Clifton slain by Worthing

Kieron Dawson, Worthing’s Director, of Rugby described this as a game in which the result could have gone either way and he was probably correct until the final ten minutes when his side came from behind to score two converted tries to establish a thirteen point lead. He went on to describe the game as highly entertaining and keenly contested.

It was a strange game as the visitors had the better of the opening and closing quarters while we had the better of the middle half. We matched them in intensity and physicality throughout but lacked their overall control and enthusiasm which eventually proved costly. Our line out and midfield play was good throughout but late in the game we struggled at scrum time.

The visitors made an excellent start and after a run through midfield flanker Jamie Redmayne went over from a line out and full back Matt McLean added the extras. Dawson considered this early score gave his side the extra drive to go on and win the game.

Fly half James Mackay left the field for treatment to a wrist injury and while he was off centre Charlie Foley took over the kicking duties and opened our account with a penalty.

The Raiders then extended their lead when McLean finished off a move involving backs and forwards which he converted.

We then took control of proceedings and winger Lucas Slowik sprinted from his own half before putting hooker Rupert Freestone over in the corner. Mackay added the extras.

Within a couple of minutes we scored again when Slowik intercepted and raced almost the length of the field to score an unconverted try.

We were now in front and scored a converted try when Ben Purcell following a line out which put us eight points in front

Raiders lost the services of lock Charlie McGowan when he was yellow carded for foul play on the half hour.

His first on his return was to drive over the line for a converted try.

Slowik then scored the try of the afternoon when he received the ball in his own half and set off on a twisty run beating defenders before chipping ahead and gathering the ball before racing round the final defender to score in the corner.

Winger Alex Nielsen scored an unconverted try after forward pressure and twenty minutes later scored following a maul with McLean converting.

Scrum half Callum Waters completed the Raiders when he took a quick short penalty and raced half the length through a nonexistent Clifton defence to score.

We applied some intense pressure in the final minutes. McGowan received a second yellow for a technical offence which became a red card

We had the final say when Freestone scored in the corner for a bonus point try and Mackay landed the conversion with the final kick of the game for a losing bonus point