MORE INJURY WOE FOR RAIDERS

The Cornishmen won the battle of the out-of-formers in some style and the Raiders headed home with a 12th successive loss and, disappointingly, relegation now looking almost certain.

With defeats for ourselves, London Irish Wild Geese and ‘The Bees’ from the Midlands, there is now a massive 15 point gap to safety and with more injuries for the Raiders, a predicament has become a crisis.

If the injury situation was not severe enough, Raiders headed home with two more bad ones.

Owen Clemett was helped off with a suspected slipped disc and is set to set the specialist today and Elia Morisio has damaged his left ankle.

Of the new potentially exciting 9-10-12 partnership, the irony is that only Owen Thomas lasted the distance.

Thankfully, Owen Thomas survived unscathed but this was a game in which even our normally so reliable pack, were outgunned on a long afternoon for the Sarnians. Ultimately it was three second half tries in the space of seven minutes that sealed a vital and much needed bonus point win for Redruth who has recently suffered five consecutive league defeats and appointed a new director of rugby in Nigel Hambly.

Early Redruth pressure was eventually rewarded with fly-half’s Richie Kevern penalty after 10 minutes.
Redruth, notably through Nonu in midfield, looked to punch their way through the Raiders defence, whilst No. 8 Howe and prop Williiams also looked to make ground.
For Raiders, former Redruth and Cornish Pirate, Luke Jones looked lively in the centre as did Morisio.
It took a fine break from the Reds just before half-time to increase their lead with a try from scrum-half Rob Coote, following a good break by full-back Notman carried on by wingers Janes and Bonds, who found Coote with an inside pass, with Kevern adding a second penalty soon after to leave Redruth 11-0 up at half-time.

Chris Ahne threatened early on in the second half but Notman put in a vital tackle to deny the visitors a potential score.
Following a good attack by the backs the Redruth forwards turned up the pressure close to the Guernsey line with Howe being driven over.

The Reds then scored two breakaway tries through Coote, following good work from replacement Loma Kivalu, for his second and centre Simmons, who snaffled a stray Guernsey pass to streak in under the posts from distance. All three scores were converted by Kevern putting Redruth suddenly 32-0 up.
To their huge credit, Raiders never gave up and scored a consolation try near the end through full-back Anthony Armstrong.

TEAMS:

Redruth: T Notman, B Janes, J Simmons, P Nonu (N Webber 64), D Bonds (C Williams 79), R Kevern (A Simmonds 69), R Coote; J Tompsett (L Kivalu 52), R Brown (capt) (M Gidlow 61), C Williams (J Tompsett 64), E Pascoe, L Hattam (J Clemson 52), B Fox, M Grubb, B Howe (L Hattam 63).

Guernsey: A Armstrong, D Aremu, L Jones, E Morisio, C Ahne, O Thomas, O Clemett (N Alexandre 42); C Craine (S Steventon 24), H Baron (T Ceillam 24), L Batiste (C Craine 61), L Hillier (capt), N Merrien, G Shannon (M Creber 50), D Rice (H Baron 79), D Horrocks.
Replacement (not used): C Gladstone

Photo credit: Redruth RFC