Kesteven Rugby Club’s 1XV faced a formidable challenge in Round 8 of the Counties 1 league, going up against Hinckley 2XV, the reigning champions of the division. Hinckley's reputation as a top team was well known, and Kesteven knew they were in for a tough match. Despite an intense effort and a thrilling second-half comeback, Kesteven narrowly missed out, falling 24-29 but securing two valuable bonus points.

Hinckley wasted no time asserting themselves, opening the scoring just four minutes into the game with a converted try. They followed this up with another try four minutes later, which went unconverted, giving them an early 12-0 lead. Kesteven had a chance to respond when Henry Parker lined up a penalty in front of the posts, but the kick drifted wide, leaving Kesteven scoreless.

Kesteven's first breakthrough came at the 13-minute mark when winger Tom Wood capitalized on an assist from Ben Mitchell to touch down in the corner. Unfortunately, Parker’s conversion attempt went wide, but Kesteven was on the board at 5-12. However, Hinckley struck back almost immediately with a converted try, followed by a fourth extending their lead to 24-5 going into half time.

The second half saw a reinvigorated Kesteven side take the field, determined to claw back the deficit. Just five minutes into the half, Harry Norsworthy found the try line after a well-timed pass from Henry Parker, though the conversion was again missed. Still, Kesteven was inching closer at 10-24.

Hinckley responded with another unconverted try at the 61-minute mark, stretching their lead to 29-10. However, Kesteven’s fighting spirit shone through as captain James Cowley powered over from a tap-and-go penalty, with Parker adding the conversion to bring the score to 17-29.

In a tense moment at the 71st minute, both teams saw a player sent off with yellow cards following a heated exchange, reducing each side to 14 players. Despite the tension, Kesteven continued to press, and their resilience was rewarded when Olly Coyle crossed the line in the 75th minute, following a slick assist from Man of the Match Dan Turner. Parker’s conversion brought Kesteven within striking distance at 24-29.

Despite their best efforts, time ran out on Kesteven’s comeback. Although they narrowly missed out on the win, the team’s performance earned them two crucial bonus points—one for finishing within seven points and another for scoring four tries.

The match demonstrated Kesteven’s grit and determination, particularly in the second half, as they went toe-to-toe with the champions. With this spirited performance, Kesteven will take plenty of positives into their next fixture.

Final Score: Kesteven 24 - 29 Hinckley 2XV

Man of the Match: Dan Turner

Tries:
Tom Wood x1
Harry Norsworthy x1
James Cowley x1
Olly Coyle x1

Conversions:
Henry Parker x2