Match report 26/2/22

Saturday 26th February 2022

League Points 5-0

Worthing Raiders 35: Tries: Will Scholes (11), Frank Taggart (22), Jack Forrest (36, 80), Harrison Sims (50); Conversions: Josh Tusler (12, 23, 37, 51, 80);
Leicester Lions 19: Tries: Simon Johnson (17), Finlay Ogden (68), Zach Bean (78); Conversions: Ben Young (18, 69);

Tough day for Lions against fourth placed Worthing Raiders

Following Lions 17-7 victory over Worthing Raiders in the reverse fixture in October 2021 Lions were expecting a tough afternoon away against fourth placed Raiders. The quartet leading National League 2 South, including Raiders, are on almost equal points, with a sizeable gap before fifth placed Henley and sixth placed Lions.

The game started with a period of balanced play. Raiders started to put Lions under pressure and a lack of discipline led to Lions conceding a penalty which gave Raiders an attacking lineout. From the lineout second-row Will Scholes crashed over for a try for Raiders, with fly-half Josh Tusler adding the conversion. Lions quickly came back at Raiders with back-row Simon Johnson going over for a try from a lineout, with fly-half Ben Young adding the extras, to draw the score at 7-7.

Raiders soon reclaimed their lead from a scrum with their No 8, Frank Taggart, going over for try. Just before the break Raiders again put Lions under pressure, with centre Jack Forrest going through the Lions’ defence to score his first try of the afternoon. Tusler added the extras for both tries for Raiders, allowing them to take a healthy 21-7 lead into the break.

Half-Time: Worthing Raiders 21 Leicester Lions 7

With ten minutes of the second half gone Raiders again showed their class with centre Harrison Sims beating the Lions defence to score Raiders’ fourth try of the afternoon, converted by Tusler, to give them the bonus point and a 28-7 lead.

Lions showed some real character with a comeback started when winger Devon Constant powered through the lax Raiders’ defence to deftly slip the ball to replacement Fin Ogden who went over for Lions’ second try of the afternoon, converted by Young. This was soon followed by a speedy run to the line by Lions’ centre Zach Bean for an unconverted touchdown which closed the score to 28-19.
Raiders finished off an exciting afternoon of rugby in the last minute with Forrest going over for his second try, with Tusler again adding the extras and taking Raiders to a deserved 35-19 winning margin.

Full Time: Worthing Raiders 35 Leicester Lions 19

A well competed match, with Lions showing perseverance against testing opposition.

A flowing try scoring afternoon – eight tries in total – five to Raiders, three to Lions.

Following the game Lions were in sixth position in National League 2 South and Worthing in fourth position in the league.

For Lions, so far this season Alex WilHuckleberryson has scored 12 tries, with the leading league try scorer on 14 tries. Ben Young is sixth in the points scorer’s table with 164 points.

Head Coach, Gareth Collins commented: “Worthing are one of the best sides in the league and on their day probably the best. We knew they’d want to throw the ball around, and we did a reasonable job of containing that attacking threat, but unfortunately we never really put together what we wanted to in attack. To be fair to Worthing their defence was brilliant though and they did a great job of shutting down our time and space. As I said to the boys, they showed a lot of character, as this group always does, but unfortunately we didn’t reach the standards that we set ourselves. We must have more accuracy and in attack and make less errors.”

Lions’ Chairman, Ken Whitehead, said: “This was a demanding game, against one of the leading teams at the top of National League 2 South. Raiders played well giving them a deserved win, but I think we tested them and gave them a good game. With a team like Raiders it would have been easy to let the game slip away, but I think we challenged well letting them know they had been in a competitive game.”

Next week, on Saturday 5th March 2022, Lions are at home to Rochford Hundred, from Southend-on-Sea, at Westleigh Park, Lutterworth Road, Blaby, Leicester LE8 4DY, kick off 2.00 pm.

Teams – Order 15-9, 1-8, 16-20
Worthing: Kieran Leeming, Curtis Barnes, Jack Forrest, Harrison Sims, Tom Gwyther, Josh Tusler, Cameron Dobinson, Ken Dowding, Elliot Luke, Rhys Litterick, Will Scholes, Jack Lake, Liam Perkins, Kemp Price, Frank Taggart
Replacements: Nathan Jibulu, Dan Sargent, Elliot Quinton, Rhys Morgan, Will Beer

Leicester Lions: Alex WilHuckleberryson, Jake Sterland, Zach Bean, Jamel Hamilton, Devon Constant, Ben Young, James Stubbs, Will Spendlove, Oli Taylor, Isaac Thompson, Toby Hutchinson, Ed Sumpter, Simon Johnson, Johnny Murdoch, Ethan Godefroy
Replacements: Calum Harris, Will Roberts, Ben Cornwall, Dan Martin, Fin Ogden