HENLEY Hawks just about came away with an encouraging fivepoint win over resilient Guernsey Raiders after a real end-to-end contest at Dry Leas.
The Hawks were good value for the win and looked sharp with ball in hand, running in five tries, with one a contender for try of the season already.
It was Henley who started the game in the ascendancy and they were on the board after only two minutes. The ever-present Scotty White crashed over following some excellent work from Alex Bradley. The visitors hit back through Matt Creber, with their driving maul a potent weapon.
TEAMS
HENLEY HAWKS: Evans, Strugar, Scott, Hakimian, Wood, Titchener, Webb, Collins, Emery, Mason, Lowe, Lunnon, Benning, White, Bradley
Replacements: Totic, Frostick, Ross, Oatley, McCormick
GUERNSEY: Roberts, Boyland, C McGann, N McGann, Smith, Teasdale, Simmonds, Weeding-Pinkney, Burger, Currie, Hillier, Webb, Creber, Rice, Culverhouse Replacements: Le Noury, Bray, Welch, Rutledge, Owen
REFEREE: James Dowds
ATTENDANCE: 233
Star man Scott White -Henley
Henley wrestled back the initiative with a well-struck Max Titchener penalty, before Bradley scored a scintillating second try after a superb George Wood break. The visitors refused to lie down and scored a second try through James Burger before Seb Scott crashed over.
A penalty try on half-time suggested the Hawks could run riot in the second half, but Guernsey hit back with tries by Ethan Smith and Burger. Tom Teasdale took his conversions tally to four.
Another brace of Titchener penalties and a second for White was enough to see the Hawks home despite a late Phil Le Noury try for the visitors.
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