Leicester Lions 24 pts Luctonians 11

Luctonians' second defeat of the season left them in second spot, two points adrift of Bedworth Athletic and level on points with Kettering who have a game in hand.

It was the first time they had been outplayed in eight league matches and the turning point came at the end of the third quarter with Luctonians leading 11-7 and pressing for another score.

They looked like increasing their lead but the game was turned on its head when the home side snapped up a loose ball in their own 22 and went the length of the field for full-back Phil Dawson to touch down half way out. It was a match-winning effort.

Lions had dominated the opening stages of the match and had applied all the early pressure. They scored a try in the 16th minute when a break in midfield saw right-wing Karl Wesley cross at the corner and fly-half Jaco Barendse landed the conversion.

Luctonians' kick off saw them enter Lions' territory for the first time and they hit back when scrum half Jeremy Wheadon slotted over a penalty.

The visitors were then back in the match and flanker Nick Hamer was unlucky to lose the ball as he dived over from a maul on the Lions' line. Wheadon then had the opportunity to pull back another three points but his penalty drifted wide and Luctonians were 7-3 down at the interval.

They continued to apply pressure at the restart and a second Wheadon penalty was quickly followed by a try from right-wing Ryan Henshaw who popped up in midfield and cut through. Wheadon missed the conversion but the visitors were ahead for the first time and looking confident.

They continued to press before Lions ran in the try that was to alter the course of the match. Centre Rob Campbell latched on to a loose ball in his 22 and quick hands saw Dawson cross at the other end, the sort of lightning counter-attack that has been Luctonians' trademark for many years.

This was the confidence booster that Lions needed and Dawson soon ran in his second try after brushing off some ineffectual tackles on the way. He added a third before the final whistle when three Luctonians defenders failed to gather a speculative drop at goal and the ball obligingly sat up for him to run on to in full stride.

Luctonians buckled down and tightened their defence for the final minutes but the Leicester hosts had already stamped their authority on the game and fully merited their victory.