Hinckley just fell short against table-topping Camborne in another pulsating encounter at Leicester Road that again went right to the wire. In murky conditions, a brace of tries for Sam Read, plus additional scores by Oli Bee, Mitch Lamb and Will Callan, was not quite enough to overcome a Camborne side unbeaten in their last seven games and who now seem odds-on to take the championship this year. That said, Hornets gave the Cornishmen a real fright and were leading with just 15 minutes remaining, only to concede two converted tries from hooker Ben Priddey, both off the back short-range rolling mauls. Read grabbed his second try in the dying minutes to set up a final assault but Camborne are much too professional a side not to simply play out time to secure the win. Some consolation for the home side was that ‘Man of the Match’ Callum Dacey was the outstanding player on the pitch amongst two squads of high-class performers.

Defence Coach Ben Avent was impressed with the commitment and effort his men put in but highlighted issues that the team need to resolve if they are going to fulfil their potential. ‘We put in a really spirited performance today. The lads gave everything, putting their bodies on the line from start to finish. We played some great attacking rugby and showed real intent going forward, which is exactly what we wanted to do against a strong side like Camborne.’

‘But once again, discipline and errors cost us at crucial moments. We gave them too many opportunities, and at this level, you can’t afford to do that. We need to be better at managing the game, especially in those final stages. Closing out games has been an issue for us, and it’s something we have to improve if we want to turn these close matches into wins.’

It was ultimately a frustrating defeat for the Leicester Road men who again went so close against a top performing side but, in the early minutes, it had looked like Hinckley may be facing a landslide. Camborne are by far the highest points scorers in the division and showed why when Hinckley conceded a scrum in their own 22m from the kick-off. Some delightful running lines led to wing Alex Ducker crossing for the opening score with nonchalant ease after just two minutes. Kyle Moyle added the conversion.

Rory Vowles responded with a penalty for Hinckley a couple of minutes later but then Moyle added two of his own, the second an impressive long-range effort from just inside the Hinckley half, to take the score to 3-13 with just 12 minutes played.

That became 3-18 a couple of minutes later when wing Jack Davis crossed after the ball had quickly been despatched right from a Camborne short-range line-out after Ollie Bee had been carded. It was all looking too easy for the visitors.

But Hornets did then begin to show their true colours and were rewarded just three minutes later from a short-range penalty line-out of their own. The initial drive was held but when the ball was released a nice interchange of passes saw Read able to cut back inside for the try. Vowles converted.

Ten minutes later the lead was cut to a single point. Hinckley were held up over the line after opting to take a scrum from a penalty 10m out from the Camborne line and the chance seemed to have been lost. But Callum Dacey fielded the drop-out kick in his own half and sensationally broke the line and made 40m deep into the Camborne 22m. Ollie Bee was in support to take the pass and claim the score. Again, Vowles converted.

Camborne came back again with another well executed catch and drive from short-range (Ben Priddey got the score) after Hornets had conceded a series of penalties in their own 22m and when Moyle converted the lead was back to eight.

But again Hinckley responded. On the cusp of half-time, Mitch Lamb crashed over from short-range after a catch and drive had been illegally stopped by Camborne and Vowles brought it back to one point. The referee blew shortly afterwards to end what had been something of a frenetic half with both teams showing their attacking intent to good effect and all to play for.

Hinckley took the lead for the first time in the match shortly after the restart when Vowles knocked over a penalty from 30m but it was short-lived.

A Camborne line-out just inside the Hinckley half was sent down the line and centre Joshua Matevesi set off on a devastating run from his own half, shrugging off several attempted tackles en-route, before off-loading 15m out to flanker Adam Hughes to go over for the try. Moyles’ conversion made it 27-30.

Back came Hinckley with a try again made by Dacey. Fielding the ball on his own 10m line, in a run not dissimilar to that of Matevesi, he eluded several tacklers to take the ball to the 22m line before off-loading to Will Callan to claim the glory. Vowles converted to make it 34-30 with 19 minutes remaining and victory beckoning.

Hornets, however, continued to attract the displeasure of the referee and Camborne exploited the fact to set up two brilliantly executed catch and drive opportunities within ten minutes, both finished by Priddey to give him a hat-trick.

A ten-point lead with just five minutes to go was, in retrospect, too much to make up, especially against a side who know how to grind out a win, but Hinckley did at least make a stab at it and it was Dacey again who was the catalyst. Another outstanding break from halfway took him to within 5m, the ball was recycled and Vowles chipped to the wing where Read took the catch and ran in for a simple try. There were still two minutes remaining but Cambourne were in no mood to let things slip and the game slipped away.

Camborne are a very good side - their league position does not lie – and the referee did not do Hinckley any favours in the 50-50 situations. That said, Hinckley have it in them to win games of this nature. They simply need to convert potential into reality.

Nick Robinson