Worthing Raiders on a roll after Camberley are beaten

It was a good game with both sides demonstrating their ability to score tries.But Raiders always appeared to have more control.

As last week there were very pleasing team and individual skills on show – and another five points put Raiders in third place after two games.

There is still plenty to work on as the season develops but it’s as good a start could have been wished for.

MoM was centre Christian Streater for his two tries and all-around performance.

With 40-plus players at training in the week, the coaches had plenty to think about in selecting the squad. The second team had had a good win against Richmond the week before so there was competition for places. Adam McLean came in at full back for his first team debut.

Heavy rain that fell on and off all morning relented before the teams began their warm-ups and the game was played in bright sunshine with a brisk breeze.

The visitors kicked off and the hosts defended the northern end in the first half. Raiders made a confident start with a try in the fourth minute. From a lineout deep in the Camberley’s territory they set a maul and drove towards the goal line. Prop forward Struan Robertson touched down and Tom Sanderson converted.

Tthe visitors came back strongly and levelled the score with a converted try of their own,

Will Beer won the ball in the air and made ground forward. When he was stopped the forwards carried the ball at close quarters towards the Camberley try line. The defence thwarted the forward surges so the home side moved the ball into the backs and Streater scored, and Sanderson was again on target with the conversion. 14-7.

The visitors spent some time pushing Raiders back. The hosts’ defence held firm and turned defence into attack. With 24r minutes played, Camberley conceded a penalty and Tom Meyer put the touch-finder within ten metres of the try line.

From the lineout the ball was again driven at close quarters by the forwards who moved the ball to the backs and Beer went through a gap in the defence and scored the home side’s third try. Sanderson added the extras.

On the half hour the hosts scored the bonus point try after excellent interplay between backs and forwards. Skipper Elliott Luke rounded off the move to score unopposed, and Sanderson hit his fourth conversion.

The visitors scored their second try just before the break to close the gap to 28-12.

After the break Raiders were quickly on the attack again. After three minutes Meyer kicked to touch from a penalty in midfield. The ball was quickly moved into the back line and Beer appeared in the centre from the blindside wing. His break made the space to feed Adam McLean, who beat the final defender to score his first try for Raiders. Sanderson’s conversion made it 35-12.

Camberley hit back with a converted try of their own and the crowd of 350 were enjoying the try fest but both sides were guilty of allowing the other side a scoring chance soon after scoring themselves.

Meyer’s restart kick went deep and Camberley failed to secure the ball. They knocked the ball back over their own goal line and it went dead in goal. This resulted in a five-metre scrum to Raiders. The forwards took the ball through a couple of phases before Regin Pratt crossed the line. Sanderson converted for 42-19.

A few moments later Meyer was on hand to scoop up the ball and set up the backs. The move stalled when a pass went behind Beer, but it was reignited enabling Streater to score his second try.

Camberley again hit back with another converted try, 47-26.

Raiders winger Joel Andrews was yellow carded but they continued to play expansive rugby and were rewarded with a penalty.Meyer again found a good touch deep in Camberley territory and from the lineout the forwards used their power to put Pratt over for his second try, converted by Sanderson.

Andrews returned from the sin bin, but almost immediately Pratt received a yellow card and Camberley got the day’s final try.