LUCTONIANS head coach Ryan Watkins says his players have almost forgot to know how to win a rugby match after slipping into the National League relegation zone.

The Kingsland side lost 23-18 to fellow struggling side Otley and have now lost eight matches in a row.

"We haven't talked about being in this position until now and we need to put up a fight to get out of this rut," said Watkins.

"It seems as if we've forgotten how to win a game of rugby and how to see out games.

"We started really slowly and were always chasing the game.

"They took their chances well and we finished well with opportunities at the end to win the game.

"But it's becoming a mental block and we've got to get better at crucial moments.

"The players need to know how to play under pressure and we will be making that scenario as realistic as possible in training."

This Saturday, Lucs host rivals Stourbridge at Mortimer Park in their final game of the year.

And Watkins says that if the players can't get up for that game, then there is a big problem.

"I'm expecting a good support from the crowd and I'm sure the boys will be fired up for it," said Watkins.

Otley went ahead from the start when Thomas O'Donnell went over after two minutes; Joe Rowntree converting.

He added two further penalties before Sam Boxhall kicked over a penalty on the half-hour mark.

Many unforced errors made for a high scrum count, with Otley having the upper hand and keeping Lucs deep in their half for most of the first half.

But the home side eventually got over the whitewash when Guy Kirkby was driven through from a maul.

Otley again started the better side in the second half and they stretched their advantage when Joe Graham went over from another rolling maul with Rowntree again converting.

Rowntree then added a penalty to give his side a 15 point cushion.

Lucs dragged themselves back into contention when Josh Watkins rolled over from the best move of the game with 20 minutes to go, with Boxhall converting.

But apart from another Boxhall penalty, Lucs were unable to break through a resolute Otley defence, who lost Rowntree to the sin bin with five minutes to go.

Elsewhere, Ledbury finished their Midlands 3 West (South) year on a high after narrowly beating Old Wheatleyans 25-23, while Bromyard were thumped 28-0 by Shipston-on-Stour.

Hereford's Midlands 1 West match against Stourbridge Lions was postponed, while Ross-on-Wye remain unbeaten in Gloucester 2 after thrashing Ashley Down Old Boys 80-0.