Newport 12 Luctonians 6
Newport's injury woes continued to pile up as they slipped to a 12-6 defeat at home to Luctonians in National Division Three Midlands. Newport's injury woes continued to pile up as they slipped to a 12-6 defeat at home to Luctonians in National Division Three Midlands. The Forton Road men had already seen their threadbare squad stretched close to the limit by injuries and unavailabilities so far this season. And it will now be tested still further, with two more players joining the casualty list against Lucs. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
The Forton Road men had already seen their threadbare squad stretched close to the limit by injuries and unavailabilities so far this season.
And it will now be tested still further, with two more players joining the casualty list against Lucs.
Hooker Sam Lewis popped a rib and, though an X-ray has subsequently confirmed there is no break, he is likely to out for a week or two.
Winger Adam Faulkener is also set for a spell on the sidelines due to a concussion he picked up against the Herefordshire side.
Director of rugby Ray Price refused to use the injuries as an excuse however, admitting the better side on the day had won the game.
"They put an awful lot of pressure on us in the first half and, to be truthful, we were very lucky to turn around at half-time only 5-3 down because they really put us through the mill," he said.
"They had a big pack, were very mobile and they came to win - they did a good job on us in the first half.
"In the second half we came back into it and might even have won it in the end, though that would have been a travesty for Luctonians because they deserved it."
Straight
Fijian Tomasi Tanumi kicked Newport's points with two penalties, but they were undone by tries in each half - the second a very sloppy one from the home side's point of view straight after the re-start.
It was a second win in a row for Luctonians, and lifted them nine points clear bottom-of-the-table Bedford Athletic.
"Our forwards, especially in the first half, dominated the game and we should have had more points having had all the possession," said Luctonian spokesman Robin East.
"But it was a nail biting finish as Newport hit back but we held out to take the points. Having won back to back games against Malvern and now Newport hopefully we can move on and climb the table."
Hereford went down 28-20 to third-placed Bromsgrove at Flintstall Park.
Skipper Matt Pritchard and Nick Harrison scored Hereford's two tries but it was not enough to stop Bromsgrove recording their fifth win of the season.
By CHRIS HUDSON
