Basildon lose after wasting 10-point lead (From Echo)

Basildon lose after wasting 10-point lead

3:00pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in Sport

BASILDON suffered a narrow 17-15 defeat against Luton, after throwing away a 10-0 lead.

Luton were under real pressure during the opening 40 minutes and conceded a number of penalties. Strangely, only one yellow card was issued and it took 33 minutes for Basildon to make a breakthrough.

It came when the ball was switched to centre Daniel Dieu de la Bellefontane who crashed through several tacklers to score out wide.

The conversion was missed but, just before half time, Basildon went further ahead when Luke Crowhurst scored a try to make it 10-0.

But Luton stepped things up at the start of the second half and were denied a score in the corner when their final pass was adjudged to have been forward.

But, shortly that, came the turning point of the match when full back Nicky Howard was yellow carded for tackling within 10 metres of a tap penalty.

The resulting penalty try was easily converted and Luton moved within three points of the lead. The visitors’ tails were up and they soon scored a superb try from their own half to give them a four-point lead.

It was now all Luton and things got worse for Basildon when flanker Joe Green was yellow-carded to take them down to 13 men.

Somehow the home side hung on under some intense Luton pressure until the visitors’ fly half scored an excellent drop goal to seemingly seal the match.

But Basildon winger Brad Johnson had other ideas and scored a superb try out wide in the last play of the day.

However, his attempted conversion, which could have secured his side a draw, was inches wide and Basildon were left to rue missed chances in the first half.

Basildon: Howard, Johnson, Baker, Dieu de la Bellefontaine, Rowle, Meadows, White, Stevens, Baker, Partridge, Creasey, Harman, Green, Chandler, Crowhurst. Replacements: Hickey, Hamm & Bonnet.