Due to the Christmas break and the postponement of last week’s game due to a frozen pitch, this week’s game was Raiders’ first game since 21st December. A more difficult start to the new year could not be imagined, as they were away to top of the table Tonbridge Juddians.
Five changes were made to the squad that was selected the previous week. Jimmy Staples, Charlie Spencer, Finlay Glass and Ray Jardine all returned to the squad and Saope Soto made his debut on the wing.
On a very heavy pitch the hosts kicked off playing down the slope.
Within a minute Raiders gave away a penalty in midfield, Tonbridge Juddians kicked towards the corner and from the resulting line out scored their first try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed but the hosts had an early 5 – 0 lead.
During the next ten minutes Raiders had the better of possession and position on the field. Playing patient rugby, they went through the phases until they earned a penalty. The resulting kick to touch gave them a line out on the Tonbridge Juddians’ twenty-two metre line. The ball went to Frank Taggart at the front of the line, Jimmy Staples then carried the ball towards the try line and when he was tackled and the ruck formed, Ben Featherstone picked up and dived over to score a well-deserved try. With the conversion going just wide, the scores were now level at 5 – 5.
With nineteen minutes played and the game evenly balanced, Jimmy Staples received a yellow card for an infringement at a ruck near the Raiders’ try line.
The hosts elected to take a scrum and scored an unconverted try from it to take the lead at 10 – 5.
The visitors found themselves under pressure whilst down to 14 players and although they defended well, the hosts eventually made the extra man count and scored a converted try to stretch their lead to 17 – 5 after twenty-five minutes.
Raiders restarted the game and were able to establish a good attacking position through good phase play. With the hosts’ defence preventing the penetration required to reach the try line with ball in hand, Tom Meyer put a neat chip kick over the advancing Tonbridge Juddians’ defence for Harrison Dakin to run on to and catch cleanly. With twenty metres to go to the try line he was able to outrun the defender to touch down. Dillon Worsley converted to close the gap to 17 – 12.
As the half was drawing to a close, Raiders were right in this game defending well in their own half and creating chances at the other end. This did not look like a game between the top and bottom teams in the league.
Half time score: Tonbridge Juddians 17 Worthing Raiders 12
With a good first forty minutes behind them and with the advantage of the slope in the second half, the visitors’ confidence was high as they kicked off after the break.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, they conceded a penalty in the first minute and from this the home side scored a converted try to extend their lead to 24 – 12.
Undaunted by the poor start to the half, Raiders fought back strongly and were next to score. An excellent break by hooker Jimmy Staples saw him make forty metres before being tackled. From the break down the ball moved wide to Charlie Spencer on the left wing. After making a few metres he chipped ahead, then played a bit of football, before picking the ball up and scoring the visitors’ third try of the afternoon. With the conversion missed, the lead was reduced to 24 – 17.
After sixteen minutes Tonbridge Juddians were awarded a penalty at a scrum. This they kicked to touch inside the visitors’ twenty-two. From here they conjured another converted try to widen the gap to 31 – 17.
The visitors made several changes from the bench to help raise the tempo of their play.
Raiders were starting to make a few errors in their efforts to get back into the game. On more than one occasion they lost the line out on their own throw when deep inside the Tonbridge Juddians twenty-two metre area. Despite this they pushed ahead, taking more risks as they tried to close the gap. Tonbridge Juddians also introduced fresh legs and produced another converted try to put a win out of reach for Raiders with ten minutes left and the score now at 38 – 17.
The visitors did all they could to get a fourth try and earn a bonus point, and with about 7 minutes left to play it appeared that Sam Cook had touched down to achieve this goal. However, after consideration, the referee decided the ball had been held up over the line and awarded a goal line drop out to Tonbridge Juddians. To rub salt into the wound, Tonbridge Juddians scored a final try after breaking up a Raiders attached with an interception. The conversion brought the score to 45 – 17.
Although Raiders built one more attack, they could not break down the hosts’ defence to get that vital bonus point before the full-time whistle.
Full time score: Tonbridge Juddians 45 Worthing Raiders 17
The first half of this game looked like a game between the top two teams in the league, so good was the performance by Raiders. Unfortunately, they couldn’t quite maintain it in the second half. Many positives to come out of the game which Raiders will carry forward to next week’s home game with second in the table Barnes.
Referee: Peter Buchanan
Scorers:
Tries: Ben Featherstone, Charlie Spencer, Harrison Dakin
Con: Dillon Worsley
Team: 1. Fraser Bruce – Captain 2. Jimmy Staples 3. Ben Featherstone 4. Jack Lake 5. Elliott Powell 6. Harrison Dakin 7. Will Gearing-Grief 8. Frank Taggart 9. Jake Rutherford 10. Tom Meyer 11. Charlie Spencer 12. Tom Derrick 13. Jack Forrest 14. Saope Soko 15. Dillon Worsley
Replacements: 17. Sam Cook 18. Fin Glass 20. Ray Jardine 23. Ollie Crow 19. Sam Myles
