TWO teenagers scored an unprecedented 37 points between them as Jersey RFC lost 62-31 to Sevenoaks RFC in their latest London 2 South Division at St Peter on Saturday.

Stand-off Tristan Roberts, former London counties’ schools’ player and once on the books at Harlequins, led the charge and was usually at hand to set up scores for those around him, including popping the ball into the hands of 19-year-old full-back Luke Harding, both players having come through the Sevenoaks minis academy.

Roberts, who just missed out on the England U18 shirt, was to score the best individual try of the match in the 20th minute, but he added to that eight conversions, a penalty and a drop goal while Harding chipped in with a try seven minutes into the second half and another, right at the end.

As for Jersey – they seemed to be in a comfortable position going into the break 24-17 up, with the slope in their favour in the second half.

However, Sevenoaks came out the stronger, eventually to run the home side ragged; although Jersey only gave up the ghost in the last 15 minutes, by which time the game was all but over.

In front of a 400-strong crowd the Islanders went 7-0 in front after three minutes when they won a scrum against the head.

A poor pass was neatly taken on the bounce by captain Steve O’Brien who made half a break before passing to Henry Giesen, who scored on his full first team debut.

Darren Toudic converted.

Sevenoaks then scored from a copybook catch and drive from a lineout, as lock Dan O’Farrell burrowed over from two yards out.

Roberts converted.

Both sides then tried to run the ball, but it was Jersey threes who went ahead again when O’Brien’s chip, catch, and delicate pass to Giesen saw the outside centre run in under the posts.

Virtually from the kick-off Jersey increased their lead when, from 35 yards out, Toudic’s sweetly struck penalty made it 17-7.

Surely Jersey, now two scores ahead of the opposition, would turn the screw tighter and not allow Sevenoaks back into the match? But no, their 18-year-old number 10 had other ideas, and within two minutes he had scored one of the best individual tries seen on the ground in recent years as he ghosted first past Toudic, then the back row and finally the full-back to score to the left of the posts.

Having dusted himself down, he converted his own try to make it 17-14.

To their credit, Jersey upped their game again and, in the set scrum, were giving Sevenoaks all kinds of trouble.

They also scored an intercept try from the half-way line when O’Brien darted in to take a wayward catch and then ran, unchallenged, for a try beneath the posts.

Toudic converted and it was 24-14 with half-time beckoning.

However, Sevenoaks were to have the last say of the half when Jersey, on the back-foot, gave away a simple penalty which Roberts kicked to make it 24-17.

On balance Jersey had just about deserved their seven-point lead.

But in the second half they threw it away.

‘In the second half they were much quicker to the breakdown and some of our players were too easily isolated, which meant the ball was continually being turned over,’ said coach Dai Burton afterwards.

‘We didn’t play as a team, and their No 10 broke us; he was the main instigator of their points in the second half.’ Jersey also gave away far too many penalties, including one in the 42nd minute which Roberts drilled in the corner for another catch and drive before the ball was recycled to winger Matt Pollock who ran round and under the posts for a converted try.

The score was 24-17, but pack pressure, a jinking run by Gareth Jeffreys and a simple pass to No 5 Marc Peters meant that, in this see-sawing game, Jersey were again ahead, after the conversion, 31-24.

It was to be Jersey’s last score of the match.

Ten minutes later, following intense Sevenoaks’ pressure, Roberts struck a neat drop goal from wide out on the left: 31-27.

Then turned-over ball was gleefully turned into points when the Sevenoaks leggy No 14, James Garcia, ran around three would-be tackles and under the posts: 31-34, following the conversion.

A Roberts’ shimmy to the line was held up a yard short, so he popped the ball up to Harding for yet another try: 31-41 after the kick and Jersey were about to be blown away.

As the Sevenoaks’ large party of supporters called out for 50, then 60 points on the board, they duly got them as No 8 Alistair Cornish; outside centre Kenneth Pihema; and full-back Harding all scored converted tries.

Jersey even suffered the ignominy of having John Allo sin-binned for slapping a Sevenoaks’ forward, more in frustration than anger; but by now the wheels had well and truly fallen off the cart .

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much to the satisfaction of Sevenoaks’ coach Ron Standen.

‘We’d done our homework and knew that Jersey were difficult to beat at home,’ he said.

‘Our game plan was to keep our discipline and not be intimidated, even if they went ahead.

In the second half we played the ball behind them, in the corner, whenever we could.

I also think our fitness told.’ For Jersey, who have now conceded over 100 points in their last two matches and, until Saturday, were unbeaten in the league at home for the last 20 months, there could be dark days to come.

On the positive side, Jersey did score 31 points.

As Burton said: ‘We let a good score slip away from us,’ before adding, in a more reflective mood: ‘the last thing I wanted was two games in a row like that .

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.’ Jersey: Gareth Jeffreys, Dave Carswell, Henry Giesen, Steve O’Brien, Mark White, Darren Toudic, Paul Nayar, Marcus Nobes, Josh Chamier, James Brimelow, Roger Quirk, Marc Peters, John Allo, Richie Griffiths, Ian Henderson, Steve Mee, James Milner, Will Grant, Huw Thomas.

Sevenoaks: Luke Harding, James Garcia, Kenneth Pihema, Mark Reay, Matt Pollock, Tristan Roberts, George Roffey, Simon Gandon, Guy McLaughlin, Mark Ridout, Oliver Hoare, Dan O’Farrell, Steve Thomas, Mike Thomas, Alistair Cornish.