LUCTONIANS consolidated their top half position in National League 2 West, with a very professional performance down on the North Devonshire coast beating Barnstaple 6-31.

On a blustery afternoon the men from Kingsland played into the elements first half and powerfully used their forwards to work up the pitch and go over for two driving maul tries inside the first 15 minutes, one for number eight Aiden Cheshire and one for hooker Ben Link, both converted by Louis Silver.

In response Barnstaple could only muster two penalties from the boot of fly half Tyler Gordon-Oke and were forced back into holding out the Luctonians attack.

The 6-14 score-line at the break flattered the hosts, and there was always a feeling that all that defensive work they had put in would later cause problems, and so it was the case.

On 43 minutes loosehead prop Connor Deignan went over from close range for an unconverted Luctonians score and it looked at this point that the floodgates could open, with the stiff breeze meaning the hosts no longer had their easy get out.

But Lucs were inaccurate for a period of around 20 minutes, with their attack and kicking game and it caused for a stalemate passage of play.

That was broken on 67 minutes as the returning Sam Jones went over for another close-range forwards’ score, to secure the four-try bonus point and all but end the contest.

Josh Watkins would add the final nail in the coffin rounding off a well worked set piece move, with Silver adding the extras for a final score of 31-6 to Luctonians.

The win leaves them seventh in the standings as they head into the first rest week of the season.

Luctonians’ next game is on October 15, at home to another Cornish outfit, this time in the challenging shape of Redruth.