MATCH REPORT: WEST WALES RAIDERS 4 HURRICANES 36

Liam Welham scored two tries to help his side to a fifth win of the season. Pic: Andy Shaw

WEST WALES RAIDERS 4  MIDLANDS HURRICANES 36

DAVE MUSSON, Stebonheath Park, Saturday 20 August 2022

HURRICANES coach Rich Squires praised their togetherness, as his patched up side put in a scrappy but professional display in West Wales.

Set against a backdrop of injuries, the trip to their fellow expansion side was a potential banana skin - especially as they were only able to take 15 players to Wales.

But the Midlanders were patient and took what chances were offered against a stubborn Raiders side, who played more than half of the game with 12 men after one of their players was sent off shortly before half time.

The six Hurricanes tries came via doubles from Tyler Hepple and captain Liam Welham, as well as debut scores for Jack Wallis and Adam Reed to wrap up the Midlanders’ fifth win of the season.

Squires said: “ It was a very scrappy performance across the board, which was expected after the preparation we had during the week. Up until Thursday we only had 13 fit players available and we managed to get two amateur players into the squad. 

“The team really stuck together and looked comfortable throughout.”

The opening quarter was a scrappy, ding-dong affair, but Hurricanes broke the deadlock when Welham touched down in the 24th minute.

But the Raiders hit back six minutes later, when Callum Merret raced the length of the field to score.

However, that was as close as the hosts got all afternoon, and by half time the Hurricanes had bagged another three tries and found themselves a man up.

Welham doubled his tally for the day first with six minutes to go in the half, making the most of a good position from a Hurricanes penalty that came after both sides had a player sent to the sin bin.

Hepple bagged his first moments later, rounding off a set close to the home tryline that was gifted to them after a Raiders winger fluffed his lines with a high Hurricanes kick.

Then, right on half time, a confusing few seconds for both sides. The key results were a debut try for Wallis and red card for the Raiders, but it came about in bizarre circumstances; as the Hurricanes attacked the touch judge entered the pitch to stop play. The Raiders defence did stop, but the referee played on, and issued a red card after the Hurricanes had scored.

Credit to the Raiders, they made the second half a real slog, and it took the visitors 36 minutes to break through again, with Hepple doubling up.

And there was still time for some final gloss to be added with Reed’s try, the debutant finishing off a lovely kick to the corner.

The win sees the Hurricanes move up to eighth in the table, leapfrogging next week’s opponents London Skolars. They travel to the capital next Saturday, kick off at 3pm.

Hurricanes man of the match: Liam Welham

MATCHFACTS

HURRICANES: M Welham, Reed, Lawton, L Welham, Wallis, Stead, Hepple, Walton, Cullimore, Boardman, Dawson, Newbound, Clavering.

Subs (all used): Sheridan, Oates.

Half time: 4-24

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12, 4-18, 4-24; 4-30, 4-36