Grimes scores four tries as Luctonians sign off season

CHARLIE Grimes scored four tries for Luctonians as they conclude their league campaign with a 64-5 victory against Dudley Kingswinford.

The Mortimer Park side entertained an enthusiastic large crowd who came along to congratulate their heroes after securing their highest ever league position in National Rugby.

Finishing second, in what is a highly competitive Nat 2 West against sides with plenty of player resource, whereas Luctonians have relied heavily on player development through their excellent youth structure for the bulk of their squad.

With their departing No.6 Archie Benson showing touches of the class that has seen him snapped up by Northampton Saints, and club stalwart Mat Hackley ending his playing career after 247 games for the first team it made for an emotional day.

Dudley Kingswinford, who although relegated, had no answer to a rampant home side running in 10 tries and it could easily have been more.

Lucs went ahead in the sixth minute when Josh Watkins superbly fed Caleb Montgomery to touch down in the corner, Tom Jones kicking a beauty of a conversion form the sidelines.

And Watkins himself scored after 18mins when he finished off his own kick pass to Grimes who fed him the return pass, Jones again converting (14-0)

Grimes was next over the whitewash, when he scored his first of four tries, again set up by a delicate kick through from Jones, Jones converting for 21-0 lead after only 24 minutes.

Centre Lewis Parkes soon added to the tally following a quick interchange pass with Reiss Price, who quickly followed up by scoring himself when set up by the departing Archie Benson.

Grimes added his second score on half-time to send the home side in at 40-0 ahead.

DK for all their efforts never gave up, but they had no answers with Grimes scoring his hat-trick on 46 minutes, Jones converting once again.

Lucs prolific try scoring hooker Ben Link then crashed through to add to his seasons tally, extras again added by Jones (54-0).

DK then scored a deserved consolation effort through James Ryan soon after with a quick break (54-5).

Hackley was offered the opportunity to score on his final appearance when he was invited to convert Parkes’s second try on the hour, however his effort was nearer the corner post than the uprights, causing much amusement with the home support.

However, he crashed over minutes later but was again denied with the touch judge flagging for an infringement in the build-up.

Lucs dutifully signed off their excellent season with further scores from Parkes and Grimes to round off a 64-5 victory.

Grimes would be unlucky not to be Star Man after crossing four times, but the exquisite boot of Jones won the plaudits.