Luctonians RFC vs Bournville RFC
Saturday 23rd November 2024 – Mortimer Park
Luctonians RFC 13 – 6 Bournville RFC
To see this game played at all following the snow and frost earlier in the week, and with Storm Bert throwing down torrential rain for at least 5 hours before kick-off and throughout the game, was an absolute credit to the ground staff at Mortimer Park. Both sides agreed to play but, with standing water appearing as the game reached its finale in the ever-descending gloom, it was never going to be a classic.
The conditions made the game a great leveller and both sides struggled throughout with the wet ball, often with simple passes having to be juggled and often as not knocked on.
Luctonians started the brighter, but it was Bournville who had the opportunity to score the first points, when awarded a penalty in the Lucs 22, following a line out infringement. However, Freddie Morgan conspired to miss a difficult chance.
Lucs put the first points on the board after 14 minutes when they moved the ball swiftly across the backs from a driving maul on Bournville’s dead ball line, to set Josh Watkins in for a simple dot down near the uprights, Owen Randell converting to give the home side a 7-0 advantage.
The game was marred with stoppages and interruptions, with neither side gaining any territorial advantage, and neither looked like adding to the points tally. Just before the half hour, Bournville did indeed get on the score sheet, when Lucs were pinged for not releasing the ball, which allowed Freddie Morgan to kick them within four points at 7-3 behind.
The rest of the first half was played out with neither side gaining any real territorial advantage, and it was no surprise that there was no further score before half time.
Half Time Score
Luctonians RFC 7 – 3 Bournville RFC
Bournville started the second half brightly and with more momentum. A 50-22 gave them an excellent positional opportunity early, but the conditions saw this squandered as defences ruled and denied either side any meaningful ground advantage.
The home side slowly clawed their way back into the game. Now playing with the wind and rain at their backs, gave Lucs scrum half Owen Randell the opportunity to stretch their lead with a penalty goal attempt from 35mtrs out, which he converted (10-3)
Bournville struggled to get near the home sides try line however, and they will rue a couple of missed chances with kicks from penalties that would have dragged them back into the game on the score board.
Morgan did knock one over just on the hour to reduce the deficit to 10-6, but this was their last chance, with Lucs having the upper hand, as the game splashed its way to its conclusion.
Lucs centre Bryn Goodall kicked one penalty, but also missed a further attempt in the last 10 minutes, before he saw yellow for a cynical tackle when in offside position, but it gave the home side a 13-6 win which keeps them in the hunt at the top of Nat 2 West.
Both sides trudged off very wearily to the changing rooms, having been given a rowdy home support and a good few travelling Bournvillians, a match which unfortunately wont go down in the annals of history as a classic.
Both will relish the free weekend before the pre-Christmas round of fixtures kick-off; Luctonians travelling to Exeter University with Bournville entertaining Cinderford.
