OLD Laurentians RFC suffered an agonising 24-18 defeat against league leaders Daventry after the home side conceded a last gasp penalty try.
Fly-half Dan O’Brien claimed a 13-point individual haul while Wilf Sansum crossed for a try only for Daventry to win the game at the death via a penalty try at Fenley Field.
The result means Old Laurentians sit sixth in the Counties 1 Midlands East (South) table.
Taking on a Daventry side who had lost just one of their 17 league matches so far this season, Old Laurentians more than matched their opponents in the first half.
The home side pinned Daventry in their own half for long periods and took a well-deserved six-point lead into the break thanks to two penalties from O’Brien.
However, after O’Brien hit the post from another penalty attempt, Daventry responded with three points of their own before the visitors scored the game’s first try from a driving maul.
Old Laurentians reclaimed the lead when Sansum crashed over following a quickly-taken penalty although the home side failed to add the extras.
Daventry scored their second try soon after only for Old Laurentians to cross again as O’Brien dotted down Nic Potgieter’s chip before converting his own try.
And the hosts were denied another try when a Daventry player was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on with a pass heading to Ben Varney and the way to the line clear.
The home side clung on to their lead only for Daventry to win the game eight minutes into stoppage time as a high tackle from a covering defender on the line saw the referee award the visitors a penalty try.
Old Laurentians are next in action at home to Spalding on Saturday, February 24 with kick-off at 2.15pm at Fenley Field.
