Home start to National League season

Romford Recorder: Words are exchanged between London Raiders and Streatham Redskins last season (pic: John Scott)Words are exchanged between London Raiders and Streatham Redskins last season (pic: John Scott) (Image: Archant)

London Raiders will begin the new National League season with a home match against Streatham Redskins on Saturday September 12.

Raiders won three out of four meetings between the sides last season, held just weeks apart in January and February, as they climbed off the bottom of the table following a 19-game losing run to reach the play-offs.

They lost to eventual champions Isle of Wight in the semi-finals, after being awarded their first round tie against league champions Chelmsford, who were found to have iced an ineligible player.

Streatham finished the regular campaign in third place, but were eliminated in the first round of the play-offs by the MK Thunder.

The south London club have recruited some big names during the off-season, though, and are being tipped as serious contenders for honours this term.

Nicky Chinn and Chris Wiggins have joined from English Premier League sides Basingstoke and MK Lightning, while Michael Ranby and Ryan Giles have moved from Chelmsford and goalie David Wride joins from Bracknell.

Raiders will welcome back Frankie Harvey, alongside several returnees, and have picked up a new import in Michal Oravec, goalie Davey Jackson, forward Sam Roberts and youngsters Seb Downing and Bailey Chittock.

As well as a 36-game league campaign, Raiders will play cup matches against fierce rivals Chelmsford and Invicta, who have snapped up Jacob Ranson and Bailey Wootton from last year’s squad.

London Raiders 2015/16

Sept 12: STREATHAM

Sept 13: Oxford

Sept 19: CARDIFF

Sept 20: Chelmsford (C)

Sept 26: Cardiff

Sept 27: Invicta (C)

Oct 4: M Keynes

Oct 10: SOLENT

Oct 11: Chelmsford

Oct 17: INVICTA (C)

Oct 18: Streatham

Oct 24: BRACKNELL

Oct 25: M Keynes

Oct 31: M KEYNES

Nov 1: Bracknell

Nov 8: Invicta

Nov 14: CARDIFF

Nov 15: Streatham

Nov 21: WIGHT

Nov 22: Solent

Nov 28: OXFORD

Dec 5: Wight

Dec 12: INVICTA

Dec 19: STREATHAM

Dec 20: Invicta

Dec 27: BRACKNELL

Jan 2: Wight

Jan 9: CHELMSFORD (C)

Jan 10: Oxford

Jan 16: INVICTA

Jan 17: Solent

Jan 23: M KEYNES

Jan 30: CHELMSFORD

Feb 7: Chelmsford

Feb 13: SOLENT

Feb 20: WIGHT

Feb 28: Bracknell

March 5: OXFORD

March 19: CHELMSFORD

March 26: Cardiff

April 2-3, 9-10, 16-17: play-offs