Luctonians 35 v 26 Clifton
Luctonians RFC v Clifton RFC
Saturday 15th April – Mortimer Park
Match Reporter – Geoff Vickress
The home support was bouncing with this result, with Luctonians doing a deserved double over second in the league Clifton, in what was brutal tussle between two of the top four in National League 2 West. This result confirms Lucs’ position as 4th in the league which is their highest ever finish in the National league structure.
Luctonians Head Coach Ryan Watkins commented, “The effort from these lads has grown every week. It sets a tone for the club, and there is no reason why we can’t improve on this position next season”.
However, it was Clifton who started the brighter, when prop Ricardo Cano brushed his way over the try line after only two minutes; Blake Boyland converting for an early 0-7 lead. The game was scrappy with no quarter given for the next 20 minutes, with the tackling fierce and both sides guilty of poor line out conversion and conceding ball to their opponents regularly.
But it was the home side, spurred on by Mat Hackley on his 200th appearance for the club in National rugby, and club captain Joe White, which eventually saw the home side draw level, this time from a successful lineout where the home side’s driving maul found Connor Deignan at the bottom to touch down; Louis Silver converting to level the scores at 7-7 after 24 minutes.
Lucs full back Josh Watkins showed a clean pair of heels to the Clifton back line, when he raced onto a clever Silver dink kick from half-way only a few minutes later; Silver again converting as the home side moved into a 14-7 lead.
The brutal tackling of these two well matched sides was showing no sign of abating, and it was only when Clifton’s lively scrum half Blake Boyland spotted an opening on 34 minutes, to race through to score; Cozens adding the extras, to level the scoreboard. But the home side were not to be deterred and hooker Ben Link ran in the try of the game on halftime, following an excellent interaction between Parkes and Watkins for Lucs to send the home side in for oranges ahead 21-14; Silver again converting.
HALF TIME SCORE
Luctonians RFC 21 v 14 Clifton RFC
The spring sunshine was beaming down as the large crowd enjoyed their half time food and drink, and it was again Clifton who started the second half with some aplomb. Centre Dan Wells was over ,dotting down after only a minute’s play, to bring the scoreline within 2 points, conversion being missed. And Clifton were looking to race ahead with the game within another couple of minutes, when centre Will Owen showed his pace and power to crash through and score; Cozens again converting for the away side to lead 21-26 on 46 minutes.
But this Lucs side showed that they are no pushover, and they dug deep with the excellent flanker Archie Benson leading by example with some fine carries and a brace of crucial tackles. Lucs forwards coach George Thomas adding after the game, “The efforts of this young side personifies everything about the club. It was a scrappy performance by both sides, but we dogged it out and got a well-deserved result”.
Ben Link added his second try for the home side when he emerged at the bottom of another Lucs driving maul; Silver again immaculate with the conversion to lead 28-26 just before the hour mark for the home sides bonus point. And it was his front row colleague Connor Deignan, who added his second try when he ran in from a ruck from 10 metres out only 5 minutes later, with the faithful boots of No10 Tom Jones, this time, adding the extras (35-26).
Clifton showed why they have spent most of the season in the top four, giving the home side plenty to think about in the last 15 minutes, not least by keeping the home support chewing their nails as the Lucs defence heroically stood their ground to the end.
FULL TIME SCORE
Luctonians RFC 35 v 26 Clifton RFC
Luctonians were good value for this bonus point win and deservedly will finish the league in fourth place, but Clifton might rue this defeat, as they will need Luctonians opponents next week, Dings Crusaders, now up to second after their victory today v Newport, to lose at Mortimer Park. Clifton will travel to Loughborough University and will need to get a result. On this form they might be safe as Luctonians were once again impressive and are likely to give Dings no quarter in the end of season finale.
SCORERS
Luctonians
Tries: Deignan (22, 63), Watkins (27), Link (42, 58)
Conv: Silver (23, 28, 43, 59), Jones (59)
Clifton
Tries: Cano (2), Boyland (34), Wells (41), Owen 45
Conv : Cozens (3, 35, 46)
STAR MAN
Mat Hackley
Luctonians
TEAMS
Luctonians
Watkins, Grimes, Parkes, Bengry, Wheeler, Jones, Silver : Deignan, Link, White ©, Whiteman, Harriott-Davis, Benson, Robinson, Hackley
Replacements: Powell, Smith, Geraghty, Monk, Davies
Clifton
Hibberd; Ward Z, Ward M, Owen W, Wells, Hamid Z, Cozens, Boyland : Cano, Davey, Turner, Harper, Murphy, Owen J, Pearce, Talbot
Replacements: Sainsbury, Fincken, Myatt, Hamid S, Wu
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