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Good things come in three's

Good things come in three's

Alexandra Wallace9 Nov 2015 - 16:05
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Played three, won three. Owen Thomas' late, late drop goal from fully 40 metres won the Raiders a brilliant 16-13 victory

Owen Thomas' late, late drop goal from fully 40 metres won the Raiders a brilliant 16-13 victory over form-side Westcombe Park at Footes Lane.

But a big crowd in the Garenne Stand had to endure some nail-biting final moments with Westcombe parked on the home line, before the referee blew for time.

Although short on tries it is difficult to imagine a better and more exciting game being played at our home ground this season.
Raiders were terrific and led 8-3 at the break after a flowing move which ended in second rower Lewis Hillier joining the line and diving over. This followed a penalty for either side.

In the second half James Cameron narrowed the gap with a drop goal and Glen Walters went close with his own drop goal attempt from 40m out.

Then Adam Nixon, who had come on for an injured Sam Stables, wriggled over and although Owen Thomas will have been disappointed to have spurned a second conversion attempt, the Garenne Stand faithful forgave him when, with the scores at 13-13, he let fly from distance and the ball just crossed the bar.

The victory lifted Raiders up to fifth in the table, just four points adrift of Westcombe who remain third.

In other National Three London & SE results, Bracknell beat Chichester 10-5, Colchester edged out G-Force 18-17, Wimbledon piped poor old Eton Manor 12-10, London Irish Wild Geese sneaked past Westcliff 17-13 and TJs beat Shelford 28-3.

The Raiders result ended a cracking day for the GRFC.

The Guernsey Ladies finally got their first win of the season in NC South East South One, beating United Banks Jersey 22-14.

That game had barely finished when a strong Raiders 2nd XV demolished Beeches 69-5 in their first JRA League game of the season.
The ‘2s’ ran in 11 tries with Matt Armstrong (2), Callum Gladstone (2), Jim Elliott (2, Taylor Quate, Ben Challinor, Sam Whitehead and Tom Wood all crossing the line.

Whitehead kicked the remaining points.

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