SYSTON 34 – 50 LUCS

AN ENTERTAINING, HIGH SCORING GAME

Syston RFC vs Luctonians RFC
Saturday 13th September 2025 – Barkby Road
Match Report by Geoff Vickress

84 points, 21 of which scored in last 7-8  minutes, 12 tries in total with Lucs out-scoring Syston 7 tries to 5, and with captain Ben Link dotting down for a hat-trick of tries for the man of the match credits (The Rugby Paper) with Jack Goodwin (Lucs Man of the Match) also scoring a brace and, not least, Tom Jones kicking 15 from the boot, it was some entertainment for the 252 crowd present at Syston last Saturday.

The Lucs tries are now for all to see HERE on our Facebook Page but, to add some context to this high scoring game, let me tell you a story.

Lucs were on the score board after only 2 minutes when, from their first attack, a driving maul deep in Syston red zone saw Ben Link over to score, with Tom Jones converting for an early 0-7 lead. And it  was double the tally when only 3 minutes later Jack Goodwin, who had a fine game, was also driven over almost unopposed, Jones again converting, and a lead of 0-14.

Syston eventually got going and, on their first foray into the Lucs 22, scored through their impressive back Wayte-Mcpherson, not converted for a 5-14 score line.

And the points kept coming in rapid time, as Caleb Montgomery was also over for Lucs when he picked and brushed off defenders to dot down only two minutes later, Jones again converting for a 5-21 lead.

The game already had the makings of a high score, and it was further enhanced when Link again was at the back of another driving maul from close in, after another penalty was kicked immaculately to touch by Jones, to give them the line-out ball to create the opportunity. However, he couldn’t convert and, after only 20 minutes, Lucs led 5-26 and looked like running away with the game.

But Syston wouldn’t lie down and be tickled an, on their second only foray into Lucs territory, fullback Green was over the whitewash. He couldn’t convert his own try, and the lead was reduced to 10-26.

It went quiet for 10 minutes, for the scorers to draw breath until Syston, who had been under the pump in the scrum, won one against the head and used the penalty advantage to use the line out to create another score, in only their third visit to the Lucs red zone. No 10 Steward scrambled through, with Green converting to give the game a 17-26 scoreline at half time, as the teams went in for a cup of sweet tea.

Half Time Score
Syston RFC 17 – 26 Luctonians RFC

The tea must have been better tasting in the home dressing room, as they came out all guns blazing. When Owien Harriott-Davis was yellow carded almost from the restart for Lucs, they took full advantage and scored after persistent pressure through Grooby, with Green converting, and they were back in the mix at 24-26.

The home side then had some control and, despite possession, they could only add the points when Green kicked a penalty for a high tackle by Harriott-Davis, who was perhaps fortunate not to not see another card of a different colour.

At 27-26 on the hour, it was back to Lucs to score from the restart, when the return kick from Syston was caught deep in his own territory by Bryn Goodall, some 70 metres from the Syston line. His run and pass to Frank Kelly, who broke through a couple of tackles to put the ball in the grasp of James Wheeler to run in from the 20 under the posts. Jones again added the extras for a 27-33 scoreline.

And then mayhem ruled as Lucs ran away in the last 10 minutes, adding 17 points to secure the points in what was a spectacle for the neutral, but will give the coaches of both sides something to think about defensively.

Tom Jones knocked over a penalty from the 22, following Priestly-Nangle seeing yellow for Syston (27-36). Ben Link was again at the bottom of another close in, line out maul to increase the scoreline to 27-43, before Syston gained a consolation, when they broke away deep in added time through Rudkin; converted by Green (34-43).

However, from the restart, there was still time for Jack Goodwin to round off the game, when he scored when Syston gave away a penalty in their own 22 allowing a quick touch-and-go for Goodwin to run through and touch down under the posts; Jones rounding off the scoreline at 34-50.

Half Time Score
Syston RFC 34 – 50 Luctonians RFC

It was great entertainment, and Lucs will be looking to be as clinical this coming weekend at home to Old Redcliffians, where they will look to add to their 5 points gained this past Saturday.