GOING 18 points ahead within a minute of the restart, all thoughts were on Tynedale returning to winning ways to put the pressure on leaders Stourbridge.

But the home side were stunned as they ended up with just a losing point from their game with Hinckley, the visitors moving above them into second in the table on points scored only.

In the end, Tyne were ruing their decisions to turn down a couple of kickable penalties in a strong wind, instead trying to play their way over the line.

But the points on the board could have proved the difference, as was proven when a kick two minutes from time won it for Hinckley.

This was a close game and exciting between two teams each using its relative strengths: our exciting backs against a team with strength in a bigger pack.

With the wind howling, line-outs were upset and restart kicks wayward, but neither side seemed to include the conditions in their game plan.

While Tynedale had the winds at their back during the first half, they were under pressure from Hinckley's significantly stronger forwards.

It took a great break from Guy Pike to relieve the pressure on 10 minutes, but his promising run was halted by a high tackle.

Tynedale lost the resulting line-out after finding touch from the free kick, but they were in the ascendancy and three points clear when Ash Smith hurtled the ball in between the posts from a penalty.

Smith missed with his attempt from close to midway soon after, but it seemed immaterial when Tynedale opened up a 10 point lead.

Oli Walker broke at pace and played James Spencer in wide, his try converted by Smith to put the hosts firmly in the driving seat.

Tynedale continued to attack at all opportunities, and they were further ahead when Smith was successful with his 10 metre kick from another penalty.

As the half drew to a close, Scott Powell was yellow carded but the numbers were evened up a minute before half time with Hinckley's Joe Glover joining him in the sin bin.

It was at this point that Tynedale won two penalties which seemed within Smith's capabilities, but the decision was to kick for touch.

While the five metre line-out was run and Tynedale crossed the whitewash after a prolonged attack, the ball wasn't grounded and it remained 13-0 at the interval.

When Spencer scored his second out wide immediately after Hinckley got the second half under way, it seemed that Tynedale were out of sight with a commanding 18 point advantage.

But the visitors' powerful and pacy forwards had other ideas, and hadn't given up hopes of matching their opponents' record of seven wins for the campaign.

Just as Powell returned to the play to see Tynedale back to full complement, Gareth Turner went over for Hinckley to get the away side up-and-running.

Joe Wilson added the conversion, and he further reduced arrears with a successful penalty on 62 minutes.

Alex Salt burst over for Hinckley's second try on 73 minutes despite the best efforts of Rob Parker, and Wilson's conversion saw the deficit to a single point.

The 100 per cent accuracy from the tee by Wilson then ensured the points belonged to the Leicestershire side, earning his side the narrow victory as he produced the match winning kick from another scrum penalty just outside Tynedale's 22.

Tyne have a chance to get back to winning ways when they entertain struggling Sheffield at Corbridge on Saturday.

But their guests will be buoyed by a first win of the season after a run of eight defeats, the victory coming in the 20-14 victory over Blaydon.

Saturday's game kicks off at the earlier time of 2pm.