Hinckley entertained Birmingham and Solihull at Leicester Road for possibly their first recent league meeting. Some personnel changes were evident in the home side line up with Steve Harvey gaining a first start of the season and Mark Deaville restored to the second row. Matt Fearn moved to flanker with Ben Avent, Phil McQueen and Alex Norris making up the bench.

On a glorious sunny day on a super pitch “The Bees” kicked off down the slope and monopolised the early possession and threatened the home try line. Gradually Hinckley weathered the storm and combined together to put captain Alex Salt into the right hand corner for the games first try. It seemed that both forwards and backs were all involved with some slick hands proving too much for the visitors. Unfortunately Mark Lord couldn’t add the touchline conversion.
Bee’s scrum half Jack Jolly had a penalty attempt pushed wide then another good combination play from Hinckley secured their second try through Callum Dacey - his first for the 1st XV. Lord converted to move the home side out to a 12-0 lead. From a Lord steal in midfield the ball was moved first left then right for Sam Driver to run strongly and squeeze into the corner to increase Hinckley’s lead to 17-0. Lord added a fine touchline conversion for 19-0.
Jolly got the Bee’s on the scoresheet with penalty, but Salt added his second try after a forthright Hinckley forward drive had splintered the visitor’s pack. Lord converted the bonus point gaining try as half time was reached with Hinckley in the ascendancy leading 26 points to 3 points.

Hinckley were expected to kick on at the beginning of the second half, but seemingly switched off and the Bee’s exploited the situation. Some strong forward play by the visitors, while both Matt Fearn and Bee’s Matt Spink were in the bin, resulted in a penalty try for the visitors routinely converted by Jolly. Hinckley 26 Bee’s 10.
On the hour Alex Norris replaced Driver while Phil McQueen came on for Harvey. Lord settled the Hinckley ship with a long range penalty while Joe Glover broke clear to score the home side’s fifth try for a 34-10 lead. Lord missed the conversion, but was on hand minutes later to put the strong running Mitch Lamb through a hole as the bee’s defence went AWOL. Lord converted to conclude the scoring with Hinckley taking the game 41 points to 10.

Another strong collective performance from Hinckley except for the first quarter of the second half. Currently standing second in the league having scored more and conceded less than any other side Hinckley visit Bromsgrove next week for no doubt another close tussle at Finstall Park.