Cooke saves the Geese from drop

By WARREN MUGGLETON

London IWG…19

Worthing……26

JACK Cooke’s late try secured Geese’s league survival despite losing to a resurgent Worthing at Hazelwood.

Geese took a lead into half-time before David McIlwaine’s brace put the visitors in front, but a bonus losing point was all Geese needed on the day.

Geese’s aggressive play was rewarded after 12 minutes, Bradley Clements finishing off a maul, before Alex Seers’ conversion hit the post.

It was deja vu five minutes later: lineout for Geese, try for Clements, but a successful kick for Seers.

Worthing put their first points on the board after half-an-hour, Harrison Sims smashing through two players for the line.

Geese then had a host of chances, and Ross Parsons thought he had put the ball over on 36 minutes from Scott Moore’s incredible run, but was just short. Worthing took their chances in the second half, Joe Spurgeon drawing the visitors level.

Worthing thought they had the lead on 54 minutes but Kiba Richards was also short of the line. A poor cross-field kick led to McIlwane running free on 67 minutes, before scything through again to grab the lead.

But Geese scored the vital try with two minutes to go, Cooke landing from the maul, the old ways working best.

TEAMS

LONDON IWG: Hodgkinson, Meeson, Cunningham, Price, Owen, Seers, Parsons, Dean, Clements, Chamnaoui, Drye, Haggett, Cooke, Moore, Starling

Replacements: Hay, Connor, Hobbins, Raymond, Bunting

WORTHING: McIlwaine, Sanderson, Richards, Sims, Tomlinson, McLean, Boyland, Cook, Gearing-Grief, Ajayi, Spurgeon, Lee, Price, Dawe, Perkins.

Replacements: Luke, Head, Redmayne, Walsh, Forrest

REFEREE: Adam Wookey

ATTENDANCE: 250

Star man

Scott Moore – London IWG