Luton end season with harsh defeat to Tring

Luton RFC assistant manager Steve Evans is happy the season is over after they ended their campaign with a 68 – 12 defeat to Tring.
He said: “I’m gladder for the players that the season is over because I think they need a break; it’s been the season from hell.
“These boys put their hearts, souls and bodies on the line and they need the rest more than anybody.”
“The performance was everything it should’ve been. We knew were up against incredibly tough opposition and we thought it was going to be a lot worse than it actually was.
“We had so many injuries that we struggled to get a team together so a couple of the lads really stepped up. Even Johnny Wright scoring a try; remarkable.”
Tring opened up the scoring in the 8th minute after their right wing Goss-Lambourne sprinted over the line, doing the same in the 13th minute also with Ben Criddle scoring both conversions.
Luton looked to threaten Tring on a few occasions but the ball remained in the visitors’ possession for the majority of the first half. In the 23rd minute, Thomas Ward made his way through the Luton defence with ease and went over the line, Criddle adding the extras.
At the half hour mark, Tring inside centre John Preston barged his way over the line after some desperate defending from Luton, scoring the fourth and final try of the first half, going into the break with the score 0 – 26 after Criddle missed the conversion.
The second half didn’t begin well for the hosts after Tyler Chant was sin binned in the 42nd minute, leaving them one man down against a very strong Tring outfit, which scored a penalty try in the 47th minute with Criddle kicking the extras.
Just three minutes later, Sam Clapham added another try to make it 0 – 47 after Criddle scored the conversion.
The flying winger Ward then scored his second and third try of the game in the 52nd and 54th minute, proving too fast for Luton to handle, Criddle converting to make it 0 – 54.
Despite the crushing score line, the hosts never gave up hope, and in the 62nd minute, they formed a maul and nearly sent it over the line, the ball was then played out to Jonathan Wright who took it past two men and grounded the ball, Rick Hobbs missing the conversion.
Just five minutes later, Luton gave the fans something to cheer about after setting up a superb catch and drive in an identical position to the last try and nearly sent it over the line again, but another maul was formed and Jon Kerr grounded the ball to make it 12 – 54 with Hobbs converting the try.
The game fizzled out after Luton’s second try but Tring were still looking to add to the deficit and that they did after Christopher Rose scored two tries in the 76th and 80th minute, Criddle scoring the conversion to end the game 12 – 68.
Luton RFC prop Tom Garner wants to help put things right as he said: “I can’t wait for a Saturday when I can sit on the sofa and watch football instead of getting smashed about, but I’m going to miss the feeling of game day in two or three weeks that’s for sure.
“The boys put 100% in all the way through the game and didn’t give up. Today we were fantastic, we showed heart, spirit and put a bit of pride back in the badge. It’s been a long, tough season and it’s nice to be finally at the end of it
“We can’t wait to get back out there and put this season right again, we’re going to show the fans that turn up and watch us every weekend that we want this more than anything.
“We want to show that we don’t want to be a level seven club, we want to be level six or above.”