Brentwood prove too strong for struggling Luton

The away side started the brightest in the windy conditions, with returning captain Tom Mahendran getting the first points on the board in the fifth minute, with fellow returnee Rick Hobbs kicking through for 0-7, a minute later.

In the 15th minute however, Brentwood stormed back into the game after a magnificent darting run from their scrum half Declan Gillett whose try was added to by a conversion from Adam Thomas who tied the scores.

In the 18th minute, Luton retook the lead through a Rick Hobbs penalty, after a succession of fouls from the home team, for a 7-10 lead. Luton's passing and movement with the ball seemed to be getting sharper.

Nonetheless, the tables were turned on the away side, as tight-head prop Luke Spellen was sin-binned, for hands in the ruck. Soon after that, Brentwood’s man-advantage paid off as they put pressure on Paul Allen’s side, as they were awarded a penalty and again Thomas tied up the scores: 10-10.

On the stroke of half-time however, Brentwood were awarded yet another penalty from which Thomas made no mistake, as he sent his side in leading 13-10 at the interval.

At the commencement of the second period, the roles were seemingly reversed as this time it was the home team that looked sharp from the start, with Felix Hares running through Luton’s scattered defence in the 44th minute and once again Adam Thomas made no mistake with his conversion: 20-10.

Despite skills coach Chris Parr rallying, Brentwood could smell blood and Thomas King opened his account for the afternoon after a quick give and go passing move with Declan Gillett. Thomas made no mistake as he converted yet again.

In the 55th minute, it got worse for Luton as Brentwood’s number ten Thomas Simpson earned his side a bonus point with his try, before Thomas converted to make it 34-10.

Despite initially surviving wave after wave of attack, the Luton backline was once again breached in the 71st minute this time through Felix Hares. Thomas made no mistake with his conversion to make it 41-10.

As Luton tried to regain some semblance of pride, Brentwood’s Jonathan Wylie went over the away side’s white line for the final time that afternoon, and Thomas’ 100 per cent conversion was complete for the day, as he made it 48-10.

The final whistle could not have come soon enough for Luton as it ended 48-10 to Brentwood.

Match reporter
Nigel Mustapha