National 2 South
Worthing Raiders 66, Taunton Titans 31

TAUNTON Titans ended their season with a whimper, as they were well beaten away to mid-table side Worthing Raiders on Saturday.

Taunton had eased past Worthing 62-24 at the Commsplus Stadium on the opening day of the season, but the tables were turned here.

The host began with the wind behind them, and they were 12-0 up inside 12 minutes thanks to two tries.

Dan Johnson went over for a try on his debut, but the rest of the first half was all about the home side, who added three more tries to lead 33-5 at the interval.

Ben Mallet was introduced at the start of the second half, for his Titans debut, and soon the visitors pulled a try back – Lewis Webb going over and Sam Baker converting.

Yet the response was immediate from the hosts, as they scored a sixth try, and then added a seventh with Sam Prior in the sin bin for the away side.

Barrie-John Chapman claimed the Titans' third try, with Baker's conversion making it 45-19, yet there was no stopping the hosts as they added another two to stretch 59-12 ahead.

Baker brought up the Taunton bonus point with a try which he converted himself, and although Worthing scored their 10th soon afterwards, the last word went to the visitors, as Matt Jess claimed the final try of the Titans' season.

Taunton Titans: Connor Baker, Andy Hamilton, Isaac Dalton, Cory Teague, Barrie-John Chapman, Dan Ogden, Stuart Persey, Ben Oliphant-Thompson, Jacob Nash, Lewis Webb, Dan Johnson, Tom Popham, Freddie Fraser, Matt Jess, Sam Baker.

Replacements: Alex Rodd, Keith Brooking, Mitch Baker, Sam Prior, Ben Mallett.

Taunton's 30th game of the National 2 South season saw them reach 100 points for the campaign, but the fifth-placed side finish up well short of the top four – 20 points adrift of Tonbridge Juddians and Henley Hawks.

Rams won the league with 139 points (and only two defeats all season), with Canterbury in second.