IT’S A FOURTH BONUS POINT VICTORY ON THE SPIN FOR LUCS
Bournville RFC v Luctonians RFC
Saturday 23rd September 2023 – Avery Fields
Match Reporter – Alex Smith
Luctonians continued their perfect start to the season, with a fourth bonus point victory on the spin, as they took down local rivals Bournville 29-38 in Birmingham, in a feisty encounter.
As with all their fixtures so far this season Lucs looked to have sowed up the victory inside an hour having lead 12-38, but did let the spirited hosts come back into things in the final 20 minutes to cause some degree of nervousness in the closing stages.
With the wind at their backs the men from Mortimer Park started the better, but took 14 minutes to get on the scoreboard, as Ben Link went over at the back of a driving maul for his fifth score of the season. Louis Silver would convert for 0-7 and this would be the first of four tries in a 17 minute spell that really made the game dead as a contest after just gone half an hour.
Rob Aikman scored the second on 20 minutes, as concerted Lucs pressure eventually told and he was freed on the right wing to score, before a cross-field kick from fly-half Tom Jones, put James Wheeler in on the left hand-side, for his fourth try of the season. Josh Watkins would go over three minutes later, with a lovely chip and collect for the bonus-point score and with Silver converting the last two tries, it took the game to 0-26 with 31 minutes gone.
Bournville would hit back on 36 minutes with an unconverted try from full-back Owen Williams off a first phase backs move, before Lucs would wrap up the half with a score from Silver as he snuck in close to a ruck in the left hand corner, for a lead at the break of 5-31.
Half Time Score
Bournville RFC 5 v 31 Luctonians RFC
The hosts would get the second period started in fine form as centre Sam Grimshaw ghosted around the Lucs defence for an easy score, which fly-half Jacob Fewtrell converted for 12-31, but the Herefordshire side would snuff out any real hopes of a comeback as Archie Benson crashed over on 48 minutes, with Silver once more converting for 12-38.
With Lucs ringing the changes, Bournville upped the anti and when Williams went over for his second, it gave them a glimmer of hope at 17-38 with 19 minutes to go. That glimmer became a lot brighter when Rhys Williams went over for a converted score on 70 minutes for 24-38 and the hosts really thought they had a chance when replacement Jack Fitzgerald scored with five minutes remaining. But Fewtrell would miss the conversion leaving it still at a two-score game, and Lucs would camp the rest of the game out in Bournville’s half to dampen the threat of any comeback and seal maximum points on the road once more.
Full Time Score
Bournville RFC 29 v 38 Luctonians RFC
With that win the Kingsland-based outfit consolidate their 2nd placed position in National League 2 West, as they and Exeter University remain split by points difference as the only two sides on maximum points after four rounds. Lucs will be well happy to have earned three of those four wins on the road to start and look to continue their fine form as they host Loughborough Students at Mortimer Park this coming Saturday.
Star Man
Conor Geraghty
Luctonians
