LUCTONIANS came away with a losing bonus point after a narrow 24-20 defeat at Hinckley, with the hosts awarded a controversial late try.

Ryan Watkins’ side got on top of the early exchanges to lead 3-6 after Tom Jones slotted two penalties. 

Hinckley would be the first to strike a telling blow though, and they took the lead with a controversial try on 27 minutes.

Luctonians felt there should have been a reset after a scrum, but the hosts scrum half Ben Pointon picked up the loose ball and scurried around the back of the scrum to cross, with Wilson adding the extras for a 10-6 lead.

Despite starting the second period down a man, it would be Lucs who retook the lead, with a brilliant solo effort from Charlie Grimes.

The winger would score his seventh try of the season, with a 60-metre break that included controlling the ball with his foot, before racing away and dancing between the two cover defenders to score under the posts. Jones would add the conversion for 10-13 after 43 minutes.

In quite the opposite fashion, Hinckley would hit back, on 51 minutes, with the scrum flexing their muscles, and a dominant drive allowing number Alex Salt to dot down over the line. Wilson with the extras for 17-13.

Luctonians refused to back down and re-took the lead again with a wonderfully worked try.

Nine phases of attack dragged Hinckley out of shape and after a strong carry from man of the match Owien Harriott-Davis, deft hands would put Josh Watkins in at the corner, with Jones slotting the touchline conversion for a 20-17 with 16 minutes left on the clock.

However, on the 75th minute mark Hinckley had the final day with another controversial effort as the fullback Wilson dropped the ball whilst crossing the line, only for it to be adjudged to have been a backward pass to centre Mitchell Lamb, who dotted down. Wilson would add the extras for 24-20 and the win.

Luctonians seconds completed the first half of the season in Counties Midlands 1 West (North) with another emphatic victory, as they beat Stafford firsts 38-0 at Mortimer Park.

Lloyd Parkes was a major catalyst of the performance, scoring 13 points individually, as the Herefordshire men put the visitors to the sword late on.

Winger Oscar Rowley scored the first try on 12 minutes, with Parkes converting before the other winger Josh Harrison ran into space and he would race away for an unconverted effort that made the score 12-0 at the break.

Despite having the wind on their backs in took until the 68th for Lucs to increase their lead when Parkes scythed through the defence for the crucial third score.

The floodgates then opened with centre Rob Aikman, Sam Hayler and second row Jack Prescott all scoring tries, with Parkes converting three of these final four scores to round off a 38-0 win.