TEASDALE & ARMSTRONG FIT
Twenty five points to play for, 25 to win.
It sounds a tall order for Raiders and it is, but cheer up folks, Rochford Hundred have exactly the same wall to climb in this long and intriguing London and South East Premier title chase, not to mention and not-to-be written off Wimbledon.
Guernsey Raiders entertain 13th placed Bedford Athletic tomorrow, but the Raiders coaching team know only too well that there are banana skins lying everywhere and we must not slip on any if the side is to go back into National 2.
For tomorrow’s game the team news is good.
Both centres Tom Teasdale and Matt Armstrong have thrown off last weekend’s injury concerns and start.
Dom Rice is out, but in Courtney Raymond, Raiders have a top notch replacement.
And while there were fears that Rice would be out for some while, it appears his injury is not so bad and when Raiders resume against Sidcup after a fortnight’s break, he should be back in contention.
Meanwhile, Jacob Pinkney keeps his place in the starting line up after his excellent showing at Tring last week.
As for Rochford and Wimbledon, we can only but hope that the former slip up a second time against CS Stags and Brighton miraculously put one over the latter.
Looking at the remaining fixtures, Rochford have the easier run-in, largely because they are done with playing either us or Wimbledon.
You almost have to assume they will pick up 25 more points which is what is available to Raiders who have that massive game at home to Wimbledon to overcome.
If Raiders have one thing in their favour it is a comfortably superior points difference, 72 better than Rochford’s and 57 up on Wimbledon.
Meanwhile, good luck to coach Ray Smart and all the lads involved in tomorrow’s inter-insular game in Jersey and the Guernsey Raiders Ladies who head to Streatham-Croydon Ladies on Sunday.
Raiders team:
Steventon, Ceillam, Pinkney, Webb, Merrien, Hillier, Raymond, Horrocks; O’Connor, Thomas, Andresen, Teasdale, M. Armstrong, A. Armstrong, Sayer.
Replacements: Batiste, Craine, Barker.
The title race:
Games to play:
Raiders: Bedford Ath. (H), Sidcup (A), Wimbledon (H), Guildford (A), Dorking (H).
Rochford: CS Stags (A), Dorking (H), Sevenoaks (A), Brighton (H), Tring (H).
Wimbledon: Brighton (A), Tunbridge Wells (A), Hertford (H), Raiders (A), Tunbridge Wells (H), London Irish Wild Geese (A).