Broadstreet 9th February

Luctonians 28 - 12 Broadstreet

SUPERIOR fitness and no little character saw Luctonians home on Saturday as they swept aside Broadstreet 28-12 to record their first Midlands 1 victory of the new year. Boosted by the return of experienced prop Ben McGowan, but still suffering a number of injuries in key positions, the Mortimer Park men travelled to Coventry knowing they would be in for a stern test and soon found themselves under pressure from a determined home side.

Lucs failed to clear their lines and soon went behind after conceding a try from flanker Simon Morris following some sustained pressure from the Broadstreet forwards. Outside-half Mark Marren converted to give the home side a 7-0 lead. Luc's reposte was immediate and got on the board with a try from rangy back-rower Tim Breakwell after the visitors had secured some vital phase-possession in the home half.

Scrum-half Chris James converted to equal the scores at 7-7.

More positive phase-play from the visitors saw themselves work their way deep into Broadstreet territory but disaster struck when fly-half Alex James had his pass picked off by winger Josh Fowles who scooted in for for a long-distance try, but Broadstreet were unable to convert. The rivalry that has built up between the two teams over the years was evident throughout the match and none more so than after the restart when tensions simmered over and the Broadstreet full-back Wayne Lester was yellow-carded for foul play.

Lucs took advantage when centre Alex Smith continued his rich vein of try-scoring form, cutting through the home defence to give James an easy conversion to bring the score to 14-12.

The visitors' superior fitness was beginning to tell and following a missed penalty attempt from James, quick ball generated by the forwards allowed Smith to scythe through for his second score. James was on target with the conversion to increase the Lucs lead to 21-12.

Lucs' game management, which has been so poor in the past, was the decisive factor in the closing minutes and even though James' long-range penalty missed the target, the decision to go for goal ate up vital minutes off the clock. The visitors closed the game out when in the dying minutes more quality ball for the visitors allowed outside-half Alex James to throw a pinpoint pass to send Kiwi centre Cameron Hewitt in under the posts. James slotted the conversion for a convincing 28-12 scoreline.

This week Lucs host Dudley Kingswinford, the Black Country club currently sit bottom of Midlands 1 but the Mortimer Park men will have extra incentive to get one over on their visitors after being forced to replay their last fixture on a technicality.