LUCTONIANS suffered their first defeat of the season as they went down to a 79th minute penalty on the road at Dings Crusaders 17-15.

After a miserable morning, the game was actually played in good conditions on an artificial surface in Bristol, and both sides at times looked to use the conditions to play some high-quality rugby.

Lucs started the game the stronger though and after having an effort held up over the line, Charlie Grimes picked up an 80-metre interception to run in his 13th try of the season, to take him to the top of the league standings. Louis Silver added the simplest of conversions for 0-7 after 10 minutes.

As the half wore the hosts began to win more of the kicking duels that were taking place, and as a result Dings fly half Jacob Perry added two penalties on 27 and 32 minutes, as reward for this territorial dominance. 

Lucs closed the half out the stronger and were once more over the line but with the referee not seeing a grounding, the half was brought to a close with the Herefordshire men leading a tight affair 6-7.

The second half started with back-to-back errors from the visitors allowing winger Gabriel Goss to sprint in from 40 metres untouched to give Dings their first lead at 11-7.

The Herefordshire men applied pressure looking for a response, but an infringement for hands in the ruck, resulted in Perry making the scores 14-7.

The visitors were not done however, and on 67 minutes winger James Wheeler beat three would-be tacklers and dot down in the left-hand corner for an unconverted score and 14-12. And Lucs would actually retake the lead on 74 minutes, as scrum pressure resulted in the hosts being penalised and Silver made it 14-15.  

But there would still be one more twist in the tale, as Lucs were penalised for not rolling from a ruck on 79 minutes and full-back Ciaran Donoghue slotted the three points from fully 49 metres to secure the win for the Bristol side.

Lucs still sit top in National 2 West after eight games and host Cornish based Camborne to Mortimer Park on Saturday.