Luton destroy Chingford to close in on top spot

Luton continued their good run of form as they thrashed Chingford 75-15 at Newlands Road in London One North on Saturday, writes Adam Busfield.

Just one place separated both teams in the table before kick-off, but Luton’s brutal attack proved far too much for the visitors as they ran in 11 tries, 10 of which were converted by Chris Talanoa, to move them to within three points of top-of-the-table Eton Manor.

Luton were on top from the first whistle and scored after just three minutes when Ben Murphy burrowed his way over after a driving maul had got the hosts close to the Chingford’s try-line, with Chris Talanoa adding the conversion to give Luton a seven-point lead.

The hosts had the chance to extend their lead in the fifth minute, but Talanoa pushed his penalty wide of the posts.

The visitors responded well though to get themselves on the board through a Dan Broughtwood penalty after Tom Mahendren was penalised for not releasing in the tackle.

Luton continued to look threatening on every attack and scored the try of the game in the 15th minute when centre Steve Ellis gathered the ball inside his own 10m line before stepping two players to race 40m downfield and off-loading to Talanoa.

He then avoided three defenders to feed Michael Weston who pushed off a couple more to get within five metres of the try-line, before passing the ball to Ellis to score under the posts for a converted try.

Ellis was in for his second two minutes later when he forced his way through the visitors’ defence, before racing 30m to touch down in the corner for another converted try.

Luton were in again four minutes later when good pressure in the scrum forced the ball out and allowed scrum-half Robbie Smith to pick up and race 30m to score under the posts for a converted try.

And it got even worse for the visitors as they were reduced to 13 men within the space of a minute when Michael Christaki and Jesse Milne were both shown yellow for being off their feet at the ruck.

Luton made them pay three minutes later when a superb delayed pass by Ellis sent Craig South racing clear, before he drew in the full-back to feed Adam Harris, who dotted down under the posts for another converted try.

Chingford gave themselves something to build on in the second half when Adam Batt raced clear to score in the corner as Luton led 35-8 at oranges.

It didn’t take Luton long to get into their stride in the second half as South broke through Chingford’s initial defensive line before throwing a long pass out wide to Talanoa, who helped it on to Jake Hobbs, who raced 30m to score in the corner for a converted try with just five minutes gone.

Luton were then reduced to 14 men in the 50th minute when Mahendren was sin-binned for throwing a punch.

But this didn’t effect Luton as they crossed for another try four minutes later when Tom Wilmore raced down the right wing before off-loading to Weston who touched down under for a converted try.

And the hosts were in again just three minutes later when a sweeping move from a scrum created an overlap to allow Chris Davis to dive in at the corner for an unconverted score.

Luton were ripping through Chingford’s defence at will, and Smith was in for his second try of the game on the hour when Jack Elston broke clear to put him in under the posts for yet another converted try.

Chingford finally asserted some pressure on Luton’s defence in the 67th minute and, after a spell inside the hosts’ 22m, Tom Lowry forced his way over with Broughtwood converting make it 61-15.

This only seemed to spur Luton on as they hit back three minutes later through Jake Hobbs who crossed in the corner for a converted try, after a slick passing move had created room for the centre to touch down.

Jake Hobbs finished off proceedings by completing his hat-trick, when he picked up a loose ball to race 60m to score under the posts, with Talanoa adding his 10th conversion to take the final score to 75-15.

Luton: Sam Pacey, Ben Murphy, Jack Elborne (Mark Tindall 45), Craig South, Tom Albone (Karl Roddell 40), Adam Harris, Jack Elston, Michael Weston, Robbie Smith, Chris Talanoa, Chris Davis (Rik Hobbs 58), Steve Ellis, Jake Hobbs, Tom Wilmore, Tom Mahendren. T: Murphy, Ellis 2, Smith 2, Harris, J Hobbs 3, Weston, Davis. C: Talanoa 10.

Chingford: Stephen Piper (Joe Perks 46), Billy Mackie, Michael Christaki, Nick Lynch, Chris Small, Stephen Carr, Kieran Bowling, Jesse Milne, David Duffus (Marcus Hughes 23), Adam Batt, David Howells, Dan Boughtwood, Jon Hollis, Tom Lowry, Luke Campbell. T: Batt, Lowry. C: Boughtwood. P: Boughtwood.

Referee: Alec Unsworth.

Star Luton Man: Craig South. His strong runs and defensive work gave Luton’s exciting backline a platform to work from.