Luctonians 30 pts Kenilworth 15

LUCTIONINANS continued their winning start to Midlands 1 rugby by beating Kenilworth in their second game on Saturday.

The Warwickshire visitors provided solid opposition but the home side emerged as convincing winners.

Kenilworth went ahead from a second-minute penalty by skipper Wayne Morgan. Luctonians' pressure soon resulted in Kenilworth conceding two penalties themselves, however, and centre Roger Chilman levelled the scores with his second kick.

Luctonians scored their first try in the 16th minute when fly- half Anton Pilli found touch with a penalty kick deep into the Kenilworth 22. Lock Darren Brick won the ball from the resulting lineout and the pack drove over for hooker Ed Turner to touch down.

A second try followed 10 minutes later when Pilli, with his strong direct running, punched a hole in the Kenilworth defence. A quick switch of the ball inside saw Chilman in under the posts for a try which he then converted.

Luctonians took advantage of the perfect conditions to move the ball at every opportunity. But such a strategy is not without risk and a wayward pass was snapped up by Kenilworth centre Jeremy Noon who managed to squeeze in at the corner. The conversion was missed.

A second Chilman penalty gave Luctonians an 18-8 interval lead.

The first 30 minutes was equally matched and, despite the first lines of defence being breached on several occasions, the secondary cover held firm.

Kenilworth finally made a breakthrough when Morgan put in a speculative kick ahead and, with the ball bouncing behind the line and a hesitant defence, he got to it first for a try which he then converted.

This brought the visitors to within three points of the home side but Luctonians kept their composure and hit back. Substitute winger Mike Powell made a break down the left and, when closed in, put a cross kick into midfield. Some lax Kenilworth defence enabled Luctonians to reclaim the ball which was quickly moved to the right for Brick to break a couple of tackles and run in behind the posts.

The Chilman conversion was a formality and before the final whistle the home team had added a fourth and final try when Chilman crashed over in the right corner.