Tring's mad moment has cost them the title
RAIDERS did not know it at the time, but they were one successful kick away from being one tantalising point away from the London and SE Premier title on Saturday.
While Jordan Reynolds’ side were collecting another five-point haul with victory over Westcombe Park at Footes Lane, title rivals Barnes and Tring were locked in another monumental battle.
A draw there would, in likely effect, have left Raiders realistically needing to take just a losing bonus point away at Tring this Saturday to secure the championship and automatic promotion.
‘It would have helped us greatly,’ was all that Reynolds would say yesterday. He takes his men to Tring for one more crunch away clash but is determined to win again and leave nothing to chance.
One apparent moment of
madness by a Tring flanker meant a close-range penalty for his side in the last minute at Barnes was over-turned and instead of a likely three points to square the match at 20 points apiece, the decision was reversed and Barnes escaped to win and keep up the pressure on the Guernsey side.
Barnes picked up four points for the win, but a draw would have brought a mere two and left them five points adrift of Raiders instead of three.
And with wooden-spoonists Towcestrians, a side that has shipped 1,005 points, still to come here on the last day of the season, Raiders know that their season hangs on the result at the third-placed side they edged past 19-13 in Guernsey.
Raiders have won at Tring previously, but Reynolds expects the UK side to be fully charged to put one over his men, instead of being deflated by the Barnes result which has cost them any chance of the title and probably promotion.
‘That’s pretty much killed their season but knowing what they are like I don’t expect them to be deflated for us. Knowing them they will want to upset what we are trying to do.
‘We now know what we need to do which is just go there and win. We’re not thinking about bonus points.'
Given Towcestrians’ shocking record, Raiders are virtually assured of a promotion play-off at the very least and seemingly that would be against Bournemouth on Saturday 28 April, ‘Junior Siam’ Day.
With third-placed Maidenhead slipping up at home, Bournemouth now look nailed on as runners-up with just two games to go in SW West Division.
