Worthing Raiders’ tough season ends with hefty loss to Guernsey

It was an entertaining spectacle for the near-500 crowd but a very disappointing way to end this difficult season. However, the spirit of the team was evident up to the final whistle.

Guernsey had played well with plenty of powerful runners dominating play. Worthing played well in patches but made far too many basic handling errors to build prolonged pressure on the visitors.

Raiders v Raiders in pictures.

Worthing will be saying farewell to several of the squad and coaching team as they move on to other challenges next season.

During the summer they will seek to recruit new players and build a squad that is capable of bouncing straight back into the National League.

Both Jack Lake and Rob Ure had outstanding games and were jointly given the Fox Inn man of the Match award.

Many thanks go from the Raiders to supporters who have cheered the side on throughout the season despite the lack of success on the field, while the Raiders’ ball team have done a great job helping to keep games flowing.

Relegation was not on the minds of players and coaches at the start of the season but by Christmas it had become top of the agenda. There were many reasons why only three wins were achieved, not least the unavailability list due to injuries.

Raiders made three changes as Jack Lake, Jack Whyte and Austin Steele came into the side. Raiders kicked off attacking the southern end of the ground in the first half.

The visitors opened the scoring in the seventh minute with an unconverted try to take a 0-5 lead. Five minutes later Worthing kicked a penalty into touch deep in the Guernsey 22. From the lineout they set up a driving maul.

The ball moved towards the try line, in small increments in the hands of the forwards. When they released the ball to the backs, Jack Forrest broke through to touchdown and level, 5-5.

A long clearance kick by Worthing rolled into touch deep in the Guernsey 22. As the kick originated in the Worthing half of the field, they had a throw in at the lineout. Jake Rutherford made a break and slipped a neat offload to Jack Lake who romped in unopposed. Ed Hartley converted, and the hosts led 12-5.

In the 25th minute the game fell apart for Worthing. Having scored a converted try to level the score, Guernsey ran in four more converted tries before half-time. Worthing were like a rabbit in the headlights and were unable to do anything to prevent this avalanche – and the score moved to 12-40 in about 12 minutes.

The visitors restarted the game after the break and scored an unconverted try after five minutes, 12-45.

The hosts went very close when Sam Myles chipped ahead on the right wing. With several Worthing players in chase and limited cover defence to beat, it looked like another try – but in trying to pick the ball up under pressure they knocked on.

They raised the tempo of their play and put pressure on the defence, this produced a penalty on their 22m line, Rutherford took a quick tap and gave a well-timed pass to Lake, who ran in unopposed to touch down. Hartley again converted - 19-45.

Raiders used all their bench players but as in the first half, Guernsey playing excellent, powerful running rugby, blitzed Worthing with four tries in the next 15 minutes to make it 19-71.

With time almost up the hosts scored a fourth try after good build-up work. Rob Ure got the touchdown from short range and EHartley converted.