Rampant Raiders run riot

GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARRIORS 0 V 84 THE RAIDERS

The Raiders ran riot against the Warriors the tune of 16 tries to nil at Coney Hill.

Hooker Alex King ran in four tries while stand-off Luke Williams added a try to his ten goals for a 24 point haul.

The Warriors were never in the game after the Raiders overcame a mistake from the kick-off to score three times in the opening eight minutes and were 34-0 ahead at the interval.

Second-row Morgan Jefferies crossed for a first half hat-trick in the rout and tries came at steady intervals during a second half when the visitors crossed half a dozen times in a rampant ten-minute spell.

The Warriors were fielding seven debutants and their lack of cohesion showed.

Despite this, there were some plus points.

Belgian international and All Golds triallist Agim Coroli made a nuisance of himself throughout while Justin Lee was busy at half-back.

There was no lack of effort but the Raiders were just too good on the day.

After Jefferies, King and Kyle Bryan had fired the first salvo, Jefferies added two more and Harry Boots and Nath Beck also crossed before the interval.

After the change of ends, Williams ran in, quickly followed by King twice, Beck, Curtis Ford and Anthony James as the Warriors rolled over and conceded scores almost from the restart after the previous score.

Dan Fox and Owain Phillips added to the tally before King finished it off with the Raiders’ 16th touchdown.

Darren Collier went closest for the Warriors in the second period in one of the few times they were able to mount any pressure but the Raiders held firm and became the first side to nil the Warriors in the Gloucestershire club’s 18-year history.


WARRIORS: Scott Claridge; Darren Collier, Will Flight, Paul Warren, Matt Evans; Josh Williams, Nathan Hartery; Jerome Moore, Justin Lee, Agim Coroli; Sam Handcock, Ben Barradine; Connor Jones (Capt.); INTERCHANGE: Matt Riddett, Alex Mahoney, Jordan Godsall, Jake Thompson.

Scorers:
None

RAIDERS: Nath Beck; Shane Edwards, Dan Fox, Ben Jones, Curtis Ford; Luke Williams, Shane Lee; Harry Boots, Alex King, Jonny Rees; Morgan Jefferies, Kyle Bryan; Alan Pope; INTERCHANGE: Owain Phillips, Daf Phillips, Anthony James, Archie Snook, Harry Bevan.

Scorers:
Tries; Morgan Jefferies (3, 16, 31), Alex King (5, 45, 46, 71), Kyle Bryan (8), Harry Boots (22), 26 Nath Beck (26, 49), Luke Williams (43), Curtis Ford (51), Anthony James (53), Dan Fox (59), Owain Phillips (64)
Goals; Luke Williams 10 from 16.

Referee: Matthew Rossleigh (London RLRS)

Ultimate Warrior: Darren Collier