LUCTONIANS maintained their 10-point gap at the top of National League 2 West with a 17-30 victory against Hornets.

On a bitterly cold day in Somerset, Lucs started the better and a spell of pressure inside the hosts 22 metre area which returned a penalty in front of the sticks which was duly knocked over by Louis Silver for 0-3.

The hosts would counter-attack immediately after the kick-off as Lucs kicked and left the ball on the pitch, and within one phase full back Luke Graham had been released down the left hand wing to score. Fly half Jamie Elswood could not convert but Hornets lead 5-3 after 17 minutes.

Luctonians’ driving maul once again delivered, and this time it was Seb Robinson, on what was his 100th National League appearance for the club who was at the back of the pile of bodies to dot down for 5-8 on 20 minutes.

The Herefordshire visitors scored a second try before the break when leading try scorer, hooker Ben Link, collected a miss thrown lineout and crashed over. With Silver adding the extras Lucs would take a 5-15 lead into the interval.

The men in black and white furthered their lead on 51 minutes when the elusive Josh Watkins motored through from 40 metres out, untouched on his way to the try line, and with Silver once more adding the extras to make it 5-22.

But Hornets were stubborn hosts and fired in two tries through winger Lyon Harrison and replacement Declan Dorrington in a 15 minute spell where they seized momentum in the game to draw back to 17-22 

Lucs would re-gather position and another penalty allowed Silver to ease the game out to two scores once more with three more points in the 76th minute.

With the game now won Lucs gathered the try bonus point through centre Rob Aikman who scored in the corner.

Given all the other title contenders secured five-point wins, the final Aikman score was essential to maintain the lead Lucs have established at the top of the division.