LUCTONIANS' three game winning run came to an end on the road in Yorkshire last weekend, as they went down 18-7 to sixth placed Hull Ionians.

A much changed squad travelled north, as Lucs made six changes due to injury and unavailability of players, from the side that turned over Fylde at Mortimer Park the week previously.

On a grim, windy day, defences dominated the game, after the first couple of forays into opposition 22s from both sides had returned points.

The home side took a 3-0 lead on nine minutes as Ben Smith converted a penalty for an offside infringement. Lucs roared back immediately with sustained pressure following the kickoff, eventually resulting in Connor Deignan going over at the back of a driving maul for a 3-7 lead, with Owen Randell notching the extras after 13 minutes.

The remainder of the first half was played out largely in Luctonians’ half, but impressive defence kept Ionians at bay to the break.

The second period started in similar fashion with Ionians throwing a lot at the Lucs defence but the visitors withholding all.

On 50 minutes Lucs thought they had driven over again from their potent driving maul for what would have been a key score, only for the referee to not see the ball grounded.

This would prove vital later, as the home side continued to press, Smith knocking over another penalty on the hour mark for a 6-7 scoreline.

The stubbornness of the visitors defence finally broke on 71 minutes as Hull scored from close range through George Mewburn, but the missed conversion left things tight at 11-7.

Unfortunately for the visitors, a stray offload just 10 metres from the Lucs line, was then intercepted and ran in to seal the game as time expired.