Bees sting Luctonians with last-minute match winner

LUCTONIANS' hopes of making club history by reaching the quarter-finals of the Powergen Intermediate Cup for the first time were dashed by a last-minute score.

The North Herefordshire club - leading 14-11 in the fifth round of the national competition - were withstanding frantic forward pressure in the closing stages of a superb game until a late lapse allowed Bradford & Bingley their chance.

A moment of indiscipline prompted referee Des Heddington to change a Luctonians scrum in their half to a penalty award for the Bees. The much-vaunted Northern visitors opted to kick for a lineout and, on winning the ball, drove over the line for number eight Chris Hala'uifa to get the touchdown.

Stuart Dixon's conversion attempt failed in a tricky wind but that brought the final whistle and a cruel end for Luctonians.

Despite being without a handful of regular campaigners, the Kingsland-based club had been at their best against a team of highly-fancied part-time professionals containing three Tongans, one of whom, Sione Tu'amoheloa, played in the recent World Cup.

Luctonians more than matched the visitors in a close, well-contested match and among the forwards hooker Gareth Miles and number eight Darren Brick were towers of strength, while in the threequarters centre Mark Panniers was the outstanding player of the game and a constant danger with his penetrative running.

An engrossing struggle could have gone either way but fortune favoured Bradford who finished with two tries and a penalty to Luctonians' one try, from Brick, and three penalties from full-back Will Parry.

Parry was first to make his mark on the game with a successful kick in the 17th minute. Six minutes later he was just wide with a second attempt but Bees pressure was rewarded when centre Dixon equalised with a penalty.

Luctonians hit back with a surging run from Miles and then right-wing Ryan Henshaw took over and it needed a fine tackle to stop him just metres from the post.

Bradford swung the ball around in reply and full-back Ben Greaves popped up for an unconverted corner try to give the visitors a 38th-minute lead, which Parry's penalty narrowed to 8-6 on the stroke of half-time.

Luctonians pressed at the start of the second half and snatched the lead when the Bees' defence failed to field a chip ahead from scrum-half Steve Saint and Brick dived on the ball for an unconverted try.

Luctonians held out under a series of mauls by the visiting pack before the scores were levelled by Dixon's penalty in the 20th minute.

Then in was Luctonians' turn to apply the pressure and Parry's final penalty left them leading by three points with 18 minutes remaining.

The visitors' rolling maul tactics threatened but Lucton-ians appeared to have done enough to win in front of a large and appreciative crowd until the Bees made their late sting to take a place in the last eight in the country.