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Sat 19 Jan 2019  ·  National 2 South
Guernsey Raiders
Guernsey Raiders 1st XV
22
21
Barnes
LIFTING THE ROOF

LIFTING THE ROOF

Katie Daunt22 Jan 2019 - 19:08
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Raiders 22 Barnes 21

THE Garenne Stand erupted when with 85 minutes on the clock Raiders prop Layton Batiste stretched over and scored.
Owen Thomas converted from in front of the posts and Raiders’ 12-match losing run had come to a glorious end.
Five minutes and many phases earlier Raiders had started their final desperate push to turn things around.
For what seemed an age they were camped on the Barnes line, but they held their nerve and were rewarded for a much improved performance and with it duly completed the double over Barnes.

Raiders had led 10-0 at half time, this after an early Lewis Hillier try converted by Thomas and a penalty by the same man.
But back came Barnes and two converted scores took them 14-10 ahead on the ground where last spring they edged past Guernsey to virtually seal the London and SE Premier title.
Prop Sam Steventon went over to put Raiders briefly ahead again at 15-14 but after conceding a third converted score it seemed their long losing run would extend at least another week.
But there is heart in this injury-ravaged Raiders squad and urged on by a packed grandstand they hit back in the most dramatic fashion to secure the win, which they hope will give them the springboard to wriggle clear of relegation.

Naturally, Jordan Reynolds was ecstatic with the result, his pride swollen by the way his group have stuck together in testing times this winter.
As for the winning score, he had this to say: ‘I enjoyed the patience from the guys, we had to be, as the Barnes defence was so solid.
‘I had faith in the boys.’
And, of course, the team celebrated wildly.
‘There was more relief than anything at the end and it was fantastic in the dressing room. To go that long without a win and to do it in those circumstances was special,’ said the coach.
Young Dom Rice caught the eye of many but Reynolds thought the whole back row was ‘excellent’ and singled out props Sam Steventon and Cameron Craine who got the man of the match award with what his coach described as ‘one of his best games in years’.
As usual there was a downside with Nico Alexandre injuring a shoulder, the extent of which is not yet known.
But with Owen Clemett still injured, unfit for work even and still awaiting a scan on his back, plus the facial fractures Malcolm Barnes is still recovering from, the options at scrum half have reduced even further.
Young Tom Teasdale finished the game at 9, although he is not accustomed to playing there, but like everyone called upon played his part in a victory which offers a distant hope of escape from relegation.
Reynolds was overjoyed to see his men wearing a smile again, but knows to get out of the bottom three remains a tall order.
‘We’ve just got to stick with it and do the best we can,’ he said, having seen Raiders’ fellow strugglers - London Irish Wild Geese and Birmingham & Solihull - also win on the day.

Match details

Match date

Sat 19 Jan 2019

Kickoff

14:00

Competition

National 2 South

League position

12
Barnes
16
Guernsey
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Gold Sponsor - Babbé
Silver Sponsor - Polygon Collective
Charitable Partner - Betway
Sponsor of the Director of Rugby - Doyle Motors
Kit Sponsor - Fletcher Sports
Travel Kit Sponsor - Fresh Dental
Official Kit Supplier - Gilbert
Bronze Sponsor - Leapfrog Recruitment Consultants
Silver Sponsor - Little Big Group
Silver Sponsor - LTS Tax
Travel Kit Sponsor - MSF
Club Sponsor - Praxis IFM
Silver Sponsor - Rossborough Insurance
Shirt Sponsor - Spring
Shorts Sponsor - Wordley Law