Frustrating day for Raiders as Blackheath show their strength

However, Raiders left Well Hall feeling both annoyed and bemused that they had nothing to show for their efforts on an afternoon when occasional mistakes cost them dearly and some bizarre officiating did nothing to improve their mood.

‘I think we could have got something out of it, it just becomes really frustrating,’ said Guernsey director of rugby Jordan Reynolds following the 48-19 defeat.

‘The performance could have been better, but I thought we did some good stuff. We did 90% really good, then a little mistake would creep in and they would score from it.

‘I spoke to their coach afterwards and he said that was probably the best they have been all season and I think it was unfortunate for us to play Blackheath coming off the back of their first defeat because we got the backlash.

‘I believe they will be promoted this season. I have not seen anyone with their consistency and power for a long time.’

In general play, Guernsey gave as good as they got in the opening quarter-of-an-hour yet found themselves trailing 14-0.

The first try came totally against the run of play when, with Guernsey on the attack, the ball was dislodged in a tackle and Blackheath pounced, scoring on the counter through Alex Harris.

The same player touched down for the second try following a missed tackle out on the right, although the move stemmed from a debatable penalty awarded against Guernsey at a scrum.

Raiders halved the deficit eight minutes later when the forwards piled over in the right-hand corner from a catch-and-drive maul with Dan Morgan touching down and Charlie Davies converting, but by half-time they had conceded twice more to trail 26-7.

‘In total, we had five visits to their red zone in the first half and only scored once but Blackheath had a 100% conversion rate in that half – that was the quality we were up against,’ Reynolds said.

‘At half-time we felt we were doing some good stuff, our attack and defence shape was good and our discipline was good, but defensively we had to get off the line a bit sharper because their ball was just so quick and we were struggling to slow it down.’

Blackheath began the second half on the front foot and added a couple more tries, the second of which really irked Raiders as they, and many others in the ground, were convinced the ball had not been grounded as Jake Lloyd attempted to reach a grubber kick to the in-goal area.

Guernsey kept plugging away, though, and Morgan scored his second try from another catch-and-drive while Anthony Armstrong, who was up against his younger brother Matt who was making his home debut for Blackheath, scored a third with four minutes remaining, moments after the hosts had added a seventh.

Blackheath had the final word as, after both Dom Rice and Sam Steventon had been sin-binned with time virtually up, they scored off the back of a 5m scrum.

‘In the second half the game broke up a little as we got more frustrated. Although they had scored their four tries in the first half, I didn’t think we were a million miles away, but once that frustration crept in it affected our performance,’ Reynolds said.

‘While some of the stuff going on was inconceivable, we have to be better than that and not react.’

He added that Rice and Doug Horrocks had impressed him with their performances while admitting that it was strange to see Matt Armstrong in the opposition line-up.

‘To be honest, it was a little bit bitter-sweet because we have put a huge amount of work into Matt to develop him, then he is playing against you and beating you,’ he said with a chuckle.

‘But we are hugely proud to see him playing for a club of the stature of Blackheath and hopefully he stays with them and makes the step up to National One next year.

‘I have a huge amount of respect for him as a player and a person.’