Worthing Raiders win a nail-biter at Barnes

It is always a difficult place to win, so even though the margin was much smaller than it should have been, another five points picked up on the road was a good result for Raiders. With nine wins in a row Raiders find themselves on 87 points - just two points behind leaders Redruth - with all to play for in the coming weeks.

After the close game at Roundstone Lane in October, which Raiders scraped home by 34-32, this was expected to be a difficult return fixture. Injury, illness and unavailability meant changes in the squad. Will Hobson, Fraser Bruce, Jon Whittall and Matt McLean returned.

Leicester beaten by Raiders.

It was a dull, damp afternoon as Raiders kicked off and got quickly into their stride. Within a minute Curtis Barnes was in full flow down the left wing but was held up a few metres short of the line. After four minutes the visitors scored their first try of the game. After building pressure on the defence through controlled phase play, Kieran Leeming put a grubber kick in which bounced kindly into the hands of Barnes who fed the ball back inside to Harrison Sims to beat the last defender and score wide on the left. With the conversion from Josh Tusler, Raiders had an early lead, 0-7.

After 14 minutes Raiders gave away a penalty 25m from the posts and the home side slotted the kick to close the gap to 3-7. For the next period of the game the visitors were drawn into a kick tennis battle rather than trying to impose themselves through high tempo running rugby. The home side scored a converted try after a tap and go penalty in midfield allowed them to split the visitors’ defence before it had a chance to regroup. With 40 minutes played Barnes took the lead at 10-7.

Raiders close in on leaders.

The visitors were quickly back on the attack when they charged down a clearance kick and Sims got his boot to the ball on the floor, there was a race for the touchdown. It was ruled that the Barnes player had safely touched down to prevent the try being scored, however he had carried the ball back over his own try line in doing so and a five-metre scrum was awarded to Raiders.

The scrum forced Barnes back to their own line and when Frank Taggart picked the ball up the defence closed on him but cleverly, he passed to his right where Rhys Morgan was totally unmarked a few metres out in front of the posts. He touched down unopposed and Tusler added the extras to put the visitors back in front at 10-14.

Barnes saw a penalty shot at goal go wide and the score remained the same as they went in at half-time. Half-time score: Barnes 10 Worthing Raiders 14.

Raiders beat stoms - and Barnstaple.

Raiders replaced Nathan Jibulu and Tom Gwyther with Elliott Luke and McLean respectively. Barnes restarted the game after the interval and within a couple of minutes Will Hobson was injured and Fraser Bruce took his place in the front row. The home side opened the scoring in the second half with a penalty to close the gap to 13-14.

Raiders were awarded a penalty in midfield, they kicked to touch and the lineout was within fifteen metres of the Barnes’ try line. The catch and drive was set in motion and moved steadily towards the line but with inches to go the ball was spilled and the chance had gone.

The next score for Raiders came as Kieran Leeming passed to Barnes on the left wing, he chipped over his opposite number, the covering defenders fumbled the ball and ended up trying to run the ball from behind their own try line. The pressure told, the ball was dropped and Jack Lake was on hand to touch down for the try. Tusler again converted and a more comfortable lead of 13-21 was in place.

Jon Whittall replaced Kemp Price. With 30 minutes of the half gone the visitors eventually scored the bonus point try. After another driving maul from a lineout the Raiders’ forwards moved to within five metres of the try line, there then came more than ten phases at close quarters before a long pass was sent over the heads of several players from both teams, to reach Barnes who dived in to score in the corner. With the conversion missed and only ten minutes to play the lead had stretched to 13-26.

Nathan Jibulu returned in place of Elliott Quinton and Will Beer replaced Tusler. When it looked like the game was safe everything changed in a flash when Barnes was yellow carded and from the penalty Barnes had a lineout close to the visitors’ line, from the lineout they scored a close range try but the conversion was missed, 18-26 with only a few minutes left to play.

With only one minute left Raiders were awarded a penalty in kicking range, however the decision was made to kick to the corner and go for another try to seal the game. The lineout was lost and Barnes played some excellent rugby and were rewarded with a try of their own, which was converted and brought this hard fought, close encounter to its close.

Referee: Richard Gordon

Attendance: 176

Scorers: Tries: Sims, Morgan, Lake, Barnes. Cons: Tusler (3).

Raiders: Will Hobson 2. Nathan Jibulu 3. Rhys Litterick 4. Liam Perkins 5. Jack Lake 6. Elliott Quinton 7. Kemp Price – Captain 8. Frank Taggart 9. Rhys Morgan 10. Josh Tusler 11. Curtis Barnes 12. Harrison Sims 13. Jack Forrest 14. Tom Gwyther 15. Kieran Leeming. Bench: 16. Elliott Luke 17. Fraser Bruce 18. Jon Whittall 19. Matt McLean 20. Will Beer