Worcester Raiders made their third consecutive Saturday away trip, this time travelling to a very wet Shaftesbury.

Although the scoreline suggests a convincing win for Shaftesbury, it did not fully reflect the game itself, with Raiders competing well and creating a number of opportunities throughout the match.

First Half

3 minutes — Goal: Shaftesbury 1–0 Raiders

Shaftesbury made a quick start, taking the lead after just three minutes.

A corner was awarded, and Shaftesbury’s Charlie Rayfield rose above the Raiders defence to powerfully head the ball into the net.

Shortly afterwards, Raiders goalkeeper Charlie Emery was called into action when a Raiders pass was intercepted by a Shaftesbury forward. Charlie raced from his goal to prevent the opportunity from becoming a second goal.

He was called upon again soon after, producing an excellent block to deny Shaftesbury’s Alefe Santos.

As the half progressed, Raiders grew into the game and began creating chances of their own. Jake Donnelly’s long throws caused problems for the Shaftesbury defence, while Raiders felt they had a strong claim for a penalty following a corner when a Raiders player went down inside the box.

Raiders continued to press forward, and a quick break from defence saw Jordan Kondo fire a shot just over the crossbar.

The first half was highly competitive, with both teams playing some excellent football and looking evenly matched for long periods.

Second Half

Raiders started the second half positively and continued to create opportunities.

From a Raiders free kick, Prince Henry came close, sending his effort just over the crossbar.

64 minutes — Goal: Shaftesbury 2–0 Raiders

Shaftesbury broke quickly, with Tom Jarvis producing an excellent cross for substitute Brett Pitman, who headed home to double the hosts' advantage.

Raiders refused to give up and continued to work hard in search of a goal that would bring them back into the game.

However, it was Shaftesbury who would extend their lead.

75 minutes — Goal: Shaftesbury 3–0 Raiders

Shaftesbury substitute Kyle Tooze broke through and unleashed a powerful shot, giving Charlie Emery no chance of making the save.

Raiders continued to battle and look for a way back into the game, but the Shaftesbury defence remained solid and made it difficult for Raiders to create clear-cut opportunities.

Shaftesbury saw out the remainder of the match to secure a 3–0 victory.

Despite suffering their second defeat on the road, Raiders did not look like a team out of place. There were several excellent individual performances, with Prince Henry always looking dangerous going forward, Jordan Kondo working tirelessly throughout, and Taylor Eades putting in an excellent performance at right back.

Raiders are back on the road on Tuesday, travelling to Gloucester for another challenging fixture against Hartpury FC, who currently play their home games at Gloucester City's ground.

Next Game

Tuesday, 22 September 2026
Southern League Division 1 South

The KMM Energy Solutions Stadium
Sudmeadow Road
Gloucester
GL3 5HD

Approximately 35 miles from Claines Lane