Luton given a lesson by OPs

The visitors went into the match after putting together a string of impressive home victories but are yet to win away from Newlands Road this season. It was no different on Saturday as the sodden pitch and windy conditions contrived to make it difficult to play open expansive rugby.

The home side took control of proceedings as early as the fifth minute, through Ross McIntosh, who converted his first penalty of the afternoon, following an offside from a Luton player. And things got worse in the 10th minute, as a clinical line-out from the Old Priorians resulted in a kick up-field and George Majstorovic scored a try and Ross McIntosh kicked a conversion to make it 10-0.

Following this slow start, Luton sprung into action as Rick Hobbs scored a penalty due to an opposition player coming round the side. The penalty seemed to inject a sense of urgency into Paul Allen’s team, and they managed to put Old Priorian’s on the back foot for much of the opening period, but the OP defence held on.

Luton’s tempo and urgency was rewarded in the 23rd minute when they were awarded a penalty, but Hobbs could not capitalise. From then on, the match turned into a kicking contest, largely due to the windy conditions.

Then in the 31st minute, Luton’s Mahendran held onto the ball, McIntosh converted his third penalty of the afternoon, to make it 13-3. However Luton’s captain made up for his mistake three minutes later with a dazzling try, which Rick Hobbs converted to make it 13-10.

The home side were in no mood to give Luton a way back, as they scored a pushover try through Stefan Rowell in the 38th minute, and Ross Mcintosh followed it up with a conversion to make it 20-10 at the half time oranges.

In the 46th minute, a cross-field kick from Old Priorian’s Jack Dever enabled Seb Oddi intercept and extend the hosts’ lead, before McIntosh kept up his perfect conversion rate of the afternoon, making it 27-10.

In the 51st minute, Luton’s Chris Davies came off to be replaced by Jonny Wright, but Old Priorian added insult to injury as Seb Oddi ran in yet another try and McIntosh kicked another conversion to make it 34-10 to the home team.

On the hour mark, the match was halted as Luton’s Tom Albone picked up an ankle injury, and he had to be stretchered off. In the 65th minute, Dwayne Duffy came on for Luke Spellen, as Paul Allen looked to shuffle his tired-looking squad. A minute later, Old Priorian’s George Majstorovic was sin-binned for foul play.

Luton took advantage of the extra man, as Alex Comenescu powered home his first try for the club in the 69th minute, to make it 34-15, but Rick Hobbs’ conversion was poor. In the 72nd minute, the hosts put the result beyond their visitors, as Seb Oddi scored his third try of the afternoon, after dribbling the ball and touching down. McIntosh converted to make it 41-15.

Finally in the 80 minutes, Luton’s Gary Jahn scored a consolation try which Tom Mahendran followed up with a conversion.

After the match, Luton RFC coach Paul Allen was impressed by the home team, and hopes his own side can pick themselves up from the disappointment of losing. Allen lamented the many “mistakes the team made and the opposition benefited.”

Paul said: ”The opposition were far stronger than we anticipated, and they played a real high quality game. We got taught a valuable lesson of not relaxing when things are going your way.”