RUGBY: Late Dudley try gives Raiders win over high-flyers Rosslyn

Heading into the game, Park had lost just once, 43-19 at leaders Barking, but Worthing struck late on for the fifth time this season to grab four points from the game.

Raiders have taken 13 points with their late scores now this season.

They also earned an extra three points, in the final two minutes of games, when they defeated Lydney 25-21 (from 18-21), Barnes 19-14 (from 12-14), Southend 25-20 (from 18-20), and they took a late extra point from Canterbury with a 20-20 draw (from 17-20).

The victory delighted Raiders coach Will Green, who said: "It was very good and very pleasing. We put a lot of hard work in and I'm very chuffed.

"We'd been competing with the top four teams but wanted to beat one this season, and it's about time.

"It's a very up and down league, though. I'm not setting any targets, we just want to be competitive."

On Worthing again getting vital points towards the end of a game, Green said: "It's down to our superior fitness and we kept them under pressure, which is very pleasing from my point of view."

Worthing put Park under pressure in the early exchanges as both sides pushed hard to take control.

Penalties dominated the first half but Raiders' Matt McLean did not have his kicking boots on and failed to convert five opportunities.

Worthing ended the half with 14 men after stand-off Dudley was sent to the sinbin after a team warning was issued to Raiders. But Park were unable to take advantage and, unusually, the first half ended 0-0.

Rosslyn Park took the lead in the second half through a Ross Laidlow penalty but Dudley levelled proceedings, with a penalty of his own, midway through the second period.

Just when it seemed as though the game would finish level, Laidlow kicked Park ahead with one minute left.

But Park made a mess of the kick-off, which enabled Raiders to attack to within five metres of Park's line.

From there, Dudley took a pass from Shane Costigan and, with a slight dummy, went over to give Worthing victory and that was the last action of the game.

WORTHING: McLean, Sullivan, Spells, Meddings, Marshall, Dudley, Costigan; Taulava, Redmayne, Arthur (capt), McGowan, Launchbury, Halsey, Pointing, Emmett. Subs: Maidment, Bennett, Smith, Rogers, Maslen.

Shoreham picked up just their second win of the season in the Sussex Intermediate League on Saturday when they overcame Barnes Green 28-25. The win lifted Shoreham off the bottom and above Green.

In the same division, fifth-placed Norfolk Arms went down 17-15 at second-placed Eastbourne 2nd.

Littlehampton's home match with Chichester 4th in Sussex League Division 2 West on Saturday was postponed owing to a waterlogged pitch.

Littlehampton travel to Pulborough this Saturday.

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