LUCTONIANS withstood a second-half onslaught to retain the North Midlands Cup on a hot afternoon at Stourbridge’s Stourton Park.

The Herefordshire side scored their opening try inside the first minute and added another four to storm into a seemingly unassailable 28-0 lead in last Sunday’s final.

Lower-graded Dudley replied with a try in the final play of the first half and then bagged a second touchdown within two minutes of the restart.

The Black Country outfit dominated the second period and gave themselves hope of a remarkable comeback with a third try in the 64th minute.

Luctonians were reduced to 14 men and had a few anxious moments before Cameron Hewitt crashed over to seal their fourth North Midlands Cup triumph in five years.

Luctonians made a scintillating start to the final and went ahead after just 37 seconds.

Winger Pete Smith dived over for an unconverted try in the right-hand corner after slick handling between Andy Garrod and Brett Prior.

Luctonians doubled their lead in the 10th minute when they gathered a loose kick from Dudley and switched play to the right where Mark Panniers scored in the corner.

The Herefordshire outfit were in full control and Hewitt made an interception only for referee Steve Johnson to call play back after a Luctonians knock-on.

Garrod put Luctonians 15-0 in front with their third try on 22 minutes and then Prior slotted over a 30-metre penalty four minutes later.

Dudley appeared to be in disarray and Ben James added Luctonians’ fourth try in the 32nd minute, diving on to a loose tap-back from a line-out.

Luctonians showed their potency when Prior went over for another score and it looked like Dudley were heading for a hammering.

The Black Country side scored a try two minutes into first-half stoppage-time after an excellent finish from full-back Simon Fletcher.

Gareth Bown slotted over the conversion and things got better for Dudley when winger Robbie Jones ran in their second try two minutes into the second period.

Dudley then had a glorious chance to notch a third try in the 47th minute but, with the Luctonians try-line at his mercy, Tom Weaver juggled with the ball before eventually spilling it.

Luctonians were starved of possession as a resurgent Dudley piled on the pressure.

Dudley’s efforts again paid off and they cut the gap to nine points when Jones finished off a passing move and Bown booted the conversion.

With the pressure mounting on Luctonians, Garrod was yellow-carded in the 69th minute after stopping Dudley from taking a quick penalty.

Luctonians fought back as the clock ticked down and rounded off the scoring with the game’s final try deep into stoppage-time.

Luctonians changed their entire front-row for a scrum which they won close to the Dudley line.

From the resulting scrum, Hewitt dived over from close-range and substitute Will Hodnett added the simple conversion.

Luctonians: Panniers, Garrod (Hodnett, 79 min), Hewitt, Prior (Ruell, 65 min), Pete Smith, Alex James, Williams (Silver, 48 min); Marfell (Steve Jaques, 79 min), Byron (McGowan, 79 min), Yeomans (Mike Jones, 79 min), Chris Jaques, Murphy, Dines, Ben James, Looms (Lowbridge, 48 min).

Dudley: Fletcher, Davis, Shillingford, Weaver, Jones, Bown, Huggins; Kelley, Shakespeare, Alex Francis, Parry, Jo Francis, McEwen, Pedley, Aspito. Replacements: Lockley, Thorpe, Chivers, Harlow, Jefferson, Ramsey.

Referee: Steve Johnson (North Midlands).

Tries: Luctonians: Pete Smith, 1 min; Panniers, 10 min; Garrod, 22 min; Ben James, 32 min; Prior, 39 min; Hewitt, 80 min. Dudley: Fletcher, 40 min; Jones, 42 min; Jones, 64 min.

Conversions: Luctonians: Hodnett, 80 min. Dudley: Bown, 40 min; Bown, 64 min.

Penalties: Luctonians: Prior, 26 min.

Yellow card: Luctonians: Garrod, 69 min.

Half-time: 28-7.

Full-time: 35-19.