Saturday 3rd October 2026
Match report and photos – Colin Coulson
Raiders opening game of the league campaign had resulted in a narrow defeat against Old Alleynians the previous weekend. Although not the result they would have wished for, they did pick up two valuable bonus points.
This week they travelled to London to play newly promoted Brunel University.
Selection was again hampered by injuries to Fletcher Rose, Jackson Clark and Will Beer. Struan Robertson, Dave Winsor and Max Ravaudet joined the squad, with Jake Howe and Diogo Pina both making their first league start for the Club.
The hosts kicked off on a dull, windless afternoon and were quickly on the attack. By the time ten minutes had been played, Brunel had scored two tries one of which they converted to lead 12-0.
Raiders had made a slow start due possibly to the lack of clubhouse and the long walk to the pitch. Within two minutes the visitors opened their account when Ed Hartley caught a high clearance kick and set up a running attack. The ball went to Diogo Pina who scythed his way through the midfield defence, once stopped the ball was moved to the left, Dan Wallis Downham put a grubber kick beyond the defenders and the ball was regathered by the visitors and then passed to Stan Keats to touch down. Ed Hartley converted to close the gap to 12-7.
After fourteen minutes the hosts received a yellow card and Raiders made the most of their numerical advantage.
From an attacking scrum the visitors pushed their opponents backwards until they were awarded a penalty. Quick as a flash Stan Keats took a tap to himself and scored under the posts. Ed Hartley converted to give the visitors the lead at 12-14.
As the half progressed the Raiders’ scrum became totally dominant and their driving maul from lineouts was also making the Brunel defence work extremely hard to prevent further scores.
Brunel continued to play with skill and pace, attacking from all over the field and in the thirty-ninth minute they were rewarded with a converted try to retake the lead at 19-14.
Raiders hit straight back from the restart. Brunel failed to secure the restart kick and Jaiden King picked up the bouncing ball and sprinted towards the corner. A good tackle prevented him from scoring. From Brunel’s throw-in at the ensuing lineout, Luke Gill caught the ball at the back and powered towards the line, the rest of the pack then drove towards the line and Struan Robertson touched down. Ed Hartley again added the extras and Raiders went into the half time break in the lead.
Half time score: Brunel University 19 Worthing Raiders 21
Raiders kicked off to start the second half but within a couple of minutes the Brunel scored another converted try to retake the lead at 26-21.
The game was being played at great pace on the artificial surface and thus players from the bench were used regularly to maintain the tempo.
With Raiders scrum still in the ascendency Dan Wallis Downham picked up at the base to score the bonus point try. Ed Hartley added the extras and the visitors retook the lead at 26-28.
The see-saw nature of the game continued with the hosts scoring two more converted tries to retake the lead at 40-28 with over twenty minutes of the game left.
Both sides were playing good quality rugby but both were guilty of making the odd error. Territory and points were lost and gained several times due to these errors.
At a scrum in the sixty-third minute Raiders were awarded a penalty. The ball was kicked to touch five metres from the Brunel try line. From the lineout Raiders executed a catch and drive that was unstoppable and Luke Gill touched down. Ed Hartley maintained his 100% kicking record for the day with the conversion and the hosts’ lead was reduced to 40-35.
A rash of penalties against the home side resulted in another Raiders’ lineout near their try line. The visitors again employed the driving maul, and Luke Gill scored his second try of the afternoon. Ed Hartley converted again and the lead changed hands. Raiders now lead by two points at 40-42.
With six minutes left to play either side still had the chance to take victory and when the home side scored an unconverted try in the seventy-seventh minute things looked grim for Raiders.
With the score now 45-42 to Brunel, the visitors had very little time left to secure a much needed first win of the season.
From the restart kick, the hosts failed to secure the ball and knocked it on, Raiders had a scrum thirty metres from the Brunel try line. The power of the visitors’ scrum won them another penalty which they kicked to touch five metres from the line. The hosts were again guilty of giving away another penalty as Raiders’ pressure took them closer to the try line. The visitors elected to take a scrum. Having picked up from the base, the forwards took the ball ruck by ruck closer to the line until eventually Luke Gill touched down for his third try of the afternoon. Ed Hartley completed the score with his seventh conversion of the afternoon and this pulsating match ended with Raiders taking the victory.
Full-time score: Brunel University 45 Worthing Raiders 49
An entertaining match between two good teams. A well earned five point win on the road for Raiders with lots of positives to take forward to next week’s game against London Scottish Lions at Roundstone Lane.
With both sides scoring seven tries it was Ed Hartley’s 100% kicking record that ultimately clinched this close encounter.
Team:
Impact Players:
Scorers:
T: Keats (2), Robertson, Gill (3) Wallis Downham
C: Hartley (7)
