Sat 28 Feb 2026, 14:15
Luctonians II 32-22 Stratford
Stratford travelled over to Kingsland to take on Luctonians II (Lucs) in their final 14:15 kick-off of the season, benefiting from a sunny day but still with swirling winds. A much-changed side, nothing new for this season, got going following a kick-off from stand in fly half Dan Whitby. Though absorbing some early pressure, Stratford were powerless to stop an overlap created on their left after being pulled side to side and with seven minutes gone, found themselves 5-0 down.
Stratford then slowly began to work their way into the match, relying on the horsepower of ball carriers Zak Amond, Michael Dawes and Tom Stanley added to with the footwork at the line of Sam James and Stratford’s to go to man when in need, Dave Pritchard. One constant this season has been scrum-half Jake Lowe scrapping and keeping ruck defenders honest worrying about being picked off on the edges.
From a scrum on their own 10 m line, Whitby and Pritchard both picked running lines, with Lowe choosing Whitby on this occasion, he made it to halfway before being stopped. Two quick rucks, the resulting tight defensive line and a great line by full-back Chris Bolton saw outside centre Charlie Powell put him through a gap. Angling back towards the posts, Bolton made it to the 5 m line before going to ground and three phases later, including a tap penalty, Stratford continued to push. At first receiver, Whitby stepped inside his man and went over from 3 yards then got up to add the extra two and Stratford now lead 5-7.
Unfortunately, five minutes later Stratford were behind, having invited Lucs into their half by losing lineout, then when they did win the ball back, taking a quick tap and being penalised for holding on when it might have been prudent to kick to touch. Lucs scored from the resulting scrum but missed the conversion again so had a slender lead, 10-7.
Stratford went long with a deep restart then the Lucs the kick chasers were offside, so Stratford took the chance to move into the corner and had a lineout 6 m out. Securing a lineout and working multiple phases in-field, captain Jonny Smith saw a gap to the right of the posts as Lucs filled round, but didn’t stay tight enough, to dive over the line and score. A bit rushed after the ball blew off the tee, Whitby pulled the conversion left so Stratford lead was only two, 10-12.
Lucs hit back with a quickfire double on both occasions getting on the outside, once with good footwork getting them in the far-right corner and then not long after scoring in the opposite corner having caused a mix-up of feet and stumble by Bolton to round him and score in the corner. Lucs now led 22-12 with not long to go until half-time. A tactical reshuffle in the backs when defending helped stem the tide and Stratford worked hard in defence to keep Lucs out and even had a few promising attacks of their own before the whistle blew.
With the second half underway, Stratford started to move up the field having had some rest and with the referee starting to keep an eye on the Lucs defensive line, stopping it from creeping forward, resulting in real Stratford progression. A Pritchard kick in behind made it into the Lucs 22 and three Stratford defenders drove the unlucky Lucs winger out into touch and gave Stratford a released promising attacking lineout. Securing the ball, the lineout maul moved forward close to 10 m before the ball was extracted.
Keeping it tight with Pritchard coming from the backline, multiple forward pick-and-goes and a snipe from Lowe producing almost 3 minutes of continual ruck phases and wearing down the Lucs defence. Almost going out in the corner when you’re Charlie Billings managed to stay in field and a three-man carry-come-drive saw prop Stanley crash over the line vacuum field and close the gap on the scoreboard. Stratford were still five behind though as Whitby was unable to convert, 22-17.
Stratford worked tirelessly to keep Lucs out in a 10-minute spell where any attempts to move out of the 22 went awry. The worst of it, a dropped ball causing Stratford to have to touch down behind their own posts to prevent a messy try. Stratford had managed to force knock-ons or fill gaps just in time to keep their opponents out, but this pressure was preventing any Stratford fresh legs from being introduced. A potential escape came after a wide pass out through the Lucs backs allowed Stratford’s defence to drift, make a dominant hit and turn over the ball.
Stratford then lost outside centre Powell, with an as-yet undiagnosed ankle injury causing a further reshuffle of the team, with captain Smith moved to centre following an injury to winger Billings who was replaced by Sam Britton, now Chay Pusey joined fellow substitute Will Mathews’s to make up the numbers.
Having kept Lucs out for a large part of the first half, Stratford then went up the other end of the pitch and levelled the scores. Continual carries by the usual suspects drove Stratford forward over the halfway line, with back-rowers securing the ball and allowing quick rucks, the referee did ping Lucs for offside and Stratford moved further up the pitch with a lineout on the attacking 22. A mild fight and multiple more offside, though not this time penalised or acted on with a yellow card, maintained Stratford’s position around the Lucs 5 m line.
On one occasion, Lucs thought they’d turned the ball over, only to be penalised once more. A final-final warning t was given o Lucs and three phases later prop Dawes crashed over in the corner with a metre to spare despite the home fans claiming-or more accurately wishing, he was in touch. The difficult conversion was missed by Whitby, but the scoreboard now read 22-22 with around 15 minutes left on the clock.
Stratford were now pushing for the win, turning down a difficult penalty to move ahead, they kicked to the corner and attacked from a lineout 10 m from the try line. Stanley, now throwing in, found his jumper James, Stratford marched forwards before spinning the ball wide-right, first with captain Smith testing the defensive line and then another long right pass enabling full-back Bolton to do the same. Frustratingly, they were turned over at the next ruck and Lucs kicked clear.
Taking the ball on the halfway, Matthews’ long pass infield to Bolton caught him out, not yet being up to speed, and the ball went to ground before being towed on, collected and kicked further on by Lux with a favourable bounce falling in the hands of the Lucs 15 who ran in under the posts. A nightmare 30 seconds for Stratford, 29-22 having dominated the last five minutes.
Stratford to their credit, didn’t let their heads drop and went straight back to work but Lucs were clearly buoyed by their runaway try and started to build some pressure of their own. A vital turnover in front of the posts by Stanley gave them a reprieve but Stratford were struggling to break out of their half, not wanting to kick the ball away and invite further pressure.
Stratford thought they had survived with a play ending with a crunching tackle by Bolton, but the referee had other ideas and took it back for a Lucs penalty in the 22 in front of the posts. With the kick, Lucs moved out to a 10 point lead, reducing Stratford bonus points to just one on an afternoon that could have turned out very differently.
The final score was 32-22, irrelevant of what they may have expected on the bus journey to the match, Stratford performed very well and should be happy knowing they did take a point away on a ground very few teams do. Toby Mendes was Stratford’s man of the match, appearing to be everywhere on the pitch and doing the often-unnoticed hard work that allowed others to shine. Credit also goes to David Pritchard for playing the full 80 when he very easily could have been playing away with the vets instead!
Stratford XV: 1. Michael Dawes* 2. James Paterson* 3. Tom Stanley* 4. Sam James* 5. Zak Amond* 6. Dom Wan* 7. Toby Mendes 8. Jonny Smith* (C) 9. Jake Lowe 10. Dan Whitby 11. Ben Humphreys 12. Dave Pritchard* 13. Charlie Powell* 14. Charlie Billings* 15. Chris Bolton 16. Chay Pusey* 17. Sam Brittian 18. Will Matthews
*Denotes product of Stratford minis and juniors
