POST-MATCH UPDATED NOTES:
The original full time score of 12-10 to Rotherham Titans was re-instated by the RFU after a series of meeting the following week.
The referee altered the final score after the game, deeming that the last kick of the game, a conversion by Matt Minogue for Rotherham, had gone under the crossbar.
The RFU saw video evidence to prove the kick was good, but more importantly ruled - the score on full time was 12-10 to Rotherham and this couldn’t be changed by anyone after the full time whistle, including the referee.
Rotherham Titans suffered a disappointing and controversial end to their game at Luctonians, as Matt Minogue’s last-kick-of-the-game conversion was deemed to have gone under the bar.
The match ended in a 10-10 draw on a heavy pitch, but Titans frustration was heightened when video footage emerged to clearly show the ball had gone over the bar legitimately.
The result means for the first time this season that Rotherham’s title ambitions are now out of their own hands.
The game itself had to be played on an adjacent pitch due to heavy rainfall in the area which left the main pitch laden with standing water.
In awful conditions due to the sodden surface and strong winds, the error count for both sides was understandably high and as such the game was always going to be a low-scoring affair.
The solitary score of the first half saw Luctonians scrum half Owen Randell dot down after a punt up-field saw the ball bounce kindly for the home side, before a hack on was finished off by the half back.
Titans’ task got a lot tougher just before the break when centre Harry Dunne was shown a red card for foul play.
Rotherham to their credit battled admirably throughout the second half into the unyielding wind and with a reduction in their numbers.
On 65 minutes however Titans endeavours were rewarded when lock forward Matt Challinor bulldozed his way over to level the scores.
Back came the home side as they pressed to regain the lead and as the ball was fed out wide, unfortunately for Rotherham Matt Minogue lost his footing in the mud and Ben Owen took full advantage to run in and score in the corner with 7 minutes remaining.
Rotherham impressed again with their response as their character came to the fore and they battled gamely uphill into the biting wind in search of a late win.
Dramatically in the final play of the match the South Yorkshire side managed to cross the whitewash next to the posts through skipper Zak Poole, after immense work from the Titans pack, to level the game at 10-10 with the conversion to follow.
Minogue duly added the extras and the two referee assistants raised their flags to indicate the dramatic, but successful end to the game for Rotherham.
However, in a cruel twist for the visitors, the referee held conference with his fellow officials before deciding the ball had gone underneath the crossbar!
Referee: George Richardson
Attendance: 354
Red Card: Dunne (Titans)
Titans: Challinor (T), Poole (T)
Luctonians: Randell (T), Owen (T)
Titans: 15 George Tucker, 14 Connor Field, 13 Lloyd Hayes, 12 Harry Dunne, 23 Jamie Cooke, 10 Matt Minogue, 9 Sam Boxhall, 28 Alastair Donkor, 2 Harry Newborn, 27 Rikki Stout, 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Theo Nwosu-Hope, 6 Zak Poole (Capt.), 7 Lewis Wilson, 8 Kieran Curran.
Replacements: 16 Jack Bergmanas, 17 Colin Quigley, 18 Matti Williams, 19 Tom Richardson, 20 Joe Carlisle.
Luctonians: 15 Giles Morell, 14 Rob Bengry, 13 Nick Yeoward, 12 Ben Owen, 19 James Wheeler, 10 Tom Jones, 9 Owen Randell, 1 Connor Deignan, 2 Ben Link, 3 Joe White (Capt.), 4 Tom Smith, 5 Owien Harriott-Davis, 6 Jack Forsythe, 7 Mat Hackley, 8 Sam Jones.
Replacements: 16 Brad Smith, 20 Henry Powell, 30 Cheik Kone, 17 Aiden Cheshire, 21 Josh Nott.
