PRIDE IN NARROW DEFEAT

WITH 10 minutes remaining and just two points in it, Raiders were on the verge of a victory that would not only underline their growing status at National Three London and SE but would also all but wreck Wimbledon's title hopes.
Far away in the UK, fans of Tonbridge Juddians eagerly followed the Twitter feeds, no doubt urging Jordan Reynolds' men to make that decisive final push and claim the victory. Raiders attacked again but fatally threw a pass that allowed an interception and Wimbledon were away to score the decisive try of a superbly contested game.

In defeat, Raiders who were first to score, showed they are in position to step up to become genuine title contenders next season with a few tweaks of arguably the club' finest ever team.
Raiders made a late change with Dale Martin replacing Dave Davison on the wing and Dan Hill coming in to the back row.
In the absence of star man Owen Thomas, Malcolm Barnes returned at his favoured 9 with Adam Nixon moving along one, into the stand-off role.

On another day, Guernsey might have sneaked the victory and Reynolds was justifiably proud after the final whistle.
'They are a good side and I thought we were unlucky with a couple of things that did not go our way, but it is those little margins in tight games like this that prove the difference.
'There were a lot of positives to come out of today's performance.' Romain Mercadal was credited with the first touch down before Kenny Hellier added the conversion.
But Wimbledon fly-half Bryan Croke reduced the deficit with a simple penalty and when he converted Rhys Morgan’s try under the posts Wimbledon were ahead for the first time in a wonderfully see-saw affair which had spectators on the edge of their seats throughout.
Our French flanker then spotted a gap on the fringes of a ruck and nipped in to pick and go and race to the line.
Hellier added the extras once more, although he was to miss a 26th-minute penalty attempt and Raiders suffered a major blow shortly afterwards as they lost captain Lewis Hillier to a nasty head wound.

Guernsey were still coming to terms with that loss as Wimbledon snatched back the lead with winger Joshua Charles scoring a simple try and Croke extended the lead to 18-14 on the stroke of half-time with another penalty.
Into the second period and the home fans were stirred by an try from Layton Batiste which took us 19-18 ahead.
Croke and Hellier exchanged further penalties and although Croke added another penalty Raiders scored their fourth try, this time Dan Hill the man forcing his way over with 10 minutes remaining for a 29-24 lead.

Could we hold on?
No.

Wimbledon rumbled over the line and with Croke converting Wimbledon had a two-point lead, which Croke extended to nine, intercepting a Guernsey pass on halfway and sprinting away for the match-clinching score.

Great game, watched by another good sized crowd in the Garenne Stand.

TEAMS
Guernsey Raiders: Craine, Ceillam, Steventon, Hillier, Merrien, Hill, Mercadal, M. Thomas, Barnes, Nixon, Brown, Jones, Elliott, Martin, Hellier. Replacements: L. Batiste, Skovronek, Holland.

Wimbledon: Viane, Muir, Bayford, Crowe, Tait, Hunt, May, Godfrey, Morgan, Croke, Lowe, Reville, Charles, Cheers, Guilbert. Replacements: Gillespie, Brooks, Kane.