LUCTONIANS sit pretty eight points clear at the summit of National League 2 West following a 39-5 victory over basement side Newport (Shropshire).

Lucs did not disappoint their home support with a comfortable win against a Newport side who broke up the home side’s running style and made the game fragmented despite the Black and Whites running in seven tries.

The home side were on the scoreboard within a couple of minutes of the start when Archie Benson broke through tackles from the halfway line to score under the posts, Louis Silver converting for a 7-0 lead.

Lucs were further in front when their forwards drove captain Joe White over after six minutes, and when their prolific try scoring hooker Ben Link went over for his 10th try of the season (17-0) after 11 minutes it looked like the home side might run in a cricket score.

However, Newport stuck to the task and subdued the home side by slowing the game to their pace which infuriated the home support who were unusually quiet.

The Shropshire visitors lost Charlie Robinson after 22 minutes after he picked up a yellow card for a high tackle.

Luctonians took full advantage of their opponents being a man down when they ran in two scores through wing Charlie Grimes after 26 and 34 minutes.

Grimes’ two tries were through scrambled efforts in the corner to go in at half time 27-0, Silver unable to convert as he kicked into a difficult swirling wind.

The second half took a while to spark into life with numerous stoppages for injuries and penalties for knock-on infringements slowing any momentum.

It was not until the last 10 minutes that there were any further points on the scoreboard from either side.

Speedster Charlie Grimes scored yet another try for his hat-trick when he went over again in the corner with another scrambled effort, again Silver was unable to convert (32-0).

Plucky Newport did manage a score when veteran Hendry Vaka, who had fine game for Newport, pinched a score when diving through after 78 minutes to avoid a scoreless defeat (32-5).

However, Lucs No 8 Caleb Montgomery rounded off the points when he raced through a tired Newport defence with the clock running down, Tom Jones converting to complete a deserved win for the home side for a 39-5 result.

Luctonians head into the two-week break with seven wins from seven league matches which keeps them top of the table.

However, the Herefordshire side know that they face tougher challenges before Christmas with Dings Crusaders away first up on their return to action on November 5.

Luctonians: Morell; Grimes; Aikman; Parkes; Wheeler; Jones; Silver: Deignan; Link; White; Harriott-Davis; Geraghty; Benson; Hackley; Montgomery

Replacements: Legge; Roberts; Pearson; Robinson-Hall; Nott