LOS ANGELES – Winger Tomas Aoake scored the game-winning try and Lincoln Mcclutchie’s fourth made conversion helped put an end to the San Diego Legion’s team-record breaking four-match losing streak.
The Legion’s 38-36 road win over Rugby FC Los Angeles came in nail-biting fashion after LA answered the 76th-minute try with one of their own in the 78th minute. However, the conversion attempt from fullback Reese MacDonald missed left, giving the Legion their first victory since March 22. The Legion had drawn only one match in team history, a match with the Colorado Raptors in 2019.
“We were minutes away from a tough day,” Manenti said. “I thought we showed good character. Obviously we’ve been playing okay some games.
“I thought we played pretty well [today], you know, like some things just weren’t quite going right and missed a few key moments. You know even today, like I said, there were still things we didn’t do so well, but, you know, I think the courage we showed, I suppose, to come out and play and, they’re a good team.”
The match opened with center Cassh Maluia’s first MLR try. Brac Wilkin and Jed Holloway scored in the 27th and 29th minutes.
San Diego and LA were locked at 17 points apiece at the half after LA responded in the same manner after each Legion score.
Wilkin and Holloway each scored their second tries of the night with Mcclutchie making both conversions to begin the second half and take the first two-possession lead of the match. LA responded to those, too, with tries in the 63rd and 73rd minutes and MacDonald making both conversions to tie the match again.
Mcclutchie’s conversion was the difference-maker in a closely fought battle between the MLR Western Conference’s third- and fourth-place teams. San Diego added three points between them and LA, although LA picked up both bonus points available to the losing team.
Up next: The Legion, now in a tie for second place with the Utah Warriors, will play the Warriors on the road on Wednesday, April 30 as part of the Legion’s middle match of a 3-matches-in-9-days stretch. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Herriman, Utah.