Sat 11 Mar 2023, 15:00
Having taken seventeen points from the last twenty available Newport were confident of picking up a few more from their visit to Hinckley, the hosts having experienced a less than successful run of results over the same period. Alas, it was not to be as they could not reach the dizzy heights of previous weeks in what was all-in-all a lacklustre performance.
Friday night’s forecast suggested the match was unlikely to go ahead but much milder weather than predicted meant we were all good to go albeit on a sodden and gluey pitch.
Ricky Bailey returned from injury to take his place at full back and Matt Meek was free from his work commitments to resume front row duties.
Hinckley had the advantage of wind and slope first half and things could not have started much worse for Newport as the home side exerted the early pressure. Finn Barnes was yellow-carded after just four minutes for bringing down an advancing maul before a penalty try was awarded from the resultant scrum that also saw Nat Titchard-Jones despatched to the sin-bin reducing the visitors to just thirteen men and already on the wrong side of the scoreboard at 7 – 0 down. George Castledine was narrowly wide with a penalty attempt trying to use up some of the clock but just as Barnes and Titchard-Jones returned from the “naughty-step” impressive fly-half Rory Vowles took advantage of some shoddy tackling down the left touchline to go in from fifty metres out and extend the home advantage to 12 – 0.
Newport hit back almost immediately when Barnes was driven over after a repeat set of penalties allowed Jake Leonard to take Newport to within five metres and a textbook catch and drive try converted by Castledine to reduce the arrears to 12 – 7 after twenty-one minutes.
There was then what, perhaps, should have been a pivotal moment in the game when Hinckley wing Luke Hibberd was yellow carded for a “no arms” tackle on Bailey around half-way and then followed this up with a mouthful of abuse to referee Mr Caunt. There was only one outcome so after twenty-five minutes Hinckley would be forced to play out the rest of the game with fourteen men. Newport took immediate advantage as Leonard’s penalty took them to within five metres again at which point they produced an identical lineout drive, Josh Kent the beneficiary this time as he was shunted over by his pack. Castledine’s conversion hit the post so it was all square at 12 – 12 after twenty-six minutes. The impressive Oli Buckley was then forced off with an ankle injury making way for George Boughey. Newport’s scrum was creaking on the loose surface and Hinckley were starting to get the benefit of Mr Caunt’s penalty awards and with advantage being played from one such decision Hinckley spun it left and Matt Guilfoyle crossed, Joe Wilson adding the conversion to make it 19 – 12. Just before the break another infringement saw Meek given a yellow card which meant both teams would start the second period with fourteen men.
With Hinckley having to play out the game a man down and Newport having both wind and slope in their favour the visitors would be confident of turning round the seven point deficit but it was not to be. Hinckley reverted to type and stuck it up their jumper whilst Newport huffed and puffed trying to get their hands on the ball. The backs, who have been so slick and clinical in previous weeks, just couldn’t string anything together to trouble the home side. Nick Yeoward, on in place of Charlie Gamble, appeared to win his own kick chase and whilst the try was initially awarded it was ruled out, quite rightly, after discussion with the linesman, for a knock on.
Other than Dan Brough going close a couple of times on the left that was the only time that Newport were able to threaten and it was no surprise when Hinckley extended their advantage with a catch and drive try that saw far too many Newport forwards stood out rather than getting their weight in to halt the advancing Hinckley maul, Oscar Harper’s score converted by Joe Wilson to make it 26 – 12 and the game, if it hadn’t already, quickly slipping away.
In an attempt to try and rescue a losing bonus point for their troubles Newport became desperate and in trying to run the ball from under their own posts spilled the ball, not for the first time, and Hinckley snaffled up the spoils, Mitch Lamb going in under the posts for Wilson to tack on the extras and the score-board now read 33 -12. A further late penalty from Wilson on the final play brought the game to a close at 36 – 12.
In truth there are very few positives to take out of this game but they will have to re-group quickly for next week’s crucial visit of Redruth which is their game in hand over some of the other clubs down in the bottom half. In other news, Barnstaple were beaten at Clifton, Hornets fell at home to Luctonians, Bournville picked up two points at Loughborough Students and Stourbridge registered their first win in seventeen games, all of which means this defeat hasn’t impacted too much on Newport’s ability to stay in the division, as they remain eleven points clear of the drop zone.
Yes, five games left, four of which are at home but Newport will have to be a lot better than they were on this chilly day in Leicestershire.
Written by: Chris Wilde
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