London 1 North: HAC v Luton

Luton lost 5-70 to H.A.C. on the road and were relegated from the London One North League.

The game, similar to many others this season, did not look good from the beginning, as some of the key players were forced to watch it from the sideline due to injuries, including Martin O’Grady, Callum Strachan, Brogan Mckeown and the promising youngster Olly Haynes. On the positive note, Luton welcomed back scrumhalf Tom Mahendran and gave another chance to shine to some of the emerging 2nd XV players, such as Tom Baines or Ollie Woolsey.

For one last time, the Red and Green gave their best effort but there was no antidote against H.A.C., the home side grabbed the lead with a few quick tries, which were left unanswered in the first half (29-0).

Luton’s top try-scorer Tom Winch gave a reason to cheer to the visitor fans with a breakaway try in the 69th minute which definitely helped to boys to keep their spirit and hold their head high until the final whistle.

Even though this season was one of the toughest ones in the recent Luton RFC’s history, the supporters have no reason to be sad, there are plenty of things to look forward to, including the new challenges in a different league with a reconstructed team and the possible moving from Newlands road.

First team manager Steve Evans was happy with his team’s mindset for the game and is looking forward to the next season.

He said: “It was always going be tough with the squad that we put out but with the spirit, Luton outshone H.A.C. in every respect, it was just different in the game.

“Harry Alston was exceptional today, he put some big hits in, he commentated as much as he could on the pitch, it was terrific.

“[To sum up the season] ‘injury’ comes to mind the most. If you look at the beginning of the season, we started strong but as the season progressed and we came up against some of the bigger teams, our injury crisis deepened which I think really cost us for the rest of the season. But the spirit is what I’m going take away from it and the fact that the effort the boys put in can’t be faulted.

“The next step is to find out which league we’re in, obviously recruitment over the summer and for the preseason, getting out fitness back to where it needs to be. But more importantly, for everyone is to have a break right now.”