COLTS WIN TOPS OFF BRILLIANT WEEKEND

Both Anthony Armstrong and Luke Jones helped themselves to hat-tricks on a day when well upwards of 400 watched an entertaining game from the dry of the Garenne Stand.
The potential for a try spree was always possible and Saxons’ hopes of avoiding a tanking were not helped by a string of first half injuries and the loss of two front-rowers meant that the game was barely half-hour old when the match went to uncontested scrums.

Some fine play from Guernsey saw them go into the break 19-3 to the good.
The first of three first-half tries came from Anthony Armstrong after less than five minutes, Raiders going through the phases in their own half before Ned Brown made the break to set up a 2 on 1 situation from which Armstrong was able to capitalise upon.
Owen Thomas converted and we were away.
The onset of a heavy drizzle borne on a stiffening south-westerly made handling ever more difficult but Luke Jones needed just one outstretched hand to dive on the ball in the HPP gym corner to make it 12-0.
The centre was to add a second just before the break when he was picked out by Brown’s clear short diagonal kick and as the Saxons defence dozed Jones nipped in and was away to score under the posts, Thomas converting for a 19-0 lead.
With the last kick of the half Ramsey kicked a penalty to get the battling Saxons on the board, but with their injury situation and Raiders set to have the wind at their backs in the second half they might have returned with some trepidation.
It was borne out too.

Soon after the restart Armstrong scored his second try in the most bizarre circumstances.
The winger could spend the rest of his life trying to repeat it, but everything fell his way and he was back to touch down for another easy conversion for Thomas.
Jason Batiste made a 20-metre break to make it 33-3 and with Thomas kicking the extras the Raiders were out of sight.
Two minutes later Armstrong was in for his hat-trick and Sam Whitehead had another straightforward kick for 42-3.
Moments later it was Whitehead’s turn to go over and Thomas skilfully added the extras and the total went past 50 as Jones completed his hat-trick and, again the fly half converted.

Brown had enjoyed a fine game regularly breaking the defensive line so it was nothing more than he deserved when his try made it 59-3 and the scoring was complete when Jason Batiste darted in for his second score, Thomas converting to take the tally to 66.
Raiders stay in second place in the table going into the break, a point behind Barnes who sent Sidcup crashing to a second straight defeat.
Tring stay hot on our heels after a good home win over Dorking, while Hertford and Westcliff leapfrog faltering Sidcup and remain strong contenders.

Raiders team: Steventon, Ceillam, Currie, Hillier, Merrien, Martin, Le Cocq, Hill, K. Brown, Thomas, N. Brown, J. Batiste, Armstrong, Jones, Whitehead.
Replacements: Craine, Skovronek, Barnes.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the St Jacques Vikings showed their improving qualities with a 45-12 win at Midhurst.
After conceding an early try the Vikings got themselves ahead with first-half tries from a Jacob Smith, Dave Horcraft and man-of-the-match Tom Rihoy.
In the second period Rihoy added another score and Nico Ashplant, Taylor Quate and Cashil Cahill completed the scoring.
Alec Bailey added five conversions.

On Sunday back at the Footes Lane old pitch the RBSI Guernsey Academy Colts pulled off a stirring and exciting 20-17 win over the Jersey Reds.
Star of the show was No. 8 Matt Creber who powered over for two tries, one in each half and the second - an 80m run - all but sealed the success.
Phil Le Noury also went over and there was a penalty and a conversion from the influential Leon Collenette.
The outstanding Jersey 10 Mark Boarer scored two tries for the visitors who came on strong near the end.

Sadly, the Guernsey Ladies could don't make it four wins out of four for the Sarnian sides over the weekend, slipping to a 51-7 defeat at Reading Abbey.