The Garenne Stand crowd get to see Raiders for the last time in 2019 tomorrow and their coach has urged his players to ensure it’s a positive farewell to the calendar year by maintaining focus and adding to Guildford’s woes.
The visitors arrive bottom of the London and SE Premier pile but, once again, Jordan Reynolds has insisted they are not a bad side and he points to his team’s own experiences last winter in making that point.
‘It is more of a mindset thing than the Wimbledon game was,’ he said on Thursday ahead of time finalising his starting team.
‘This week we are playing an extremely desperate Guildford side which makes them dangerous.
‘We were in their situation last season and we won games that we weren’t expected to.
Personnel wise, the head coach has a full strength squad to choose from, other than Douglas Horrocks who has headed home to New Zealand for a four-week break. The brilliant No. 8 will be back early in the New Year, by which time he will hope to have seen Raiders win home games against Guildford, this week, and Hertford, as well as an away trip to Brighton.
Robin Le Cocq, who plays his 100th game for Guernsey, and Owen Thomas, both come back into the starting team after being absent through respective injury, with Dom Rice taking a much deserved break to rest a tired body.
‘I’ve got too many forwards to pick from,’ joked the head coach ahead of the match which is expected to be played in the windy and wet conditions that the island has been battered by most of this week.
Reynolds’ worry is the knowledge that Guildford lost just 22-15 against fourth placed Hertford last weekend and only went down 12-0 recently against Rochford Hundred, the third team in the title chase, and were only 14-7 behind at the break against Wimbledon.
‘We have got to get our mental side right and ultimately I am going to get them preparing harder than we did for Wimbledon.’
In the meantime he is excited about the developing partnership between Matt Armstrong and Tom Teasdale who have paired up impressively of late.
‘Those young centres have been top drawer,’ said Reynolds who is also proud to list eight Academy products in the 18 that travelled to Wimbledon.
Kick off is at 2pm. Free entry for members and under 16. £9 entry for non-members
Team:
1. Sam Steventon
2. Tom Ceillam
3. Layton Batiste
4. Brad Webb
5. Nick Merrien
6. Lewis Hillier
7. Robin Le Cocq
8. Courtney Raymond
9. Jake O'Connor
10. Owen Thomas
11. Luke Sayer
12. Tom Teasdale
13. Matt Armstrong
14. Anthony Armstrong
15. Joe Andresen
16. Cameron Craine
17. Jacob Pinkney
18. Mike Agyei-King