WORCESTERSHIRE BLACK KNIGHTS 32

JURASSIC COAST RAPTORS 12

JURASSIC Coast Raptors suffered a 32-12 loss to Worcestershire Black Knights in a game marred by a serious injury to their quarterback Sean Tapping.

In a positive start to the second Raptors’ drive David Laleye, starting at running-back for the Raptors, showed his pace, elusiveness and strength as he started to run for significant yardage before claiming the opening touchdown, with the extra point blocked.

The Knights immediately responded with a good-looking drive that resulted in six points of their own, the extra point being blocked by the Raptors, to tie the game at the end of the first quarter.

Into the second quarter, the Raptors again put a solid drive together on the back of more excellent running from Laleye, to move down to the Knights' goalline. Another rookie, full-back Ben Gilbert, stormed up the middle into the end zone through the Knights' defensive line. The Raptors tried a two-point conversion, but were held out of the endzone.

Again, the Knights responded on their next drive, touching down and kicking the extra point for a slender 13-12 lead.

On the Raptors' next drive Tapping threw a horrible interception picked off by the Knights' safety, and the hosts punished the Raptors by throwing a long pass to the endzone where their receiver had an easy touchdown.

The Raptors got the ball back, but on an attempted pass Tapping caught his foot in the turf as he was tackled and subsequently suffered a broken leg.

Knights started the second half by rushing for a score but saw the extra point blocked by the Raptors' defensive line led by Ben Townsend and John O’Connor.

Now with Laleye at quarterback the Raptors lost their bite. The Knights changed their defensive look to account for the Raptors' formation, and with the most threatening runner now a lesser threat, the Raptors could not get any momentum going, repeatedly punting the ball away as they collapsed to defeat.

After the game, Raptors' head coach Mark Newall said: “We came into this game expecting a battle, and the first half showed we were going to play it tough.

"Our new offense and defense was working and we were just getting into our rhythm. Unfortunately, with two evenly-matched teams, the accident just before the half was a real momentum changer that we couldn’t re-balance."

Raptors' next game is in Cardiff against South Wales Warriors on Sunday, May 6.