Ludlow 5 pts Luctonians 2nd 8-

WITHOUT a Midlands 4 West (North) league game, Ludlow took the opportunity to give some of the younger members of the first team squad a start in a friendly match against a strong Luctonians second string.

Although hampered by a strong cross-field wind making it difficult to move the ball wide, both teams tried to play constructive rugby.

Ludlow made the early running and thought they had taken the lead after five minutes when their pack drove to within a couple of yards of the line for lock Ian Townsend to touch down. Unfortunately the referee had spotted an infringement and disallowed the try.

They continued to press and eventually broke the deadlock with a well-worked try. A series of forward drives down the middle sucked in a couple of visiting defenders, and when the ball was released fly-half Mark Williams looped around his centres to outflank the Luctonians' cover for a try in the corner. His conversion attempt drifted wide.

Luctonians got back on terms with their first serious attack of the game. They gained possession from a shortened line-out and drove Jamie Williams over for an unconverted try.

The second half was much the same with both sides competing hard but unable to assert themselves in the last quarter of the field.

Williams went close with two long range penalty attempts. One sailed high over the posts and was adjudged to have missed the target by his father Chris, a former Luctonians stalwart, acting as a linesman.

Luctonians made a late flurry and when Ludlow were caught off-side, fly-half Charlie Lang-ford held his nerve to clinch victory with the last kick.