Hinckley 24 – Taunton Titans 17

Taunton Titans were left to reflect on missed opportunities as they narrowly lost out to Hinckley in a hard-fought National 2 West encounter, despite a spirited second-half comeback.

The opening ten minutes saw Titans start brightly, controlling possession and putting the hosts under pressure. However, a loose pass proved costly as Hinckley capitalised on the error to score the opening try.

Two successive penalties conceded by Taunton handed the hosts further opportunities, and Hinckley took full advantage, crossing for a second try on 18 minutes to extend their lead to 12-0. A third try on 32 minutes left Titans facing an uphill battle at 19-0.

Taunton needed a response, and it came four minutes later. A well-executed lineout five metres from the Hinckley line provided the platform for a powerful driving maul, with Alfie Johns emerging to score Titans’ opening try. The conversion brought the half-time score to 19-7, giving the visitors renewed hope heading into the break.

With the breeze behind them and the slope in their favour on the narrow pitch, Titans knew a positive start to the second half was essential. They delivered just that, as another strong driving maul created the opportunity for Johns to claim his second try on 49 minutes. Tom Putt added the conversion, bringing the score back to 19-14 and setting up an intriguing final half-hour.

The next score was always likely to prove decisive, and Taunton created several promising opportunities to draw level or take the lead. However, Hinckley’s defence proved difficult to break down, while Titans also stood firm when called upon to defend their own line.

With the game finely balanced, Hinckley struck a crucial blow on 70 minutes. A turnover on Taunton’s 22 gave the hosts possession, and they made the most of the opportunity to cross for a fourth try, extending their advantage to 24-14.

Titans refused to give up, and Johns appeared to have completed his hat-trick when reaching for the line under the posts, only to be denied the score. With time running out, Taunton kicked a penalty to the corner in search of a late try, but Hinckley won the resulting lineout. The hosts then conceded a penalty, resulting in a yellow card, and Putt calmly added three points to secure Taunton a losing bonus point.

While the late penalty provided some consolation, Titans will feel there was an opportunity to take more from the contest after fighting their way back into the game. Their second-half performance demonstrated plenty of character, but Hinckley’s resolute defence and ability to capitalise on key moments ultimately proved decisive.

The league now takes a week-long break, with Taunton returning to action on Saturday, October 31, when they welcome Cinderford to the Somerfield Stadium for a 3pm kick-off.

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