LUCTONIANS Rugby Club guaranteed themselves runners-up spot in Midlands West Two with a tense 26-25 home victory over Newport.

The victory lifted Lucs above Bromsgrove, and if they win their final match at Sutton Coldfield on Saturday, they will be guaranteed a home play-off tie against Wellingborough for promotion to Midlands One.

But they needed a stirring fightback after the Shropshire visitors led 22-7 at the break, after Johnny Goodwin's try, which he converted himself, had opened the scoring.

Some tough talking at half-time inspired a much better performance after the break, and Will Crawforth and Ben McGowan went over before Dan Grant's try put Lucs back in front five minutes from time, with two further conversions from Goodwin.

A weakened Hereford side went down 48-13 at Midlands One champions Scunthorpe. Missing 10 first-choice players, they did well to be only 15-13 down at half-time through tries from Wilf Rees and skipper Jason Lewis, Jeremy Wheadon also kicking a penalty, but they ran out of steam in the second half.

Ledbury strengthened their hopes of the North Midlands One title with a 39-0 victory in their final league game at Five Ways Old Edwardians.

Peter Elkington was the point-scoring hero with two tries, three conversions and a penalty, while Jerry Jehan also grabbed two tries and Mark Morrison and Ali Smith one apiece.

Stourport, the only team who can catch them, were made to battle hard for a 9-3 success at bottom club Old Griffinians, courtesy of three Richard Dorrell penalties.

That now means they have to win their last game against Bromyard, which has still to be arranged, by a 54-point margin to pip Ledbury for the title.

Bottom club Chaddesley Corbett went down 44-5 at home to Bredon Star in North Midlands Three.