With the clock deep into the red, full-back Luke Daniels broke Hinckley’s hearts as he squeezed into the corner, securing a hard-fought eleventh consecutive win for Clifton against a resilient Hinckley, who had led the scoring on three occasions.

The decisive try was superbly converted from the touchline by Clifton Sausage Man of the Match Ollie Milner, whose flawless kicking performance complemented his attacking flair. Strong-running centres Marcus Nel and Will Owen were pivotal in driving Clifton forward, supported by a committed team effort, with the pack excelling in both tight and loose play.

Hinckley, renowned for their defensive tenacity, have significantly improved their all-round game this season. Clifton’s determination to win was fuelled by the memory of their last defeat, which came at Hinckley back in October, and the knowledge that their next fixture is a first-versus-second showdown at Camborne.

An early Rory Vowles penalty was quickly overturned by two Clifton tries. Second-row Toby Hutchinson powered over to open Clifton’s account, followed by scrum-half Mitch Spencer, who capitalised on a disrupted Hinckley scrum to pounce on a bouncing ball.

Although Clifton appeared to gain the upper hand, the scoreline continued to swing. Rafe Witheat initially reduced the deficit before his team took the lead. After the interval, a well-executed move sent Billy Pasco over the line, with Vowles’ conversion putting Hinckley ahead. The lead shifted again when Spencer set up winger AK Kilbane for a try, only for Witheat to respond with his second score. Regular try-scorer flanker Jay Evans then crossed to keep Clifton in the contest.

The match, largely fought in midfield, had the crowd on edge. Two late Hinckley tries by Matt Guilfoyle and Callum Dacey, both converted by Vowles, along with an additional penalty, seemed to set the East Midlanders on course for victory.

However, Clifton refused to relent. Intense pressure on Hinckley’s line earned a penalty try, and Daniels’ late heroics clinched the win. This crucial victory secured second place in the league table and heightened expectations for Clifton’s trip to face league leaders Camborne.

WANDERERS 26 - 19 CHARD RFC 1st XV

The Clifton Wanderers secured a hard-fought 26-19 victory over Chard 1st XV in a thrilling Counties 1 Western North encounter at Station Road.

The match began on a shaky note for the Wanderers as an early mistake led to a Chard turnover, allowing the visitors to break from their own half and score under the posts. The successful conversion gave Chard a 7-0 lead just two minutes in.

The Wanderers responded swiftly through scrum-half Blake Boyland in the 8th minute. A quick show-and-go from a scrum on first phase caught the Chard defence napping, closing the gap to 5-7.

Midway through the half, the Wanderers’ attack began to click. After sustained pressure, winger Conor Sloan finished a well-executed move in the wide channels, with fly-half Luke Cozens adding the extras to put the Wanderers ahead 12-7.

The momentum stayed with the home side as No. 8 Rowan Tweedale powered over from close range in the 28th minute, following a series of pick-and-go drives. Cozens’ reliable boot extended the lead to 19-7, and the Wanderers entered halftime with a comfortable advantage.

The second half started with disruption for the Wanderers as injuries forced early substitutions, with Cal James replacing Tweedale and Will Lang coming on for Sam Pine. Despite this, the Wanderers extended their lead in the 52nd minute. Lock Dan Hodge crashed over from another close-range effort, with Cozens adding the conversion to make it 26-7.

Chard refused to back down and found a way back into the game with a converted try on the hour mark, reducing the deficit to 26-14. The visitors gained further momentum when Steff Kitchen was shown a yellow card in the 70th minute for a deliberate slap-down, leaving the Wanderers to defend with 14 men.

Chard capitalised on their numerical advantage with try in overtime, bringing the final score to 26-19.

The Wanderers’ ability to finish their 1st half chances proved decisive, though lapses in discipline and Chard’s spirited fightback kept them in the game until the final whistle.

Photographs by Ian Clark