THERE were signs of disappointment all around Mortimer Park on Saturday evening.

Luctonians and Kenilworth had started the afternoon with dreams of reaching the end-of-season promotion play-off match.

But, by 5pm, Luctonians and Kenilworth were simply reflecting on a season which had promised so much.

And it was Chester who were celebrating the runners-up spot in Midlands 1 and a play-off game against Hull.

Kenilworth came mightily close – about two yards in fact – to snatching victory in the seventh minute of stoppage-time.

After a patient build-up, a succession of Kenilworth drives were kept out by staunch Luctonians’ defending.

Eventually, the Warwickshire club worked the ball right and, with a two-man overlap, Ross Bayston lost the ball just short of the Luctonians line.

Luctonians gathered the loose ball and their kick to touch brought the final whistle much to the agony of Kenilworth, who had started the day in second spot.

Kenilworth will also rue a 30-metre penalty, into the wind, which Elliott Brown hit to the left of the posts in the 81st minute.

The visitors came very close to booking their trip to Humberside.

For about 10 minutes after the final whistle Luctonians held second place because there had been a lengthy injury-stoppage in Chester’s home game with Newport.

But Luctonians were consigned to third place when confirmation filtered through of Chester’s 14-3 success.

Earlier, Kenilworth had opened the scoring in the ninth minute on a hot afternoon at Mortimer Park with a 30-metre penalty from Brown.

Andy Garrod deservedly hauled Luctonians level in the 37th minute with a 25-metre penalty in a nervy first-half riddled with mistakes.

Despite being on the back foot for most of the half, Kenilworth scored the first try in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

Full-back Andy Whitehall made a good run from the back of a scrum and off-loaded to Bayston who scored in the right-hand corner to put the visitors 8-3 in front.

Kenilworth made a flying start to the second half and only two try-saving tackles, one from Mark Panniers, stopped the visitors from going over.

Kenilworth flanker Andrew McGuire was yellow-carded for an offence in the 53rd minute and Luctonians took advantage with two quick-fire tries.

Within a minute of McGuire’s departure, Paul Hulland crashed over from a well-worked move and Garrod kicked a difficult conversion to put Luctonians 10-8 ahead.

Luctonians extended their lead in the 59th minute.

A burst from scrum-half Ed Godsall created an opportunity and the chance was superbly finished off by Pete Smith in the right-hand corner to make it 15-8 in the hosts’ favour.

Luctonians were in control and Kenilworth defended four scrums on their own five-metre line.

But Kenilworth hit back and gave themselves renewed hope in the 74th minute.

Kiwi prop Tristan Wati powered over from a rolling maul in the left-hand corner and Brown’s conversion attempt landed just short.

With the RFU restructuring the leagues for next season, Luctonians and Kenilworth can look forward to ‘promotion’. It is understood that Midlands 1 will be named National 3 Midlands.