Lydney 25 Southend 20
Lydney clawed within four points of National Two South safety following a fiery Regentsholme affair writes Will Wood. The Severnsiders held on for the last quarter a man down after lock Charlie Danniel was sent off for punching, before director of rugby Duncan Bell joined him in the stands after blasting officials when Saxons blindside Mike Guess stamped on a Lydney player off the ball at halfway.
The visitors, who are directly above Lydney in the table, grabbed the first points when fly-half Brad Burr landed a penalty from in front of the posts on nine minutes.
The scores were level when Lydney centre John Rodgers raced 60 metres into Southend's 22, before winning a penalty in front of Southend's sticks, which full-back Tony Wicks slotted to tie things up after 13 minutes.
The game's first try went Lydney's way on 29 minutes.
Wicks sent a penalty into the corner after Southend came in at the side and Lydney pounded their whitewash.
The ball was spun down the backline allowing fly-half Brad Barnes to slip through and score, with Wicks pushing Lydney 10-3 ahead.
Saxons' blindside Guess was then binned on 35 minutes for punching.
Wicks fired the kick into the corner, before setting up camp on Southend's whitewash.
Lydney replacement Harry Brown burrowed his way over from the ruck for his side's second score.
Wicks could not improve, leaving Lydney 15-3 ahead.
In first-half added time, Southend brought the teams within a score at the break.
Forwards drove down the sideline, before backs were released where Burr's grubber bobbled behind the defence and inside centre Chris Vaughan dotted down three minutes into added time.
Burr's conversion pulled it to 15-10 at half-time.
Southend carried on at the start of the second period where they had left off at the end of the first, with their second try on 47 minutes.
After winning a penalty, Burr booted into the corner. The catch-and-drive took play to Lydney's line where loosehead Harry Hudson touched down.
Burr's conversion built a 17-15 lead.
The flashpoint arrived on the hour with an off-the-ball incident prompting the touch judge to inform the referee he had spotted Danniel throw a punch, with the lock sent off.
Bell took his frustrations out on the officials, with the former Bath prop sent into the stands.
It seemed to motivate Lydney as they scored their third try on 74 minutes.
The home side were awarded a penalty in Southend's 22, and instead of going for the posts, Barnes took a quick tap and launched over to score.
Wicks' conversion pushed the home side 22-17 ahead.
Bonus points were now important, with Southend hunting any consolation.
With Lydney five points ahead, it meant Southend would leave with a point.
On 78 minutes, Wicks had the chance to cancel it out when his side were awarded a penalty 43 metres out, but it sailed wide.
Two minutes later, Wicks had a second shot, this time closer to the posts, and he made no mistake, pushing his side 25-17 ahead.
Southend rose to the challenge and won a penalty of their own four minutes into added time.
Burr kept his cool and landed the kick from Lydney's 22, pulling his side within five points and rescuing a bonus point , to Lydney's, and Bell's frustration.
LYDNEY: Tony Wicks; Josh Hannam, Josh Innes, John Rodgers, Chris Holder (captain); Brad Barnes, Eamon Rees; Zen Szwagrzak, Mike Wallis, Ollie Day; Charlie Danniel, Dave Bennett; Matt Boobyer, Tim Longton, Chris Rovery. Reps: Will Goodrick-Clarke, Harry Brown, Jack O'Comnell, Tia Lakabuka, Jim Massey.
SOUTHEND: Danny Cleare; Billy Driver, Sonny Gay, Chris Vaughan, Mark Billings; Brad Burr, Rhys Powell; Harry Hudson, James Kellard, Sam Fombo; David Jackson, Kris Chesney (captain); Mike Guess, Marcus Bloomberg, Craig Strachan. Reps: Aston Bevans Royston, Adam Ferrier, Jason Fardell, Chris Shields, Sam Nash.
