LUCTONIANS continued their perfect start to the season, with a fourth bonus point victory on the spin, as they took down local rivals Bournville 29-38 in Birmingham after a feisty encounter.

As with all their fixtures so far this season Lucs looked to have sowed up the victory inside an hour having lead 12-38, but the spirited hosts came back in the final 20 minutes to cause some degree of nervousness in the closing stages.

The Mortimer Park started brightly but took 14 minutes to get on the scoreboard, as Ben Link went over at the back of a driving maul for his fifth score of the season, converted by Louis Silver for 0-7. 

Rob Aikman scored the second on 20 minutes, as concerted Lucs pressure eventually told and he was freed on the right wing to score.

A cross-field kick from fly-half Tom Jones put James Wheeler in on the left hand-side for his fourth try of the season.

Josh Watkins also crossed the whitewash over three minutes later, with a lovely chip and collect for the bonus-point score and with Silver converting the last two tries, it took the game to 0-26 with 31 minutes gone.

Bournville hit back on 36 minutes with an unconverted try from full-back Owen Williams off a first phase backs move.

However, Luctonians wrapped up the half with a score from Silver as he snuck in close to a ruck in the left-hand corner, for a lead at the break of 5-31.

The hosts started the second half in fine form as centre Sam Grimshaw ghosted around the Lucs defence for an easy score, which fly-half Jacob Fewtrell converted for 12-31.

Lucs snuffed out any real hopes of a comeback as Archie Benson crashed over on 48 minutes, with Silver once more converting for 12-38.

With the visitors ringing the changes, Bournville upped the anti and when Williams went over for his second, it gave them a glimmer of hope at 17-38 with 19 minutes to go.

That hope became greater when Rhys Williams went over for a converted score on 70 minutes for 24-38 and the hosts really thought they had a chance when replacement Jack Fitzgerald scored with five minutes remaining.

However, Fewtrell missed the conversion leaving it still at a two-score game, and Lucs camped the rest of the game out in Bournville’s half to dampen the threat of any comeback and seal maximum points on the road once more. 

With that win the Kingsland-based outfit consolidate their second placed position in National League 2 West, as they and Exeter University remain split by points difference as the only two sides on maximum points after four rounds.

Lucs look to continue their fine form as they host Loughborough Students at Mortimer Park this coming Saturday.