Raiders suffer late heartbreak at Henley

WORTHING Raiders Rugby Club had to make do with a losing bonus point at Henley on Saturday as they suffered late heartbreak in their narrow 34-32 defeat.

Matt McLean’s impressive 22-point haul, which saw him make every single kick on the day, wasn’t enough for Raiders to claim the victory as it went right to the wire in the final minute, and his opposing number was the home sides’ hero.

Having been in front with a minute left Henely’s Tom Allen put down a last-gasp try to level the scores and James Comben stepped up to add the extra match-winning points.

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Raiders head coach Will Green was left frustrated with the result, but despite praising his side admitted they probably didn’t deserve the victory.

He said: “It’s very frustrating losing late, but we were on the other end of it three times last season. You are thinking at theat moment that it is all about the try they scored to win, but at the end of the day they put down two tries in 10 minutes of the start and scored another at a crucial time before half-time.

“So on the balance of things did we deserve the win? Probably not.

“Matt kicked very well, and he and the centre were up against a serious partnership in there.

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“The forwards were just immense, and the average age of the pack was 22, and we had a 19 and 20 year old in the second row, so that is encouraging.”

Once again it was the boot of Matt McLean that got things going at Dry Leas as he put them ahead with a penalty but Henley soon hit back with two converted tries in the first 10 minutes.

Raiders came back from another McLean penalty before Joe Govett made a great interception to nick a try on 20 minutes, as McLean converted.

The in-form kicker sent over another penalty after a lengthy advantage, while his opposing counter part Comben did the same for the home side.

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Henley had the last say in the first half as their winger James Shaylor beat three tackles to head over in the corner giving them a 22-16 lead at the break.

Worthing started the stronger after the break and McLean continued from his impressive first-half kicking by putting over another penalty, before superb pressure saw Henley camped on their line and Greg Sullivan eventually crossed, and McLean again sent over the simple conversion.

This took Raiders into a fine spell where they could have put down another two tries had a forward pass and knock on not hindered them.

McLean added another three points before Henley’s Harry James then put down an unconverted try with seven minutes left taking them to just two points behind at 29-27.

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McLean looked to have sealed it with another penalty with two minutes left before the late drama earnt Henley their win.

WORTHING: Luke, Govett, Sullivan, McLean, Neilsen, Dudley, Marsh, Emmet, Cleveland, Webster, Coxon-Smith, Pitchford, Miles, Redmayne, Arthur, Subs: Hewick, Burns, Whittall, Costigan, Pearham.

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