Red-zone inaccuracy costs Raiders at North Walsham

Having been guilty of spurning a couple of good opportunities in the one-point defeat to Henley that started the year, it was a similar story on the long trip to North Walsham in Norfolk on Saturday and it resulted in the hosts claiming a 20-12 success.

‘North Walsham had maybe five chances in the game and converted three, we had 11 and scored two,’ said Guernsey director of rugby Jordan Reynolds.

‘We did not come off at the end of the game saying defeat is down to the ref or down to the opposition, once again it’s us.

‘If you are in the red zone 11 times in a match and only convert twice, it’s down to yourself.’

On a very wet day on a pitch that cut up quickly, Raiders made a promising start and took the lead through Tom Ceillam’s try, which was converted by Owen Thomas.

However, the hosts hit back to lead 13-7 at half-time.

Despite playing up the slope and into deteriorating conditions, Guernsey arguably had the better of the game in the second half, but only had Hugo Culverhouse’s try to show for their efforts while North Walsham added a converted try to their own tally on one of their rare attacks.

‘We started well, got a couple of penalties which we put down into the corner and scored through a good catch-and-drive,’ Reynolds said.

‘In the remainder of the first half, though, the majority of it was North Walsham.

‘We struggled to deal with their kicking game – when it came to the kicking game we were a little bit outplayed and we did not have a great chase, so ended up putting ourselves under pressure.

‘I felt we regrouped well in the second half and we looked like having more attacking threat, but a huge amount of credit has to go to North Walsham for stopping us. Generally speaking, we were a bit flat as a group and North Walsham were desperate for the win and we did not match their desperation.

‘After the game we talked about how inaccurate we were in the red zone. That was disappointing from our point of view, but we are not miles off, we know that.

‘We also felt a little bit aggrieved that on our catch-and-drive they were coming around the sides to get their hands on the ball, but it must have been pretty tough for the referee to see who was who because everyone was covered in mud.’

While Reynolds felt that his side still looked a little rusty following the Christmas break, he added that Sam Boyland had a good impact on the game when he came on at half-back.

‘He came off the bench and got us moving forward,’ he said.

Encouragingly, Callum Roberts got some minutes off the bench as he made his return from injury, but unfortunately Raiders are likely to be without Matt Thomas for a spell as he suffered a suspected broken finger.

Looking at the National Two East table with sides having played either 14 or 15 games, Guernsey have cut out a bit of a niche for themselves in ninth spot.

While Blackheath have built a nine-point advantage at the top, the seven sides between the leaders and Raiders are separated by just seven points.

Reynolds’ men are 12 points of Bury St Edmunds directly above them, but also have a seven-point gap to Rochford Hundred immediately below.

‘To chase down the two above us is possible for sure, but we have to start doing it quite quickly,’ said Reynolds. ‘We are wedged in just below mid-table and we want to be in the top half, but losing that game makes it more difficult.’