LUCTONIANS captain Alex Smith is confident his team can turn around their mini slump and climb the National League 2 North table.

The Kingsland side have lost their last six games, including an agonising 28-25 defeat against South Leicester on Saturday.

A stoppage time drop goal by Alex Aley won the match for the away side after Lucs clawed their way back into the game.

"The feeling in the squad had been massively good throughout the week and we've all had a look in the mirror as players because we know it's on us," said Smith.

"We've just got to turn it around now and I'm confident we will.

"This is a good squad and the boys have proved they've got the fight for it.

"We've got tough games to come but we'll certainly turn sides over if we play like that week in, week out."

Smith believes Lucs have been 'a bit spoilt' this year in terms of the coaching they have and sometimes the team expect things to happen for them.

"We have a really decent squad here this year, so potentially the boys have relaxed a little bit without having that edge which we've always had and relied on," said Smith.

"It should always be tough for anyone to come here and we got our steel back on Saturday, so I'm proud of the boys.

"I think we put a good shift in, which was the bare minimum for us, but we made too many mistakes and that is what cost us.

"We gave them a 14 point start and I think for the next 70 minutes we were the better side.

"But if you give any side in this league a 14 point start, it makes it tough.

"They're a decent side, they're very solid and we made it tough for them, but we've got to keep going."

Smith admitted that, when his side were two points up and were awarded a penalty, he was torn as to whether to go for it or try and get a try.

"We went for the penalty, we kicked it and had a five point lead with a few minutes to go," he said.

"We probably played too much rugby then and went through a series of phases of giving a penalty away.

"And they were very clinical and got the try and a drop goal with the last kick of the game."

Luctonians went into the game having lost their last two home games by more than 40 points.

And when South Leicester went 14-0 up after 23 minutes, Lucs could have feared the worst.

Myles Bean raced away for the first try before Adam Shaw went over from a rolling maul.

Ricky Aley converted both tries.

Lucs regrouped though and got on the scoresheet six minutes later.

Good passing between Sam Boxhall and Smith set up Will Burton to score.

And when Joe White touched down following a maul five minutes before half time, it was game on.

Lucs went ahead for the first time in the 49th minute thanks to the returning Josh Watkins, but Alex James was again unable to convert.

Aley, meanwhile, was lethal with the boot for South Leicester and he regained his side's lead with a penalty just three minutes later.

Another penalty was slotted over in the 64th minute to make it 20-15 but Lucs never gave up and they started to play some great rugby.

Piers Morell finished off a flowing move for a try in the 69th minute, with Burton's conversion putting Lucs back in front.

Burton added a penalty six minutes from time, but some sloppy play from the home side allowed Brandon Boshi to score a try for South Leicester.

And there was still time for Aley to kick over a drop goal to break Lucs' hearts.