Lymm 26 – 32 Hornets
1st Team Match Report | Saturday March 14 2026
Lymm stung by Hornets….again!
On Saturday, Lymm entertained Hornets from Weston-super-Mare for their first ever visit to Crouchley Lane. In the reverse fixture back in November, Hornets had prevailed by 8 points after taking the initiative from Lymm with two quick tries immediately after half-time and denying their visitors any bonus points with a penalty goal from the last kick of the match. As it turned out there were some similarities in how events unfolded this time, albeit Lymm did secure two bonus points in a hugely competitive and entertaining match.
The Lymm squad showed two changes from the previous outing with the injured Cal Morris and suspended Tom Elphick being replaced by Andy Williams and Jack Stride, the latter for a first appearance in the unfamiliar position of blindside flanker.
After a fairly evenly balanced first 5 minutes, Lymm then enjoyed a 20-minute purple patch in which they dominated their opponents scoring three unanswered tries in the process. The first, on 6 minutes, started with a dominant Lymm scrum winning a penalty in mid-field which took play into Hornets’ 22. Lymm were now testing the Hornets’ defence with first Oli Higginson, then Stride making good yards. A few phases later and the ball ended up in the hands of Tom Shard, who put in a grubber kick behind Hornets’ defence. The winger under pressure from Paddy Jennings failed to deal with the awkwardly bouncing ball, and the Lymm winger was able to gather the ball and score, 5m in from the left-hand touchline. Shard’s excellent conversion had Lymm 7-0 up after 7 minutes.
10 minutes later and Lymm were again pressing in Hornets’ territory. A half-break by Tom Manaton took play into Hornets’22. The ball was then moved left where Cormac Nolan broke through the defence before being hauled down a meter short of the tryline. A couple of drives by the Lymm forwards were then inches short and when the ball was then moved back to the right, a long pass found an unmarked Jack Reynolds who scored a couple of metres in from touch for an unconverted try. 12-0 after 17 minutes.
Another 10 minutes and Lymm then scored the try of the match. A knock-on by Hornets under the Lymm posts, gave Lymm a scrum from which it was assumed they would use the boot to clear their lines and move play upfield. However, Lymm had other ideas and Ste Pilkington went on a diagonal run towards his left wing, breaking through the first line of defenders, then linking with Jennings just inside the Lymm half. The Lymm winger now went on his own run beating would be tacklers and moving play infield. When he was eventually hauled down, Jennings found the supporting Rhys Lilly on his shoulder who was able to run in virtually unopposed from 22m to score under the posts, presenting Shard with an easy conversion. 19-0 after 27 minutes.
5 minutes later and Hornets scored an excellent try of their own. A Lymm clearing kick was collected by the Hornets winger, Owen Griffith, who ran it back deep into Lymm territory. After a couple of forward drives, the ball was moved slickly towards the right wing, where an inch-perfect pass found the grateful arms of captain Connor Vickery, who was able to outpace the covering Lymm defence and score from 20m. Although Jack Gapper’s conversion narrowly missed, Hornets were now up and running and, in similar fashion to the earlier fixture between the two teams were soon backing this up with another score.
From a scrum on halfway, the Hornets backs showed strong running to take play towards the Lymm 22. A few drives by their forwards then had the Lymm defence under considerable pressure, eventually allowing centre Adam Francis to score a try which Gapper converted. In just 5 minutes, Hornets had showed why they had comprehensively beaten league leaders Cambourne in their previous outing. 19-12 after 37 minutes.
Although there was no further scoring in the half, Lymm suffered another blow in the remaining 3 minutes when Max Ure was forced from the field with a leg injury.
Half Time: Lymm 19 – 12 Hornets
Shortly after restart, Lymm were awarded a penalty just inside their own half. The kick to touch gave Lymm an attacking lineout on Hornets’ 22. The ball secured, it was moved through a couple of pairs of hands to Reynolds who cutting back towards the touchline jinked his way past 3 or 4 defenders before offloading to Stride, who had a simple run in from 5m to score under the posts, and the try bonus point was secured. Shard’s conversion took the score to 26-12 after 42 minutes.
The comfort that the Lymm supporters now felt with a 14-point cushion on the scoreboard was, as it often has been, short lived. Lymm failed to deal with the restart handing Hornets a line-out on Lymm’s 22. An error at the lineout gave Lymm a scrum, but despite initially winning the ball, possession was turned over to Hornets allowing Number 8, Corey Baker, to run into score a converted try from 15m. 26-19 after 45 minutes. Unfortunately for Lymm, captain Higginson was injured in the lead up to the try which ended his participation in the match.
On 51 minutes, Hornets had their bonus point try when second row Tom Bailey forced his way over from close range and, although Gapper failed with his conversion attempt, on 63 minutes he did add 3 points with a penalty goal, putting Hornets in the lead for the first time in the match 26-27.
Errors were now creeping into Lymm’s game, and they were spending less time in their opponents’ territory. However, on one incursion Lymm were awarded a penalty, but Shard’s attempt – which would have put Lymm back in front – agonisingly drifted to the right of the posts. Then on 74 minutes, Hornets scored the try which, ultimately, decided the match when centre Vickery was able to arc round the Lymm defence to score just in from the right hand touchline. The unconverted try took the score to 26-32.
With one minute on the clock Hornets were awarded a penalty 40m out and 5m in from the left-hand touchline. The ambitious attempt at goal fell short and Lymm ran the ball out of defence. Although they kept the ball alive crossing into Hornets’ territory, Hornets forced an error which brought the match to an end.
Full Time: Lymm 26 – 32 Hornets
Lymm will no doubt be very disappointed that having seemingly been in control of the match after 30 minutes they let the 4 points for a win slip away from them.
Team: Ben Lilley (40); James Pitcher* (110); Matty Hand* (134); Max Ure* (16); Ben Thompson (67); Rhys Lilly* (91); Jack Stride* (36); Oli Higginson* (c) (298); Tom Manaton (45); Tom Shard* (162); Paddy Jennings* (99); Jack Reynolds (47); Ste Pilkington* (102); Andy Williams* (27); Cormac Nolan* (221).
Bench: Dal Ngoma (16); Josh Maskery (7); Lewis Stewart (9); Joe Heaton* (17); Alfie Simpson* (54).
( ) = number of Lymm First XV League appearances
* Former Lymm Academy/M&J player
Referee: Peter Connor
Match Report: Andy Leach
Lymm’s next fixture is on Saturday 21st March 2026 when they travel to Taunton, KO 3:00.