Strong second half showing by the league leaders ends Huddersfield’s unbeaten run.
After a closely contested first half hour Hinckley benefitted from a rub of the green refereeing decision which tipped the first half in their favour. The league leaders went on to produce a decisive display in the second period to end battling Huddersfield’s unbeaten run of five games.
The teams traded penalties in the first few minutes as they sounded each other out and tried to gain an upper hand. First on the scoresheet was Hinckley full back Calum Dacey with Huddersfield’s Harry Davey landing an equaliser on fifteen minutes.
Huddersfield took the lead when Davey scored his second penalty six minutes later. This followed a strong spell of pressure from the visitors in which Declan Thompson, well backed up by Richard Piper, had made an incisive centre field break. Jamie Skerritt, the Hinckley open side flanker, was shown the yellow card for his illegal role in halting the advance and Davey took the points.
With the wind in their sails Field continued the forward momentum and another fine break by Ben Morrill took play to within ten metres of the Hinckley line. At the breakdown Hinckley employed a little brinkmanship to stifle the Huddersfield attack and with the crowd expecting the referee to raise his arm and signal another penalty to them in front of the sticks play was allowed to continue.
Hinckley managed to clear their lines and with the assistance of some indifferent tactical play by Field ended up with a line out inside the 22 at the other end. From the take lock Alex Salt scored the first of his teams five tries which Dacey converted. A further penalty gave his team a 13 6 lead at the break.
After the re-start Huddersfield were put on the back foot and the deficit was doubled on fifty minutes. Hinckley fly half Tom Wheatcroft nipped over behind a strong scrum and Dacey added the conversion.
The Hinckley forwards were now beginning to dominate the set pieces making the job of getting back on terms a more difficult one for their visitors. However when Harry Davey took a neat interception and scampered through under the posts for try two possibilities opened up. His conversion took his team within a single score.
Fine individual tries by Hinckley winger James Martin and scrum half Joe Glover mid-way through the half followed and made the game safe for the league leaders.
Although a try by Piper with fifteen minutes to go raised hopes of an attacking bonus point it was Hinckley who ended up with the final score. A penalty had taken play inside the Hinckley 22 and Piper powered over from close range for Field to extend his scoring run to three in the last three matches. With two minutes remaining Hinckley replacement Joe Wilson had the last word in proceedings rounding off the match with a final try. Having received a tidy pass from the base of a good line out he made space for the touch down through a crowded defence.
Huddersfield pressed for another score in stoppage time with Hinckley penalised and pegged back but the home defence held firm.
