LUCTONIANS first home game of the season saw them continue their unbeaten season with a 39-15 victory against a useful Clifton side.
After two away victories Lucs opened their home account after 11 minutes when centre Lewis Parkes fed off a line-out ball to dive over, with the immaculate Jamin Hodgkins kicking the first of his 14 points from the resultant conversion.
Ollie Milliner reduced the arrears after 18 minutes when he kicked a penalty following a Luc’s high tackle, but it was to be their only points of the first half as Lucs dominated possession.
Clifton were not giving any ground advantage, but the penalty count was high for both sides.
And it was from infringements in front of the posts that Hodgkins slotted two quick penalties for the home side to give them a 13-3 lead.
Caleb Montgomery for the home side then stole away from a driving maul right on half-time to give the home side a 20-3 lead with Hodgkin converting which looked comfortable going off for oranges.
And it was not long into the second half before Jack Goodwin also dived through following a line-out to add to Lucs lead (25-3) with the away side losing Henry Harper to a yellow for foul play in the build-up.
However, Clifton kept the home side honest and replied almost immediately with a well worked try that saw Alex Kilbane dot down, Milliner adding the extras for 25-10 scoreline.
Lucs set piece was excellent and from another driving maul Joe White was also over the whitewash on 56 minutes to secure Luc’s try bonus point to lead 30-10.
However, Clifton continued to give the home side a battle despite them losing Mitchell Spencer to a yellow for “slapping” down the ball in an interception after 56 minutes.
Josh Watkins then scored the try of the game following a flowing move across the pitch on 63 minutes with Charlie Grimes and Josh Nott playing a leading role in putting the winger in the corner, with Hodgkins kicking an excellent conversion to lead 39-10.
Luctonians then ground out the last 15 minutes with Clifton looking to get something out of the match. The home side lost both Caleb Montgomery and Conor Geraghty to yellow cards, seeing the home side play most of the last 15 minutes two players down.
This allowed Clifton, through Jamel Hamiliton to round off the day’s scoring (39-15) with the last play for a consolation try on 80 minutes.
Luctonians forwards coach George Thomas said that he was ‘delighted with the performance’.
He added that he felt Lucs ‘managed the game well throughout, and that the attacking phase play was excellent’.
“Our set piece was excellent throughout, and the defensive effort when down to 13 late in the game showed the spirit of the team to be exceptional,” Thomas added.
Lucs travel for their third away game this weekend against Devonport Services.
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