RAIDERS IN NEED OF WAKE-UP CALL

A SIXTH straight defeat for Jordan Reynolds’ men and a third Wild Geese win in five seemed likely from early on at Footes Lane.

Raiders have been exposed time and again defensively in the opening months of their maiden National 2 South season and it was no different here as the visitors quickly put two scores on the board and added a third before the break when they led 15-3.

With Wild Geese unable to add the extras and Raiders fly half Henry Greenhalgh converting a penalty, the home side turned around with hope of a similar reversion on the electronic scoreboard which a packed Garenne Stand looked down upon.

But until a late surge, the Raiders support were left disappointed.

Afterwards, the coach said he was at a loss to explain why his team did not stir themselves until the latter stages.

In truth, we were lucky to get a bonus point.

‘I wish we could just lose a game by a team just being better than us with us performing well,’ said Jordan Reynolds, who said the only positives were the performances of young Alex Gow and the fit again Luke Jones who got through 80 minutes.

After the sides had spent the early stages weighing each other up Wild Geese took the lead out of the blue.

One missed tackle allowed Ellis Rudder a yard of space and he turned on the afterburners to race to the left-hand corner.

Raiders briefly narrowed the gap when Greenhalgh slotted over a straightforward penalty after Irish were penalised for not rolling away.

But by half-time Irish had extended their lead to 12 points, with wing Josh Amadi executing a similar try to Rudder’s earlier one before scrum-half Rory Brand sprinted away from the back of the scrum to score.

To make matters worse Raiders lost Jason Batiste, Anthony Armstrong and Doug Horrocks to injuries.

With quarter-of-an-hour to go Irish made the game safe when Bamidele Fadahunsi’s got around Daley Aremu to score in the left-hand corner.

Finally, Raiders woke up.

A catch-and-drive 5m line-out was stopped short of the line but in the follow-up phases Dom Rice forced his way over and Greenhalgh added the extras.

Then, with the final whistle on the ref’s lips, Owen Clemett scooped up and dived over.

The fly half’s conversion was the last kick of the game.

TEAMS
Guernsey Raiders: Steventon, Ceillam, Anderson, Hillier, Thomas, Creber, Rice, Horrocks, Barnes, Greenhalgh, J. Batiste, Morisio, Jones, Armstrong, Gow. Replacements: Shannon, Craine, Clemett, Aremu, L. Batiste.

London Irish Wild Geese: Gratton, Townsend, Baker, Moore, Haggettt, Mackay, Kirby, Browne, Brand, Cunningham, Owen, Henry, Rudder, Amadi, Turner. Replacements: Henshaw, Atkins, Hobbins, U’Chong, Fadahunsi.