BROMSGROVE'S promotion challenge suffered a major setback at Luctonions on Saturday as the Hereford side beat them by a solitary point.

In what was always going to be a very tough match with both teams going into the fixture showing good form of late, the home side won with a last minute penalty.

John Goodwin put Luctonians into the lead early on courtesy of a well-struck penalty. The home side went further ahead following a try by Ben McGowen.

After a shaky start, Bromsgrove found their feet and started to play the sort of rugby that has seen them become the form side of Midlands West Two.

Some great forward pressure saw Luctonians concede a penalty which Matt Birch duly converted.

This was followed by some great lineout ball which saw Birch and James Udy combine in midfield for Udy to go in under the posts. This was duly converted by Birch.

Luctonions came back strongly just before the interval and were awarded a late penalty which Goodwin slotted though the uprights to put the half time score 11-10 in Luctonions favour.

The second half was a tense, scrappy affair. Both sides were unwilling to concede ground on league leaders Malvern and were desperate for the win. A Birch penalty saw Bromsgrove take a 11-13 lead into the last couple of minutes of the match.

The remaining minutes saw Luctonians camped on the Bromsgrove line and a dubious penalty decision in the closing moments of the match gave Goodwin the chance to clinch victory from the jaws of defeat.

He duly converted the penalty to give Luctonians the victory.

Bromsgrove now rely on favourable results to take them into a promotion position.