Levett’s delight as hot Raiders ensure safety
Worthing 50pts Exmouth 5pts
WORTHINGRFC head coach Jody Levett was a relieved but mightily proud man after his team's bonus point victory to secure safety.
The home side ran in eight tries to Exmouth's one, including a hat-trick for stand in blindside flanker Dino Lamb, two of those being impressive run-ins from near the halfway line.
After the first score the result never looked in doubt for Worthing, and Levett was delighted to ease the nerves early on as Worthing required both the five points and other results to go their way to survive.
He said: “To pick up the bonus point at half time was a big thing that relieved the pressure.
“I'm hugely proud of how we played and it just shows where we can get to if we carry on like that next season.
“There were some great individual performances today.
“Such as Dino at six who showed some real pace for two of his tries for a second row.”
Worthing dominated from the outset and any thoughts of a nervy final game were eased with four tries in the first half.
After a crunching tackle by the impressive Kariym Irving, hooker Joe Watson- Brooks picked up the loose ball to go over for the home side's first try after just 14 minutes.
Irving got the second score of the game after a break by Ben Loosmore down the shortside, and Worthing were well on their way after Lamb dotted down for his first score after a quick tap penalty.
Exmouth kept themselves in the game, however, after Mark Wathes scored their first and only score of the game.
But the result was in no doubt after Sam Hewick scored Worthing's fourth try just before the break.
The second half continued in the same vein with captain Liam Perkins running in from half-way after some weak tackling from the already relegated and tired looking Exmouth defenders.
Man of the match Lamb crossed the line twice more, both from just inside the half way line before flyhalf Matt McLean brought up the half-century with Worthing's eighth try.
Exmouth assistant coach John Hill held his hands up in admittance of Worthing's dominance but also reflected on a season which was not up to the expected standards from the beginning and called for some improvements in the summer.
TEAMS
WORTHING: Forrest, Coxon- Smith, Richards, Loosmore (Paddenburg), Irving, Mclean, Leeming (Peach), Storer (67), Watson Brooks (Gearing- Grief), Gatford, Barlow, Lake, Lamb, Hewick (Harris 60), Perkins
EXMOUTH: Mears, Goldson, Wathes, Goldman (Conway 14), Downie, Meadows (Steer), Mattin, Brown (Savage), Taylor, Dalton, Fahy, Kelly, Harris, Bargent, Swain (Reynolds 56)
Replacements not used: Gibbings
REFEREE: Adam Leal
ATTENDANCE: 750
Star man
Dino Lamb – Worthing
He said: “They played some really good stuff and the motive and intent was there in what was a cup final for them.
“But we slipped off way too many tackles and made too many defensive errors.
“We've not been fit enough all season.
“We've not come together well enough and there wasn't a good enough commitment from the players in pre-season, and it showed and that's very disappointing.”
