MATCH REPORT
Sevenoaks Rugby welcomed Worthing Raiders RFC to the Paddock on Saturday 7 January, as the two teams looked to use the blustery conditions to blow away any seasonal excess.
In very wind conditions, the sports cliché of a 'game of two halves' aptly describes a match when Raiders secured 21 unanswered points with the wind at their backs in the first half, and Oaks scored 19 points without reply in the second hand playing with the wind.
The hosts fell just short of levelling the match in a conversion kick that was the last play of an outstanding match of rugby played in the best spirit.
Raiders earned their first half ascendancy on the basis of excellent recycling through the phases superbly marshalled by Player of the Match Will Regelsford from 9. He opened the Worthing scoring by darting over the whitewash for the first of Raiders' three tries, each well converted by Matt McLean.
The second Worthing try was the pick of the match, as fluid movement following several phases saw winger Tom Bowen waltz over the line. Sevenoaks tried their best to make incursions but it was the Raiders handling from deep that impressed, and ultimately resulted in their third try by Jack Forrest following a well-worked play from the midfield.
The second half was highly competitive from the get go, and with the wind against them Raiders were finding it hard to clear their lines. In attempting to move the ball out of their own 22 through the hands, an errant pass presented an interception opportunity for Oaks wing Drew Forrester which he snaffled to romp home for a try converted by Ben Adams.
When Henry Galligan darted over for another converted try for Oaks on 65 minutes the game was well and truly afoot. Oaks applied the pressure and with the Raiders number eight sent to the bin following a sequence of penalties for Oaks, Jonny Short found a gap on the blind side after an Oaks scrum from five yards out to dive over the line for Oaks, ten feet in from the left touch line. This presented Adams with a challenging opportunity to level the match, and unfortunately for Oaks his kick – the last play of the game – sailed to the right of the right hand upright and Worthing claimed what was on balance a deserved hard-fought victory.
SQUADS
Sevenoaks Rugby Club
Adams; Forrester; Osgood; Fotheringham; Short; Martin; Holmes. Simmons; Sedgwck; Simmons; Pettet ©; Higgins; Richardson; Hickin; Derrick. Ganley; Thompson; Osinibi; Galligan; Livett.
Worthing Raiders RFC
McLean; Bowen; Forrest; Sims; Barnes; Evans; Rigelsford. Bruce; Luks; Sargent; Browne; Perkins ©; Carr; Taggart. Jibulu; Clarke; Hoare; Derrick.
HT SCORE
Sevenoaks Rugby 0 – 21 Worthing Raiders RFC
FULL TIME SCORE
Sevenoaks Rugby 19 – 21 Worthing Raiders RFC
SEVENOAKS RUGBY SCORERS PLUS TIMES
49' Drew Forrester T Ben Adams C
65' Henry Galligan T Ben Adams C
80' Jonny Short T
WORTHING RAIDERS RFC SCORERS PLUS TIMES
9' Will Rigelsford T Matt McLean C
25' Tom Bowen T McLean C
37' Jack Forrest T McLean C
ATTENDANCE 310