Hinckley 39 – 22 Lymm
1st Team Match Report | Saturday October 11 2025
Lymm bus hits the buffers at Hinckley
With the first 5 matches of the season having resulted in 3 wins and 2 highly credible bonus point losses on their ultra-long away trips, Lymm would have got onto the team bus on Saturday morning with considerable confidence of registering another strong performance. However, with Lymm having played Hinckley only twice before in the 2013-14 season, coming out second best on both occasions, it was recognised that the Midlanders were always likely to prove highly competitive opposition.
The Lymm squad showed 6 changes from the previous week, a balance of returnees in Joe Higgins, James Yates, Ben Thompson and Ste Pilkington and debutants in Dan McQuade and Joe Heaton – the latter two bringing to 11 the number of debutants Lymm have already fielded this season.
There was plenty of pre-match drama as the Lymm team bus, on being asked to repark by Hinckley officials, broke down in the entrance to the ground, preventing any vehicles from entering or leaving. If ever there was a portent for what was to follow…this was probably it!
In near perfect conditions, Hornets kicked off. In an opening period regularly punctuated by the sound of the referee’s whistle, both sides had their opportunities, with handling errors or dogged defence halting momentum. Hinckley also turned down chances to take an easy 3 points, and then on 10 minutes Tom Shard took the opportunity to open Lymm’s account with a long-range penalty. 0-3.
Shortly afterwards Hinckley were reduced to 14 men when fly-half Rory Vowles was yellow carded for a high tackle on Josh Hadland. However, rather than capitalising on their numerical advantage, Lymm were soon behind on the scoreboard as Hinckley’s rolling maul from an attacking line-out allowed number 8 Nick Tarr to score an unconverted try. 5-3 after 20 minutes.
Back came Lymm who through a series of phases had moved their way down the pitch and deep into Hornets’ territory. A powerful surge by Dylan Hodkinson, had the young second-row inches short; the recycled ball was then moved across the face of the posts where a short pass to Thompson split open the Hinckley defence, for him to score. Shard easily converting. 5-10 after 24 minutes.
Now looking confident, Lymm were soon back on the attack. However, a promising looking move broke down on the Hinckley 22 when a pass failed to go to hand. Hinckley reacted quickest to the dropped ball, securing possession and moving it the blindside where winger, Jamie Dutton, spotted a gap in the Lymm defence and showed his pace in covering the 75m to the Lymm line to score. Unfortunately for Lymm, in a last-ditch attempt to dislodge the ball Nathan Beesley, was adjudged to have made a high tackle and was sent to the sin bin. The conversion attempt by Vowles was unsuccessful. 10-10 after 29 minutes.
Then if it rains it pours…a comedy of errors in Lymm’s midfield on halfway led to another dropped ball, this time the ball was booted towards the Lymm tryline. Now missing one of their back three, Lymm were unable to recover, and Hinckley scored an easy, unconverted try. 15-10 after 31 minutes.
Half Time: Hinckley 15 – 10 Lymm
The reflection at half time was that the match had been a stop-start affair with the repeated sound of the referee’s whistle frustrating both sides. However, there was a sense that the two tries Hornets had scored by capitalising on Lymm errors, had probably given them considerable renewed belief and confidence.
It was Lymm though who came out strongest and they were soon attacking in the Hornets’ 22. From an attacking lineout Sam Wadsworth found his way through the Hinckley defence to cross the whitewash, only for the referee to subsequently reverse his decision to award the try due to some obstruction in the lead-up. However, play went back for a penalty to Lymm. From the subsequent line-out, the forwards took the ball close; Pilkington on the crash ball took it even closer; and then Wadsworth spotting room further out to the left outpaced the Hornets’ wide defence to score a try, which Shard converted. 15-17 after 46 minutes and Lymm had their noses in front.
Back came Hinckley, with centre Will Callan scoring a clever try from 30m from a “training ground move” from a lineout which exposed a big gap in Lymm’s defensive line. This 4th, bonus point, try was also unconverted – 20-17 after 50 minutes.
The “tit-for-tat” scoring continued with Hadland crossing for Lymm’s third try from a rolling maul. This time Shard’s conversion attempt narrowly failed to hit the mark. 20-22 after 59 minutes, and all to play for.
Back again came Hinckley – scrum-half Ben Pointon’s telling break from an attacking lineout found forward Josh Kent in support to cross for a try, again unconverted. Lymm’s lead had, again been short-lived – 25-22 after 64 minutes.
Surely now it was Lymm’s turn to score?….sadly not, as Hinckley broke the sequence when another planned move from a line-out found the Lymm defence wanting and winger Sam Read, raced into score to the left of the uprights. There was certainly some doubt as to whether the ball had been dropped in the act of scoring, but Lymm’s appeals fell on deaf ears. Finally, Hinckley registered some points with the boot. 32-22 after 70 minutes and Lymm had it all to do.
But it was Hinckley who completed the scoring for the afternoon when prop Matthew Browne scored “from inches” under the posts, which Vowles again converted. 39-22 after 75 minutes taking any remaining wind out of Lymm’s sails.
Full Time: Hinckley 39 – 22 Lymm
One positive thing as the final whistle sounded was the sight of the arrival of Lymm’s replacement bus for the trip home….
After the match, Director of Rugby Adam Fletcher commented:
“Really disappointing to come away with nothing. With 20 minutes to go and a 22-20 lead, we should have seen the game out but, unfortunately, we let it slip. Too many skill errors and missed one-on-one tackles made life difficult for us, but fair play to Hinckley – they took full advantage”
“On the positive side, I thought Josh, Dylan, and Ben Lilley all put in strong performances. Looking forward to getting back to Crouchley Lane next week”
Team: Ben Lilley (25); Rob Makin* (93); Joe Higgins* (30); James Yates* (140); Dylan Hodkinson (2); Ben Thompson (56); Max Ure* (2); Josh Hadland* (63); Tom Manaton (29); Tom Shard* (153); Paddy Jennings* (83); Sam Wadsworth* (45); Nathan Beasley* (95); Jack Reynolds (38).
Bench: James Pitcher* (95); Dan McQuade (1); Sam Wicks (5); Lewis Stewart (2); Joe Heaton* (1)
( ) = number of Lymm First XV League appearances
* Former Lymm Academy/M&J player
Referee: James Walker
Match Report: Andy Leach
Next Saturday Lymm are at home to Syston, KO 2:30.