THOUGHTS WITH CHARLIE AS DUCK IS BROKEN

First came the sadness, then the joy and the relief.

The Raiders’ contingent in South West London experienced all there emotions as the side finally got that much-needed first win of the season against last season’s London and South East Premier title winners.

The bonus-point win rates as one head coach Jordan Reynolds’ best five wins in the 12 years he has been with the club and given the circumstances it would be churlish to disagree.

After the season’s horrid start, the injuries and then falling 14-7 behind while one of your most in-form men, Charlie Currie, is lying on the ground in agony, this was a remarkable performance and result.

But, of course, Raiders’ first win was soured by that horrific injury to prop Charlie who had a dislocated fracture to his left ankle which resulted in his foot facing in the opposite direction.

The injury was so severe that both teams decamped to another pitch whilst the Barnes medical staff and the Raiders physio Francesca McLuskey attended to Currie. With the ambulance unable to arrive for at least two hours the medical teams were able to re-set the dislocation and transport Currie to hospital by car.

Fortunately the Currie family had travelled over from Thurrock to watch their son play and were able to be with him at this moment of great distress.

At half-time, both teams re-camped back to the home side's wider and larger main pitch.

Earlier in the match Barnes had flown out of the blocks with two converted tries in the first 10 minutes of the game to lead 14-0.

On both occasions their backs combined well on both occasions to cut through the Raiders back line on a wide pitch conducive to their game plan to pass out the ball wide as soon as possible.

But Raiders soon became wise to the home side system of play and began tackling well to prevent Barnes from gaining any consistency to their attacks.

Guernsey’s forwards then took control with the stronger performances at set pieces resulting in passages of play into the Barnes 22.

Eventually a switch in the Raiders backs sent Alex Gow to sidestep his way over for a converted try.

It was soon afterwards that Currie went down by which time the visitors were on the ascendancy.

On the emergency pitch Raiders continued to attack with force and it was replacement Layton Batiste who rumbled over for a try.

Alex Gow missed the conversion but it was game on at 14-12, although the visitors then suffered another blow as Nick Merrien received a yellow card.

At the half time whistle it was 14-12 to our old adversaries but the Raiders were up to the test, producing sustained pressure and forcing numerous Barnes penalties.

Skipper Lewis Hillier rumbled over under the post with the pack in support for a converted try and we were ahead by five.

More was to come.

Within five minutes the Raiders forwards and backs combined well to send Raiders’ impressive new scrum-half Owen Clemett scuttling over under the post for a bonus point try converted by Alex Gow.

Barnes, not unexpectedly, hit back with a try of their own under the posts, and with it being converted it was now 21-26.

But Raiders were not losing this one and they went home with five match points in the bag.