeter next weekend.’

Macc found themselves on top in the early minutes as Hinckley were starved of possession and repeatedly penalised for high tackles. But the storm was ridden without too many alarms and Hinckley almost went ahead from a break by Callum Dacey but the final pass was knocked on with the line beckoning.

It wasn’t long after that however that Hinckley did take the lead. A penalty just inside the Blues half was kicked to 15m and the drive to the line from the line-out proved unstoppable with Murray Davidson claiming the score.

Hornets made a hash of the restart though enabling the Blues to again exert pressure around the Hinckley 22m. Hinckley eventually conceded a penalty 10m from their line and quick thinking by Macc scrum Mason Winterburn, who proved a thorn in the Hinckley side all afternoon, saw him tap and go, darting through a ragged defence to score under the posts without a hand being laid on him. Harry Oliver added the extras and Macc, perhaps deservedly, were ahead but for the only time in the game.

It did not take Hinckley long to respond, however. A Hinckley line-out 35m from the Macc line was taken and carried to the Macc 22m. Ben Pointon broke from the back of a maul in typical Pointon fashion to scamper over for the score. Dacey added the extras and Hinckley were back in front after 23 minutes.

Jack Ramshaw drove home the advantage six minutes later after a Hinckley line-out drive from 15m was held but the pack eventually drove Ramshaw over for the score. Dacey, who had perhaps his most convincing performance to date from the tee, added the conversion.

Hornets were now on top. A superb Dacey break from halfway almost led to the bonus point but the referee pulled play back for a forward pass. A penalty line-out 8m from the Macc line should have secured the bonus point try but the ball was turned over on the line. But, frustratingly, just as the Hinckley faithful were beginning to feel comfortable, Winterburn, sniping from the back of a maul 10m out, pulled a try back for the Blues on the cusp of half-time to take the Blues in within one score.

It could have been a turning point in the game but this time, Hinckley did not buckle. The first score after the break was going to be crucial in the context of the game and it was Hornets that got it. Macc knocked on at the restart, Hinckley recovered the ball and several phases later Guilfoyle went over near the posts to give Dacey a simple conversion. Given recent travails, the relief of the home support was almost palpable.

Dacey added a penalty ten minutes later to extend the lead to three scores and two minutes after that Riley Gilbert broke from 30m out to add a fifth try.

Macc did respond with one of their own from Billy Birkett after Hornets had botched the restart but the rest of the game belonged to Hinckley.
Debutant Will Callan finished a delightful passing interchange after Hornets had recovered the ball inside their own half, and Dacey brought up the half century of points after a patient build-up from a line-out on the Macc 22m had seen Ramshaw grab his second try.

Jack Hewitt got in on the act after Hinckley had tapped a free kick awarded from a scrum on halfway, and run the ball to the line. Dacey’s kick from wide out went over to put some icing on the cake.

And finally, with time almost up, a penalty just inside the Macc half was kicked to 15m, Hinckley secured the ball and drove over the line. Oli Bee this time was the beneficiary. Dacey couldn’t make the kick but it hardly mattered. It was a confidence boosting win and one which the faithful hope can carry the men in black and amber to their first away victory of the season next week at Exeter.

Nick Robinson