BLAIR TO HIT ‘200’ MARK
BLAIR CAMPBELL will join the Raiders’ ‘200 Club’ this Saturday at Footes Lane.
Westcliff are the visitors and having turned over one set of London & SE Premier league leaders last week, albeit by just a point with home advantage, Raiders should be very wary of the side from Southend-on-Sea.
Although lying fifth in the table and not one of the favourites to land the title, Rick Compton’s side are clearly a side in form having bounced back well from back-to-back September losses against Guildford and Sidcup.
The good news is that Raiders coach Jordan Reynolds is able to name the starting XV that took apart Sidcup in the first 40 last week and it is not often you are able to do that at this level of the pyramid.
That means Campbell will start on the bench this weekend, but as he stands on the verge of becoming one of just a handful of GRFC players to hit the double-century mark, his coach is happy to push the superlatives his way.
‘It is a huge effort, an amazing effort really,’ said the coach.
‘He has been one of our top players for a long time and has been one of the biggest assets to the club in the 10 years he has been here, so I can’t think of anyone more deserving to reach 200 games.’
The unchanged XV means that Owen Thomas, who himself will be playing his 50th game, has recovered from the shoulder scare which saw him leave the Sidcup pitch holding his left arm gingerly. Campbell would be the likely beneficiary if Thomas should ever break down or be unavailable.
Everything points to a tight game - current form and last season’s results between the two sides.
This time last year Westcliff pipped us by a point in the UK and while we avenged that at Footes Lane in March, it was by a mere six points: 26-20.
Saturday's match kicks off at 2.30pm.
TEAM:
Sam Steventon, Tom Ceillam, Layton Batiste, Lewis Hillier (captain), Nick Merrien, Dan Hill, Dale Martin, Doug Horrocks, Malcolm Barnes, Owen Thomas, Jason Batiste, Luke Jones, Anthony Armstrong, Luke Sayer, Sam Whitehead.
Replacements: Cameron Craine, Kyle Brown, Blair Campbell.