SOMETIMES sport takes your breath away and throws up scenarios that you couldn't think possible.

With five games of their National League 2 North campaign left Luctonians looked confined to relegation back to National League 3 Midlands Premier sitting bottom of the league having won just five wins from 25 matches and needing a small miracle to survive.

However, the never say die attitude of the Mortimer Park side over the next four victories gave them a chance of pulling off the great escape with a final day bonus points win against newly crowned champions Sale.

A bumper crowd of 942 turned out to see if Luctonians could survive.

However, a resurgent Sale, who had won 26 of their 29 league games, had other ideas as they went 19-0 ahead within the opening 29 minutes with Tom Ailes grabbing a brace of tries while kicker Chris Johnson also scored and converted his own try.

Luctonians responded with replacement Adam Clayton holding his feet under pressure to pull the hosts back into the tie which Sam Boxhall converted to bring them back to 19-7 at the break.

Ryan Watkins' side coped under pressure early in the second half and got their reward with a second score when they received a penalty inside the visitor's 22 and from the subsequent drives Joe White touched down.

A Johnson penalty for Sale put his side 22-14 ahead after 66 minutes, but meant little as Luctonians still needed two tries for the bonus point victory.

The visitor's hadn't read the script and stood firm denying Luctonians as they had the ball within five metres of the try line. That was until the 74th minute when Ben Barkley turned the defence to pull his side back to 22-21 and one try score from league safety.

As Lucs piled forward and the 942 fans willing a dramatic victory the hosts had the ball within five metres of the try line and Sale were reduced to 14 men as they illegally killed the ball.

Despite frantic attempts for what look destined to be a dramatic late try Sale kept their defence tight and broke the host's hearts.

"I'm immensely proud of the boys and the character that they've shown," said Luctonians head coach Ryan Watkins.

"Six weeks ago people had written us off and we were bottom of the league. Yes we had games in hand but people weren't backing us.

"To come from the position we were in to take it to the last game of the season just shows the heart that is in this place. Within the group we did our analysis and knew that they were going to start strong and they're a bigger side than us but we are fitter.

"We knew that if we could keep the game within touching distance which we did then we'd have a shot at it in the last 20 minutes which we did.

"It was just disappointing that we came within a few metres of the line of scoring. We had the opportunities and we can't look at the game as if we haven't created them chances and we have to look at how we take them.

"This has brought us closer together as when everybody else wrote us off that was the turning point. Everybody else had turned their backs on us and we stayed tight as a group. We've had no bickering or arguing, everybody has been on the same page together working as hard as they can.

"That's going to carry us in good stead for next year."