With Raiders needing a win to help them move away from bottom place in the league, they travelled to St Albans to play Old Albanians. Games between these two sides are often high scoring, close encounters.
Raiders continue to have injury problems, the most recent being Will Gearing-Grief. Six changes were made to the side that came so close to beating Canterbury the previous week. Returning after absence were Jimmy Staples, Jack Gapper, Sam Cook and Harry Forrest. Luke Talbot was returning to the Club after previously playing in season 2021/22 and coach Luke Wallace was pulling on a shirt to add some experience to the side in their relegation battle.
Pitch conditions were heavy underfoot but at least the rain relented shortly before kick-off. Raiders kicked off but made a very sluggish start to the game. They gave away five penalties in the first quarter and missed several tackles allowing the hosts to score two converted tries. On the twenty-minute mark Kemp Price received a yellow card. Things didn’t get any better in the next ten minutes as Jack Gapper missed a shot at goal from a penalty and the hosts scored two more tries, one of which was converted. All in all a poor thirty minutes for the visitors, who now faced the challenge of trying to overcome a twenty-six-point deficit.
Added to all of this Harrison Dakin had been forced to leave the field after only six minutes. Coach Luke Wallace was his replacement. The final ten minutes of the half belonged entirely to the visitors as they suddenly started to play with confidence, skill and pace. With Raiders now putting pressure on Old Albanian it was their turn to give up a handful of penalties in quick succession.
The visitors developed several good attacks. Tom Derrick nearly scored when he chipped over the defence but didn’t quite win the race for the touchdown. In the thirty-fifth minute some excellent phase play, using the full width of the pitch, eventually led to Jack Forrest bursting through the defensive line to score Raiders’ first try. Unfortunately, the conversion from wide out near the touchline narrowly missed. The visitors were now on the scoreboard at 26-5, with still a mountain to climb.
Only minutes later Raiders were in possession and deep inside Old Albanian’s twenty-two-metre area. The pressure told and the hosts received a yellow card. From the penalty only five metres from the hosts’ try line, Frank Taggart tapped and plunged towards the line, with the rest of the pack driving him forward he touched down for another unconverted try to close the gap to 26-10.
Raiders had the momentum as the half came to a close. If they were to get anything out of this game, they would have to continue in the same way at the start of the second half.
Half time score: Old Albanian 26 Worthing Raiders 10
Raiders brought Alex Havers on at the interval, replacing Tom Derrick.
The second half started much better for the visitors. Old Albanian kicked off, but the kick went out on the full and Raiders were able to start building the pressure again from the resulting scrum on the halfway line. During the next ten minutes they got themselves right back into the game with two converted tries. The first came after outstanding handling skills, resulting in Jack Gapper rounding off the move, he converted his own try to close the gap to 26-17, after four minutes.
The second try came in the eighth minute after more excellent handling from forwards and backs, resulting in Jack Forrest scoring his second try of the afternoon. Jack Gapper converted and with thirty minutes to play Old Albanian’s lead was reduced to two points, 26-24. Raiders then gave away a couple of penalties which allowed the hosts to kick to touch close to their try line. A controlled catch and drive resulted in another converted try for the home side, giving them a bit of breathing space, 33-24.
It didn’t take long for Raiders to reciprocate, kicking a penalty to touch deep inside Old Albanian’s twenty-two to give them a lineout from which they set up a catch and drive. Luke Wallace dived over for the try and Jack Gapper converted to make a two-point game again at 33-31.
Old Albanian were under a lot of pressure and were guilty of giving away penalties because of it. The Referee’s patience was tested, and he issued a yellow card to the hosts. Raiders maintained the pressure with expansive rugby threatening to break the host’s defensive line. A further yellow card was given to Old Albanian’s centre for a high tackle, which from the touchline looked as though it might have warranted a stiffer penalty.
Raiders then had a penalty in front of the posts and they chose to kick the points and thus for the first time in the match take the lead, 33-34 with about ten minutes left in the game. Having taken the lead, Raiders needed to keep Old Albanian away from their goal line for the remainder of the game. This proved difficult as they were penalised five times during this period, thus allowing the home side to relieve pressure and gain territory. After the third one Ben Featherstone was yellow carded and after the fourth one Old Albanian kicked a simple penalty to retake the lead at 36-34.
Raiders finished the game pressing hard for one more score, they maintained possession and patiently built their attack in midfield. The hosts defended well and eventually were able to repel the threat, until there was a break down in the play and the referee brought the game to a close.
Full time score: Old Albanian 36 Worthing Raiders 34
An entertaining and exciting game which could have gone either way. Five yellow cards did not reflect this game which was played in good spirit between these two sides. What might the outcome have been if Raiders hadn’t made such a bad start. However, their performance from the thirtieth minute onwards was exceptional in wiping out a twenty-six-point deficit. Two bonus points earned that could still be vital at the end of the season. In the final eight games Raiders have to find a way to turn these close games into victories if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation.
Referee: Connor Boyle
Scorers:
Tries: Frank Taggart, Jack Forrest (2), Luke Wallace, Jack Gapper
Conversions: Gapper (2)
Penalties: Gapper
Team: 1. Fraser Bruce 2. Jimmy Staples 3. Ben Featherstone 4. Jack Lake 5. Elliott Powell 6. Harrison Dakin 7. Kemp Price 8. Frank Taggart 9. Jake Rutherford 10. Tom Meyer 11. Charlie Spencer 12. Tom Derrick 13. Jack Forrest 14. Luke Talbot 15. Jack Gapper
Replacements: 16. Sam Cook 20. Alex Havers 23. Luke Wallace 20. Sam Myles 21. Harry Forrest
