LUCTONIANS' Head Coach Ryan Watkins has warned his side that they can't afford to switch off again as they head to league leaders Scunthorpe this weekend.

His side needed a last gasp Drew Cheshire try to give them a vital 28-24 victory over Sandbach last weekend sparking wild celebrations.

However, Watkins criticised his side for 'mentally relaxing' after they threw away a 21-10 half-time lead and conceded 14 unanswered points before Cheshire rescued victory from the jaws of defeat.

"It was another one that we have let go and it was a lot closer than it should have been," said Watkins.

"The boys took their foot off the gas and we need to make sure next week we don't.

"We you mentally start relaxing it is then hard to get going again and they took the lead late on.

"The players believe that they can score when they have too but we don't need to let it get to that."

Sandbach raced into an early lead with a penalty in the opening minute before scoring a converted try.

Lucs then replied with Cheshire racing away from his marker to cross the whitewash before Guy Kirkby touched down from a driving maul.

Watkins' side looked in firm control when Rob Bengry finished a cross-field move to give them a 21-10 half-time advantage.

However, Sandbach stunned Mortimer Park after being awarded a penalty try and then scored another converted score to give themselves a late 24-21 lead.

With the last attempt of the game Luctonians came inches short of the try-line with a driving maul before the ball came back out low to Cheshire who kicked it over the last man before touching down.

"I don't know if he meant it but it was a brilliant bit of skill," added Watkins.

This weekend the Lucs face a long trip to league leaders Scunthorpe knowing that a defeat would all but see their title challenge over.

"If we let them win this one then the gap would be 11 points which would then be hard to recover," added Watkins.

"We need to make sure we do everything we can for 80 minutes. Scunthorpe have got a big game in Newport (Salop) the week after us so there is a lot of pressure on them and these two games will shape their season.

"If we can get 80 minutes work I'm pretty certain there is not a team in this league who will beat us again.

"We can't allow teams to come back at us as we also did it against Nuneaton after we switched off. We can't afford to do it again."