Alex Rayment scores hat trick of tries as Bishop’s Stortford beat Leicester Lions 36-12 in National League 1 curtain-raiser at Silver Leys
Hooker Alex ‘Razor’ Rayment scored a hat trick of tries as Bishop’s Stortford got their National League 1 season off to the best possible start with a bonus-point 36-12 win over Leicester Lions at Silver Leys on Saturday.
Stortford, with flanker and vice captain Ollie Jones making his 100th appearance for the club, were generally the stronger side, but Lions defended well, restricting a dominant home side to three first-half tries after Rayment scored twice in the first seven minutes.
Firstly he seized on a loose ball at the base of a ruck to sprint in from 20 metres, then he was at the back of a driving maul after a 5m lineout from a breakdown penalty conceded under extreme pressure.
The third try, on 27 minutes, went to flanker Harrison Langworthy from the base of a ruck almost on the try line. Debutant fly half Mike Cooke converted all three to make it 21-0 at half time.
Stortford started the second period strongly and in the first minute Cooke squirmed over in the corner for the bonus-point try, after a clean break by captain and back row Will Rogers. The No 10 was unable to land the conversion.
After 57 minutes, the lead was extended to 33-0 with Rayment’s third try from another driving maul, this time converted by Cooke.
Lions fought hard and their fortunes turned around after Langworthy was red-carded after 65 minutes for a high tackle 20m from the hosts’ line.
The visitors used the one-man advantage to suck in Stortford’s defence and scored two consolation tries from clever chip kicks to the wings, with Jack Edwards and Jake Sterland touching down after 67 and 79 minutes respectively. Luke Bouchier converted the first.
In between, Cooke kicked a 73rd-minute penalty goal for Stortford to take his points tally to 16.
The final score was almost a repeat of Stortford’s 39-12 home victory over the Lions in March. The two sides were involved in last season’s four-way fight to avoid relegation on the final day. In the end they were separated by just one place and two points, with Stortford finishing 11th on 56 points and Leicester 12th on 54.
The match was preceded by a minute’s applause as a mark of respect for the club’s fourth XV (Chindits) captain Max Oliver, who died from a cardiac arrest on his way to work on Thursday. Max, the son of former club chairman Perry Oliver, was just 31.
Bishop’s Stortford: Hankin, Stannard, Biard, Pope, Smith C, Cooke, Bolton; Hill, Rayment, Peck, Ferguson, Kiff, Langworthy, Jones, Rogers (c). Replacements: Bell, Smith T, Charter, Briers, Powell.
Leicester Lions: Brock, Pearson, Pope, Davies, Sterland, Bouchier, Weimann; Roberts, Allen, Dawson (c), Cornwall, Almond, de Beer, Palmer, Britton. Replacements: Burrows, Romano, Payne, Welsh, Edwards.
SCORERS
Stortford – Tries: Rayment 3, 7 & 57, Langworthy 27, Cooke 41. Cons: Cooke 4, 8, 28 & 58. Pen: Cooke 73.
Leicester – Tries: Edwards 67, Sterland 79. Con: Bouchier 68.
Star man: Toby Hill, Bishop’s Stortford. Attendance: 605.
