Hinckley 45 Bournville 28 | 02.09.23

Hinckley 45 Bournville 28

 

Bournville were beaten by Hinckley’s powerful driving line-out in a testing start to the National Two West season at Leicester Road. 

Hinckley’s tactic of kicking penalties to the corner and then using their pack to win the line-out and rumble over from close range was predictable but effective and difficult for Bournville to defend legally. 

Hinckley hooker Dale Bowyer benefited most as he scored five of the six tries that came from line-out drives with the sixth being a penalty try awarded after Bournville were penalised for collapsing a maul. 

When Bournville were in possession they always looked dangerous and scored three tries through blindside flanker Chris Idehen, centre Sam Grimshaw and right wing Alex Evans while fly-half Jacob Fewtrell banged over two conversions and three penalties. 

But the try bonus point proved elusive on a frustrating afternoon for Bournville and the new coaching team. 

“We spoke about winning that middle third of the field and controlling the game and pushing into their half which is exactly what they did to us,” said Bournville head coach Matt Price. 

“When they put you in the corner and you don’t defend those driving lineouts you are not going to win a game. 

“It’s something that we have to look at. We have to change our approach slightly and we have to come back bigger and better then we were this week. 

“We spoke about not panicking in defence, sitting nice and tidy and winning that contact area. There were a couple of decisions that went for the home side a little bit which we will have a look at. 

“But when you give away a penalty you are going to lose field position, you are going to lose 30 or 40 yards and then you are up against it. 

“It’s disappointing but Dudley Kingswinford next week is a big one and we are looking forward to that. 

“The positives were that Sam Grimshaw had a decent game and our wingers were always a threat but we have got to get the ball to them a little bit quicker and more in space.” 

The sides traded points throughout the first-half with Idehen rounded off a patient and sustained attack and Grimshaw running in an interception try after he snaffled a stray Hinckley pass on the home 22. 

Fewtrell’s accurate kicking restricted Hinckley to a six points lead at the break despite Bowyer scoring four tries in 30 minutes but three tries in the third quarter proved decisive. 

Scrum-half Ben Pointon crossing from a close-range scrum, Bowyer scored his fifth before referee Jamie Parr awarded the penalty try. 

Bournville had the last word when Evans crossed on the overlap for an unconverted try to reward excellent handling and ball retention after Grimshaw had opened up Hinckley’s defence with another penetrating run. 

“We felt we had built really nicely in pre-season and we have. But as I said to the team at the end this puts a bit of a jolt into us and a kick up the backside to say this is what we need to do to compete at this level,” Price said.

“We will work on that and we will come back bigger and better.” 

 

Photography: Lee Sullivan
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