Guernsey Press

‘We must eradicate mistakes’ says Reynolds after Dorking defeat

GUERNSEY were left ruing a missed opportunity on Saturday.

Published
Charlie Davies breaks through a Dorking tackle with Matt Creber in support. (Picture by Mike Marshall, 31448815)

Slow starts to both halves cost Raiders dearly away to second-placed Dorking, who won a close contest 17-13 in wet conditions.

‘It was pretty much the same as the games at Tonbridge Juddians and Henley – we had more territory and possession but failed to convert it into points, and we gave them probably two of the softest tries we have given away all season,’ said director of rugby Jordan Reynolds.

‘It is a bit of a recurring theme that we are pushing hard for tries for long periods of games but giving them away easily.

‘As the start of the first half and the second half they scored, but besides that they did not even look like threatening our line really.’

Dorking took the lead as early as the first minute thanks to a converted try, but Raiders responded well and were soon back on level terms as a powerful catch-and-drive maul resulted in a try for Brad Webb that was converted by Charlie Davies.

The score remained 7-7 until half-time, although Reynolds said ‘generally we were the only ones with chances of scoring in the rest of the half.

‘A lot of rugby was played in the middle part of the field and it was pretty wet, but we were pretty strong throughout the half going uphill.’

After the turnaround, though, Dorking struck early once more with another converted try.

After that, Davies reduced the arrears with a penalty before the hosts responded in kind, but the Raiders fly-half brought his side back within four points with another successful three-pointer.

Tom Teasdale takes the ball into contact. (Picture by Mike Marshall, 31448813)

However, Guernsey could not find the second try they needed.

‘Our scrum struggled on the day, which was a bit of a surprise, but generally across the park we were pretty sound and they were two even sides.

‘But I do not see Dorking scoring those two tries against any other team in the league and it’s stuff we need to eradicate.

‘We have got to be better, but I think it’s a mental block – we are just turning off in parts of games where we need to be alive for 80 minutes.

‘We had our chances, though, we just didn’t convert them. We got caught in a loop of getting in their 22 then letting them off.’

On a personal level, Reynolds pointed to Davies and Tom Teasdale as Guernsey’s best performers.

‘It has been really difficult of late because we are having to be adaptable in our game-plan.

'We went into this game looking to kick from certain parts of the field and then chase well and those two orchestrated that really well for us.

‘They gave us a chance to win that game.’

Malcolm Barnes also got to see action for 25 minutes off the bench and ‘did well’, according to Reynolds, after coming on to play on the wing, but flanker Matt Creber picked up an injury that will make him a doubt for this weekend’s home game.

The losing bonus saw Raiders climb one place in the National Two East league table to ninth.

They host 12th-placed Sevenoaks at Footes Lane this coming Saturday.