Match Preview

SHELFORD ARE A THREAT SAYS JORDAN

GETTING the mindset right is the coach’s message as Raiders welcome back a string of first choice players for the visit of Shelford at home this Saturday.
Malcolm Barnes, Ned Brown and Luke Sayer all return in a much-changed backline from the side that under-performed and duly slipped up at Guildford last weekend.
Barnes slips back in at scrum half after his business trip to Sierra Leone, Brown is finished with exams and Sayer fit again.
All of which allows Sam Whitehead to move into the 10 shirt and the versatile Dale Martin pops up back on the wing.
Luke Jones remains injured and owen Thomas away.
Jordan Reynolds reports that the team had a ‘good meeting’ and hard session on Tuesday where they talked about the right mental approach to all games.
‘The effort just wasn’t there last weekend and it is very rare to see a Guernsey side not put in the effort like that. It cost us.’
He also acknowledged that ‘staying at the top is always harder than getting there in the first place.’
Convinced his team have the ability to be competitive in London & South East Premier, he is anxious to avoid any more disasters like last week.
‘We clearly didn’t learn from the Dorking loss,’ he added.
‘We have got to use last week as a new motivation to perform this Saturday.’
He knows all too well that Shelford are a team to be fully respected. They are dangerous.
Shelford arrive in Guernsey off the back of a defeat to second-placed Barnes last week and they are 11th in the table, but they have registered a couple of impressive away wins – at Sidcup and Westcombe Park – in their three victories so far.
‘It’s down to their selection,’ said Reynolds of Shelford’s inconsistency.
‘We know we need to have a response this week because if we don’t, Shelford have the firepower and size to beat us at home.
‘I think it’s going to be a huge forward battle. Who can deal with the pressure best and who can apply pressure when needed is going to be key.’
As for the title race itself, it is clear than Raiders are among four contenders who have broken away from the rest.
Before the year is out Raiders still have to play two of the three sides above them – Tring (here) and Barnes (away) – and the coach says that realistically his team have have got to win all these games up to [and including] December.
‘We have got three away games and only one home after this weekend before Christmas.
‘I feel we can be a top two team. We have the potential and squad to do it. It’s in the mindset.’
Tomorrow’s game kicks off at 2pm.

Guernsey Raiders team:
Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier, Nick Merrien, Dan Hill, Robin Le Cocq, Douglas Horrocks, Malcolm Barnes, Sam Whitehead, Blair Campbell, Ned Brown, Anthony Armstrong, Dale Martin, Luke Sayer.
Replacements: Cameron Craine, Chris Ahne, Kyle Brown.

Meanwhile, an update from the Sussex Premier Colts League... the RBSI Academy Colts lost 35-24 away at Pulborough last weekend.