This week Raiders travelled to Chiswick to play CS Stags. This was the second time they had played there this season as the hosts share the ground with London Scottish Lions.
After a couple of close matches that Raiders couldn’t quite turn into wins, they needed to pick up a five-pointer on the road this week.
Dan Wallis Downham and Ethan Stone both picked up injuries in the previous week’s game and were unavailable for this one. Matt Bosworth and Alex Havers replaced them in the starting lineup. These were the only two changes from the side that played Old Alleynians.
It was a very wet morning but fortunately the weather improved as kick off time drew nearer.
This was another game played on an artificial pitch and for the second time this season Raiders didn’t come to terms with it and unfortunately, lost three more players to injury.
Things started badly when Regin Pratt was injured in the warmup and was unable to take any part in the game. Thus, the squad was down to seventeen before kick-off.
It only took Stags three minutes to open the scoring with an unconverted try, 5-0.
Within moments Raiders were on the attack and had the home side under pressure deep in the red zone. The pressure led to them conceding a penalty in front of the posts. This was the same situation the team faced last Saturday, and it turned out to be a carbon copy.
Raiders elected to kick the penalty to close the score to 5-3, but within a minute Stags scored a converted try at the other end. Ten minutes played and the visitors were behind 12-3.
At this point Joel Andrews left the game with an injury, and he was unable to return. This left Austin Steele the only player left on the bench and two of Raiders’ main ball carriers no longer involved.
It only took Stags a couple of minutes to score their third try, which they converted, extending their lead to 19-3 and only fifteen minutes played.
Raiders were unable, at this stage to get a foot hold in the game. Stags had a lot of possession, but the visitors defended well across the width of the pitch.
Raiders were able to kick a further penalty in the eighteenth minute to close the gap to 19-6. However, the penalty was in a prime attacking position on the edge of the hosts’ twenty-two metre line. It may have served them better to keep the pressure on and try to score a try from either a line out, scrum or tap.
With twenty-six minutes played, Stags were awarded a penalty which they chose to kick and extend their lead to 22-6.
The final ten minutes of the half saw Raiders play much better, creating chances through controlled phase play.
Stags defended well on their own line and managed to turn the ball over and clear. The clearance kick was fielded by Will Beer who promptly set up another attack.
The hosts received a yellow card for a deliberate knock on and Raiders were able to maintain the pressure on the defence.
Despite all this good approach play they could not break though to the try line. When eventually, Max Ravaudet did go over from close to the line, a penalty was awarded for an infringement at a previous ruck.
After coming close to scoring on two or three occasions, it was the hosts who hit back with another converted try to finish the half.
Half time score: CS Stags 29 Worthing Raiders 6
Raiders restarted the game after the interval and were quickly on the offensive, deep in Stags’ territory.
During the first ten minutes of the half the visitors looked favourite to score next. They developed attacks with patience and came close several times. Unfortunately, they were guilty of losing the ball at vital moments.
However, after seventeen minutes clean ball won at a lineout enabled the backs to show their skills, with Tom Sanderson making a telling break that allowed him to put Will Beer in at the corner. The conversion narrowly missed but the score was now 29-11 and a comeback looked possible.
After twenty-two minutes Ben Heber had to leave the field with a reoccurrence of the injury that had kept him out for several weeks.
Although Raiders had dominated play for most of the half they didn’t score the points they should have done given the possession and positions they had on the pitch.
After much good play without reward from Raiders, it was Stags that broke away to score an unconverted try in the thirty-seventh minute to extend their lead further, 34-11.
Any chance of getting anything out of the game had now gone for the visitors and moments later the referee brought the game to a close.
Full time score: CS Stags 34 Worthing Raiders 11
Some ill luck with injuries, decision making and missed tackles had all played their part in preventing Raiders from picking up a much-needed win.
There were some good individual performances and in patches excellent teamwork, unfortunately the performance of the team as a whole needs to be more consistent throughout the full eighty minutes.
Team: 1. Sam Cook 2. Elliott Luke – Captain 3. Max Ravaudet 4. Ollie Crow 5. Matt Bosworth 6. Jack Lake 7. Luke Gill 8. Alex Havers 9. Tom Sanderson 10. Josh Taylor 11. Will Beer 12. Ben Heber 13. Christian Streater 14. Joel Andrews 15. Tom Meyer
Bench: 16. Austin Steele 17. Lewis Reed 18. Regin Pratt
Scorers:
Tries: Beer
Penalties: Sanderson (2)
