Dawson proud of players after Raiders’ win at Canterbury

The 38-17 win kept Worthing two points clear at the top of National 2 South and Dawson was pleased with his side’s application as they picked up the bonus-point victory from a potential banana skin clash.

Rob Smith made his comeback from injury and touched down a hat-trick of tries in the win and Dawson said: “It was a great win and credit has to go to all 20 players as they all played a part.

“It’s not an easy place to go and win and, when I was leaving Brighton in the morning in horizontal rain, I thought ‘here we go’. The conditions suited them more than us but the focus of the players was first-class and I have to compliment them on that.

“They get good support up there, the changing room is tiny, the pitch is on a slope and they have a proud home record, so it was a potential banana skin for us.

“There were 101 excuses that the players could have used for not getting the win, or not getting the bonus point, but they know what they want this year and are going to fight to get it. I was very proud of the performance.”

Full match report in this week’s paper.