Match Preview

LE COCQ RETURNS AT BEDFORD

ROBIN LE COCQ is set for his first start of the season and it's the first proper outing for new winger Mike Agyei-King as Raiders head to Bedford Athletic tomorrow.
‘We want a quick and dynamic back row,’ said Head coach Jordan Reynolds who also confirmed that Taylor Quate will definitely be starting on the left wing.
The game at Bedford will be played on a 3G pitch and as it happens Raiders have been training on the KGV 3G for some time now after work to improve the drainage on the old pitch at Footes Lane.
The Raiders had hoped the ground would be OK to resume training on and playing full on games, but the reseeding plan has not gone so well as yet.
‘The issue is we are not getting enough sunshine for the grass to regrow. Hopefully it will be ready in the next couple of months.
‘A bit of sunshine would also be good for everyone’s morale,’ he added with a sentiment all islanders would no doubt share.
After getting past Tring last week only in the final quarter, the head coach has also made further backline changes
As for switching Owen Thomas and Joe Andresen’s roles, Reynolds said: ‘We’ve been pretty happy with Owen at 10 but with dynamics changing in the back line too it will give us more communication out there.’
In the backline Taylor Quate finally gets another first team chance.
He had been previously selected this season only to pull out with a hyper extended elbow injury.
Lucas Barker, another who has been playing regularly for Vikings, is included as half-back cover.

Kick off 2pm. Follow our Facebook and Twitter for updates throughout the afternoon.

TEAM:
Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Jacob Pinkney, Lewis Hillier (c), Brad Webb, Robin Le Cocq, Dom Rice, Douglas Horrocks; Jake O’Connor, Joe Andresen, Taylor Quate, Owen Thomas, Matt Armstrong, Mike Agyei-King, Anthony Armstrong.
Replacements: Layton Batiste, Cameron Craine and Lucas Barker.

This weekend also sees the Guernsey Raiders Ladies on their travels again, this time to more first-time opposition in the shape of Ashford Ladies.
They head there with a determination of building on their well-deserved victory over Canterbury two weeks ago.
Ashford sit at the bottom of the National Conference 1 South (SE) and this is great opportunity to further climb the table.
The squad looks as strong as ever with the now regular front row of Pritchard, Smith and Oliver set to build on their dominance of the Canterbury pack and give half backs of Le Bachelet and Baker a good platform to work off.
The good news is that the talented Jessica Melville again makes the journey from her Army Officer training at Sandhurst to join the squad on route to Ashford.
The back line sees the return of Hannah Guilbert at inside centre and Georgia Denziloe taking her place in the outside centre slot which means that Ashford can expect some hard-running lines from these two powerful centres.