Worthing Raiders on roll as Rochford are beaten

Eleven points out of 20 from three away games and one at home is not a bad result with so many on the injury list.

Their injury list had increased to15 players before the trip to Essex but skipper Liam Perkins was back and there were league debuts for Harry Nelson, Jack Doorey-Palmer and Tom Sunray.

Charlie Spencer had to fill in at scrum-half and Will Hoare and Tom Gwyther also returned to complete the squad.

The game was played in almost perfect conditions. Raiders had their first meaningful attack and were looking dangerous when the home side intercepted a pass in their own half and scored the first try, converted for a 7-0 lead.

In repost the visitors scored a well-constructed catch and drive try with Elliott Luke touching down. Harrison Sims converted.

Raiders found themselves down to 14 men after 14 minutes when Ben Waghorn was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle. The home side soon regained the lead with a converted try.

With twenty minutes gone Rochford went down to 14 when they had a player yellow carded.

Throughout the first half the home side had successfully used long clearance kicks to turn defence into attack. From one of these they scored their third try when the ball was not fielded cleanly and the bounce fell kindly for the Rochford player to touch down – 21-7 with ten minutes left in the half.

Dan Sargent replaced Jackson Clark in the front row and Will Hoare came on for Joe Knight. Shortly before half time Jack Doorey-Palmer came on at hooker. After the break Jerome Ruddercame on for Ben Waghorn. Joe Knight came back on and Rob Cuffe went to the bench.

The home side conceded a penalty which Raiders kicked to touch five metres from the Rochford goal line. The visitors kept control of the ball and after several phases Harrison Sims burst through several attempted tackles to score under the posts, converting his own try.

Rochford were penalised and a scrum resulted on the centre spot for Raiders. The ball found its way to Curtis Barnes who beat several attempted tackles and sprinted to the goal line to score an outstanding individual try. Sims converted - 21-21.

Jackson Clark returned to the front row and a fine ‘50-22’ kick in open play gave Raiders an attacking lineout five metres from the Rochford line. Eventually Frank Taggart burst through to score the bonus point try. Sims again converted.

Tom Sunray and Rob Cuffe came on and soon Curtis Barnes sprinted towards the line, and as he was tackled he sent an excellent pass wide to Cuffe who scored in the corner - 21-33.

Jack Doorey-Palmer was yellow carded and Rochford scored a converted try but Raiders held on.

Raiders host Canterbury at Roundstone Lane on Saturday.