Worthing Raiders suffered a disappointing 26-15 defeat at home to Tunbridge Wells as missed chances and some basic errors cost dear.
However, there were plenty of positives to take from the game.
Both scrum and lineout functioned almost perfectly to provide quality ball throughout.
There were plenty of top individual performances across the whole team and the Egremont Man of the Match award went to the debutante Charlie Dale for his work in the back row.
Although not the result the near 400 supporters wanted, they had been well entertained with rugby on show from both sides.
Selection had again been hampered by injuries, especially to front row players. The squad selected showed four changes from that which played against London Scottish Lions. Sam Myles and Callum Butler were both playing their first game of the season for Raiders. Charlie Dale was making his debut at this level and Sam Crockford was on the bench to cover the front row.
Raiders trailed 14-0 but a clean catch and drive enabled them to set up a solid driving maul. With the ball in the hands of skipper, Elliott Luke steering the drive towards the try line. The visitors were unable to prevent the maul crossing their line and he touched down.
Raiders trailed 21-5 at half-time but made a good start to the second period.
Dan Wallis Downham was on hand to pick up and dive over the line for Raiders’ second try. The conversion narrowly missed, but with ten minutes of the second half played the score was now 21-10.
With 17 minutes of the half played the hosts built an attack from deep in their own half ending with Ed Hartley breaking clear and sprinting to the line to score their third try of the afternoon.
The visitors steadied the ship, and got back into attacking mode, putting Raiders under real pressure deep inside their twenty-two. So much so that Jack Lake received a yellow card for an infringement at a maul.
Tunbridge Wells quickly made the extra player tell, with a catch and drive try.
From the restart Will Beer caught the ball at full tilt and was away into the visitors’ twenty-two.
The visitors gave away another penalty for a high tackle and received a yellow card. Raiders kicked to the corner and set up a drive from the line out. Several attempts were made to cross the line from close quarters but eventually the defence did its job and they were able to clear the danger.
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