Match Report: Geoff Vickress
Man of the Match: Frank Kelly
Photo – Lucs Front Pack, including Brad Smith, who appeared for his 100th National League Cap
Luctonians downed their visitors, Taunton Titans, with a try at the death in what was a pulsating encounter at a very noisy Mortimer Park. Both sides gave their all in a game that flowed from end to end, but Lucs tight-head Joe White was driven over from a turnover created deep in the Titans redzone as the game was drawing to its conclusion, Tom Jones converting from the touchline to give the home side the 5 points and keep up their promotion challenge.
Titans were however, on the score sheet first and deserved their lead as they took the game to Lucs with flyhalf Tom Putt keeping the home side deep in their half with some excellent kicking from hand.
Wing Matt Whitlock capitalising on a swift move to dot down after 14 minutes, Tom Putt converting for their early 0-7 lead. And Putt kept the home side on the back foot with some excellent positional kicking, but Titans lost No8 Vakalutukali for foul play on the half hour allowing the home side to take advantage of numbers and following a line out drive Luc’s every alert scrum half Jonty Monk skittled through to reduce affairs, conversion being missed for a 5-7 half time scoreline as the teams headed off to the changing rooms for a hot Bovril.
It was a nervous half time at Mortimer Park for the home support, being behind to a well drilled Titans side who were good value for their lead, and they increased the anxiety within the home crowd almost from the restart when Titans No7 Ben Rogers who had a fine game brushed off Lucs tacklers to score, Putt converting to give them a 5-14 lead.
Pressure from Luctonians followed, and despite some excellent defence from Titans, they crumpled eventually allowing the home side’s star man, second row Harry Whiteman, to claw his way over to bring the home side within a couple of points, Tom Jones converting for a 12-14 scoreline after 46 minutes.
Lucs wing Charlie Grimes put the home side ahead shortly after, following excellent work once again from Whiteman and ably assisted by Caleb Montgomery, who allowed the winger to dart away for a superb score, Jones converting to give the home side the lead 19-14 after 53 minutes.
Both sides had opportunities to add to their respective tallies, but the defence was superb from both sides, and Taunton stuck to their attacking style, which was rewarded when full back Malone went over in the corner after an excellent line break by scrum half Scott Gibson, with the conversion missed the scores were level at 19-19 after 67 minutes as both sides went looking to secure a victory to enhance their league positions.
The home side were again roared on by their vocal support, and it wasn’t until the dying seconds when Lucs scored a deserved winning try, again following great work by Frank Kelly, Montgomery and Grimes, to sees themselves deep in the Titans red zone, where tight-head Joe White was driven over at the death, Jones again converting from a difficult angle to secure a 26-19 winning 5 points for the home side.
Well done to Luctonians Prop, Brad Smith, who pulled on the black and white jersey for this 100th National League Cap.
Luctonians will know this was a hard-earned victory as Titans were superb throughout, and the points will mean a lot for the home side, who are still favourites to reach the end-of-season playoffs, at the very least, as they continue to chase down league leaders Camborne.