LUCTONIANS are already looking to improve on this season despite making history with the highest ever finish for the Herefordshire club.
Ryan Watkins’ side confirmed their fourth-place finish in the National League 2 West following a 35-26 victory over third placed Clifton.
Luctonians head coach Watkins said: “The effort from these lads has grown every week, it sets a tone for the club and there is no reason why we can’t improve on this position next season.”
Bristol-based Clifton started the brighter and prop Ricardo Cano brushed his way over the try line after only two minutes, Blake Boyland converting for an early 0-7 lead.
The home side, spurred on by Mat Hackley on his 200th National League appearance for the club, eventually drew level, when the home side’s driving maul found Connor Deignan at the bottom to touch down, Louis Silver converting to level the scores at 7-7 after 24 minutes.
Lucs’ full-back Josh Watkins showed a clean pair of heels to the Clifton back line, when he raced onto a clever Silver dink kick from 22 metres out only a few minutes later, Silver again converting as the home side moved into a 14-7 lead.
Clifton then responded when lively scrum half Blake Boyland spotted an opening on 34 minutes to race through to score, Cozens adding the extras, to level the scoreboard.
But the home side were not to be deterred when hooker Ben Link ran in the try of the game on half-time, following an excellent interaction between Parkes and Watkins for Lucs to send the home side in for oranges ahead 21-14, after Silver again converted.
Clifton started the second half with a bang as centre Dan Wells was over dotting down after only a minute’s play to bring the scoreline within three points, conversion being missed.
And Clifton were looking to race ahead with the game within another couple of minutes, as Wells’s centre partner Will Owen showed his pace and power to crash through and score, Cozens again converting for the away side to lead 21-26 on 46 minutes.
Luctonians have shown that they are no pushover this season and dug deep before leading try-scorer Link added his second try for the home side and secured the four-try bonus point with his 16th effort of the season, when he emerged at the bottom of another Lucs driving maul, Silver again immaculate with the conversion to lead 28-26 just before the hour mark.
And it was his front row colleague Connor Deignan, who added his second try when he ran in from a ruck from 10 metres out only five minutes later after relentless phases of attack in the Clifton 22-metre area, with the faithful boot of fly-half Tom Jones this time adding the extras (35-26).
Luctonians were good value for this bonus point win and have now won their last nine games straight at Mortimer Park. This record will be put under another severe test this Saturday coming as they finish their season against second placed Dings Crusaders.
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