SCOTLAND LANE IS A TOUGH FORTRESS
Old Redcliffians RFC vs Luctonians RFC
Saturday 19th September 2026 – Scotland Lane
Match Report by Geoff Vickress
Never an easy ground to go to with its infamous slope, Scotland Lane, home of Old Redcliffians, has seen many a visiting side fall foul of a ‘match of two halves’. Old Reds ground is considered a tough fortress and, with a good crowd, they are a very tough opponent to beat at home.
Playing down the incline, some 15ft from the top to bottom, always appears to give the home team an advantage to build a score, with defending the hazard a mighty task.
Yet, Lucs were ready for the challenge and imposed themselves early in the game when Owien Harriott-Davis dotted down after only 4 minutes, following the home side’s indiscipline in their red zone, Owen Randell cleverly converted from a drop kick, as the ball fell off the tee, for Lucs to lead 0-7, playing down the advantageous slope.
And the Black and Whites were back over the white wash just 10 minutes later, as Ben Link scored another trademark try from the back of a driving maul, after Old Reds had been penalised once again for scrum infringements, and Lucs was dominant and able to drive them back at will. Owen Randell again converted for a Lucs lead, 0-14 on the quarter hour.
The home side reduced arrears after their first real period of possession when, after 19 minutes, they kept the ball alive despite Lucs being under a penalty warning in their 2, to feed Malachi Humphreys out wide to touch down; conversion missed (5-14).
The Lucs ‘scrum machine’ was giving the home side serious grief to which they had no answer. Caleb Montgomery was unlucky to have a score, following quick thinking from Owen Randell and George Bennett, ruled out. But, from the resultant 5 meter scrum, Lucs drove Old Reds back again and he was able to calmly dot down at the back of the pack. Randell again converted for a 5-21 advantage just before the half hour mark.
It was only 5 minutes later that another scrum penalty allowed Bryn Goodall to kick to touch, 5 meters out and, from the resultant driving maul, Ben Link went over for his second score of the game. Randell once again expertly converted for a Lucs lead 5-28 with half time fast approaching.
Old Reds managed to reduce the deficit two minutes before the teams went off for their half time motivational brief, when Humphreys went over at the back of a driving maul. Zac Tomlin converted to leave the scores at 12-28, as referee Dan Parrott pointed to the changing rooms.
Half Time Score
Old Redcliffians RFC 12 – 28 Luctonians RFC
The home side responded quickly to whatever was said during the interval when, from the restart, Lucs were penalised and, from the resultant line out maul, Oliver Stratton broke away to dive over; Tomlin converting for a 19-28 scoreline, with Old Reds now playing with the slope advantage.
Lucs defended stoically and, despite losing Dan Powell to a yellow card just after the hour marker, the home side couldn’t add to their tally. However, the Black and Whites could and did. Following great work initially by Charlie Grimes, followed by a charging break forward from Man of the Match Harry Whiteman, they had Old Reds on the back foot. A lovely loop pass from Bryn Goodall, out wide to Rob Bengry, allowed Bengry to scramble over to increase their lead to 19-33. The difficult conversion was missed, with just twelve minutes remaining on the hour glass.
Old Reds, despite plenty of possession, tried to run deep from their own half but could not make any ground against a superbly well organised Lucs defensive line in the final minutes and, when referee Dan Parrott, who also had a fine game, blew for time it was another 5 points for the Lucs.
Full Time Score
Old Redcliffians RFC 19 – 33 Luctonians RFC
Next week at Mortimer Park Luctonians will welcome Clifton, another one of the likely title contenders who, after having been relegated from National One, lead the table after 3 consecutive 5 point wins. However, Lucs are 4th, also having won 3 from 3 and just the one point behind.
Luctonians Man of the Match
Harry Whiteman
Luctonians Tries:
Owien Harriott-Davis (4); Ben Link (13,32); Caleb Montgomery (28); Rob Bengry (68)
Luctonians Conversions:
Owen Randell (4,13,28,32)
On our Facebook page, you can check out the Live scoreline, together with goal-line videos of the tries by Anthony Cotton and a grandstand view of the try highlights.
Video Capture Credit – Anthony Cotton, Luctonians
