Sat 7 Feb 2026, 14:00
A case of cup fever as having secured a place in the National Cup Quarter final last week the Men’s XV were looking to do one better this weekend and secure a semi-final spot in the President’s Cup. With fixtures cancelled left and right due to flooding (good old resilient Platts) it was safe to say it would be unclear as the type of team Sileby would be facing. Turned out, a few 4s and a few 3s.
Game was a bit scrappy.
First 10 minutes Hinckley had the better of the opportunities, only two try saving tackles meaning the scoreboard remained untroubled. First, a simple play off first phase scrum found the edge and their right wing was set free. Full Back Zak Loveridge brought him down. Then following an indiscretion the away side had a 5m line out. A trick play to the front and the Hooker was away, the try line at his mercy. Only for Hooker Ash Rideout to shut the door, forcing the knock on which would allow for the Vikings to clear.
Things did start to turn the home teams way. First an error allowed Mayes to collect a spilled ball in the midfield. A phase later Fly Half Mattie Lewis spotted an empty backfield and collected his chip through to seemingly dot down. Somewhat incredulously, the referee saw it different (this would be a theme). A few phases later Lewis would split the defence and send through Flanker Dave Maguire, only for the ball to be spilled on the offload.
Momentum swing again, the yellow and blacks threatening again with incisive breaks from within their half. Following one such break Loveridge was adjudged to have impeding the chasing line of the Hinckley Full Back, allowing the first opportunity of points. However, the attempt went wide. A ball would bobble around the Sileby half for a few minutes until Hooker Rideout forced the turnover on the floor. Centre Dan Clarke offloaded to Maguire, Maguire put Lewis in space and the Fly Half put on the after burners to score. 7-0.
Not much more to report on from a rugby perspective in the first half, both teams had some territory and possession but a combination of sloppiness or good defence meant the scorers were not troubled. It was a memorable end of the half for Rideout who was the recipient of some foul play by the opposition Scrum Half right in front of the referee. Despite stand in captain Jon Griffiths best efforts (usual skipper Ross was at the theatre), the referee chose leniency in only brandishing a yellow card and then gave the penalty to Hinckley?
Second half then. Sileby were starting to turn the screw. The opposition were strangled of any kind of real territory, and when in possession the Vikings were beginning to expose the outside channels. Clarke was inches away from a walk in as a pass from Griffiths could only be caught at fingertips, meaning a stumble. It was however a turnover which would once again be the source of the next score. Much to the delight of his teams mates and the home support stand in Scrum Half Greenbury levelled his opposite man allowing Rideout the jackal opportunity. The penalty one, a quick tap and Lewis was once again put through to score unopposed.
The rest of the game was pretty much one way traffic, baring one incursion into the Vikings 22 which was turned over at the maul. A tiring away team were starting to lose control of possession, and a turnover in returning a kick established Vikings with field position. A few phases later Second Row Josh Sawbridge, who had been a menace at the line out all day, picked up a bobbling ball and fed Rideout. Rideout to Clarke and Griffiths would hit the line at pace and go under the sticks. Another spilled piece of away team possession meant an unstructured defence, and Greenbury would spot a gap around the fringes to score the next. 31-0.
It could have been more. Twice Maguire was denied by the referees whistle. The first was fair enough, Griffith’s pass was forward. The second definitely was not, replacement Prop Kian Wright have beaten 2 or 3 to offload. Sigh The game ended with some more fun with the referee and out favourite opposition player. This time, the infringement was a no arms tackle on Griffiths which in any other minute of the game would have been a yellow card. However as it was Full Time and presumably the Hinckley player’s birthday the referee decided that some stern words were enough. Shrug.
Onto a semi final!
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