LUCTONIANS director of rugby Alex Davidson admitted his side had a "reality check" after losing 49-32 to rivals Stourbridge in National League Two North.

Lucs were brilliant going forward, but gifted too many tries against a strong Stourbridge side.

"We've proved we can score the tries and our defence lapses can easily be put right," said Davidson.

"We will take that one on the chin and use it as a learning curve in a game that we weren't necessarily banking on winning and go again.

"We've had a really positive preseason and it will be nice to have a reality check now and get to the games that we should win later on.

"Tongue in cheek, I said we were on eight points in mid November last year, so considering we're on five already is not too bad.

"It's just to identify those areas that we can put right and we've now 28 games left to have a go."

Davidson was impressed with Stourbridge's performance and think they could be at the top end of the division come the end of the season.

"I'm not sure if they've got too much depth, but the starting 15 they put out there more than matches up front, which is where we pride ourselves and they obviously had the answers out wide to score," he said.

"They've put together another fit, strong squad with a bit of experience and they did the right things at the right times.

"I was pleased with our guys going forward and at the start of the game, we were the better of the teams.

"But we took our foot off the gas mentally, if not physically, after every score we put on the board which allowed them to get back in front and they exposed that before half time.

"You've got to be twice as good after you've scored but we relaxed and every time we let them back in."

Luctonians opened the scoring after only three minutes when Joe Doyle a fantastic breakaway try after being set up by Frank Kelly.

But Louis Silver, normally very good with the boot, sliced the conversion wide.

Stourbridge got back into the game straight away thanks to a Luke White penalty before the flyhalf kicked over another one to put the away side 6-5 ahead.

Silver made amends for his earlier miss by slotting over a penalty in the 17th minute, but that was the last time Lucs found themselves in the lead.

Excellent ball work saw winger Joseph Bridger score out wide for Stourbridge, with White adding the extras.

Lucs then had a couple of tries disallowed by referee Sara Cox, which at the time, would have given Lucs real hope that they could go on and win the game.

But it was Stourbridge who took the game by the scruff of the neck.

A penalty from White was followed by a a Billy Harding try.

White, who was brilliant with the boot all afternoon, added the conversion to put the away side 25-8 ahead.

Lucs reduced the deficit with a Will Hodnett try, but there was time for White to convert a Benjamin Tibbetts try for Stourbridge on the stroke of half time.

Luctonians flew out of the blocks after the break with a Tom Jones try, converted by Silver.

But Stourbridge immediately hit back with a breakaway George Tildsley touchdown; White converting.

After 52 minutes, White converted Joseph Heatley's try before Charlie Grimes scored his first try for Lucs.

Silver later converted Hodnett's second try of the day, but it was Stourbridge who had the last word when Heatley scored a late try.