LUCTONIANS have now lost for the ninth consecutive game and now face a huge game at Wharfedale next week.

The Kingsland side went down 25-18 at home to Sale and now go into their fixture at third-from-bottom Wharfedale really needing a win.

Sale were pinned back in their own half for the first quarter and it was no surprise when Ben Fowles went over for the home side, following excellent work from Joe Doyle.

Louis Silver converted to make it 7-0.

Sale then hit back with a Liam McGovern penalty before Lucs responded immediately.

Good work from flyhalf from Will Hodnett and Fowles out Silver in to score.

Silver missed the conversion, but Lucs led 12-3.

Sale's response was to push Luctonians deep into their 22 and, as half-time approached, they scored a try through Sam Stelmaszek to to go into the break 12-8 behind.

The away side upped the tempo at the start of the second half and Gareth Rawlings crashed over to take them into the lead.

McGovern missed the conversion and Lucs then went in frony with a Johnny Morris penalty.

But promotion-chasing Sale again came back and some slick passing led to Andrew Hughes to score a try; McGovern converting.

That made it 20-15 to the away side, but Morris kept Lucs in touch with a penalty in the 75th minute.

But late pressure saw Stelmaszek saw at the death to secure a bonus point win,.

Luctonians: Doyle; Grimes; Kelly, A Smith, Morris, Hodnett, Silver; Horner, Kirkby, White, D Smith, Morell,  Fowles, Monkley, S Jones.
Replacements: Powell, Street, Price, Hackley, T Jones.

Sale: McGovern; Neary, Moorhouse, S Rawlings, Leader, Johnson, Stelmaszek; Birchall, Longmore, Aigbokhae,G Rawlings, Postlethwaite, Hughes, Bache, Ailes.
Replacements: Sanderson, Platt, Davies, Edwards, Townsend.