Barcelona superstar Neymar has told pals that Manchester United are willing to splash out almost £170m to sign him this summer, according to reports. (The Sun)

Liverpool could still make a last-ditch attempt to sign Real Madrid playmaker Isco, who has also been linked with Chelsea. (Don Balon)

Chelsea and Everton will have to break the bank to sign Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and hope the Italian club can identify a replacement for the 25-year-old. (Daily Mirror)

Real Madrid star James Rodriguez has reportedly already chosen his shirt number at Manchester United. (Daily Express)

Monaco are reportedly willing to sell Manchester United target Tiemoue Bakayoko this summer. (Daily Star)

Manchester City believe they can tempt Tottenham Hotspur into selling Kyle Walker even though Spurs would prefer to push the right-back overseas if manager Mauricio Pochettino green lights a move.

Chelsea have been told to up their bid to £25m by Italian champions Juventus to bring Claudio Marchisio to Stamford Bridge, according to reports. (Daily Express)

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin is Barcelona’s top transfer target this summer, according to reports in Spain. Bellerin is a former Barca youth player. (Various)

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini is being targeted by Turkish club Trabzonspor. Fellaini was sent off in last night’s Manchester derby. (The Sun)

Everton have put aside £21m in order to sign Anderlecht’s 19-year-old midfielder Youri Tielemans. (Sport/Voetbal Magazine)

Extra officers and a specialist drug dog unit will be patrolling Crawley this weekend as part of a crackdown on illegal drug supply.

The Bank Holiday operation is aimed at deterring and combatting drug offences, police say.

Throughout the weekend, officers will be joining routine evening and night time patrols, along with a specialist passive drug dog unit.

Inspector Sue Neilson said: “Sussex Police continues to take all drug offences very seriously and local knowledge and information can be extremely useful helping us to disrupt supply and use in Crawley.

“All details, no matter how small, can help in building the bigger picture and I would ask anyone with information about the supply of drugs to report online.”

Have you seen anything? Report it to Sussex Police online or call 101.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 (www.crimestoppers-uk.org).

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Defending Aegon International Eastbourne champion Dominika Cibulkova, the 2008 champion and former Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, and world No. 3 Karolina Pliskova are all set to join Great Britain’s Johanna Konta at Devonshire Park from 25th June - July 1st this year.

All three players are ranked in the world’s top 10.

After confirming her place at the Aegon International Eastbourne, world No. 4 and eight-time WTA tournament champion Cibulkova said, “I’m really looking forward to defending my title this year in Eastbourne. Winning here in 2016 was a special moment for me, my first title on grass. It’s a tournament with great tradition and there are some great names entered for this year. The fans will have fun I’m sure.”

Last year’s winner will be joined on the seaside courts of Devonshire Park by another former champion. World No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2008 champion, has played the tournament every year since 2007, “I’m excited to be back in Eastbourne this summer and I hope to lift the trophy again. It is a special tournament for me that has a great atmosphere with the fans. All of the players love the set up and being by the seaside. It’s the best preparation for Wimbledon.”

Karolina Pliskova, who met Cibulkova in last year’s final, is leading the WTA’s 2017 ranking race after a blistering start to the year.

The Czech Fed Cup player has already notched up two titles in 2017, adding to the eight in her career including the 2016 Aegon Open Nottingham. “I got to the final in Eastbourne last year” Pliskova said. “My goal now is to go one better and win the title in 2017. There is a fun atmosphere here; the fans always have a good time. It will be the perfect preparation for me ahead of Wimbledon.”

This year’s tournament will combine top class women’s and men’s tennis again for the first time in three years and boasts more than €1.4 million in prize money.

The women’s event, along with the Aegon Classic Birmingham, is one of two top level WTA Premier women’s tennis events leading into The Championships, Wimbledon. Now in its 43rd year, the Aegon International Eastbourne can boast Martina Navratilova, Caroline Wozniacki, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters and Chris Evert amongst its former champions.

Entries for the main draw of the tournament close on 15th May, with more big names likely to be added to the line-up in the coming weeks.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at a special ‘Early Bird’ price between now and Thursday 4th May.

Main draw entrants for this year’s WTA tournament include (so far): Dominika Cibulkova, Agnieszka Radwanska, Karolina Pliskova, Johanna Konta

Gavin Fletcher, Tournament Director for the Aegon International Eastbourne, said: “We’re proud of bringing some of the world’s best female and male athletes to Eastbourne this year. 2017 is an exciting year for the tournament, not only are we welcoming back the men, but this is the first year of our reinvestment programme with Eastbourne Borough Council that will transform Devonshire Park. We look forward to welcoming our fans once again for a world class nine days of sport.”

Put plaice on your supper menu this spring, says David Woods, executive head chef of the Sofitel London Gatwick.

We are big on fish here at the Sofitel and all my chefs are competent at cooking any species.

So, this week I thought I’d let my senior chef de partie, Monica Bance, share her plaice roulade recipe with you. It’s a fresh, light dish, perfect for spring, and served with cheesy dill croquettes for added crunch.

This dish is currently on our specials menu and is served with a saffron mussel velouté, but Monica has provided a cheat’s version to help you save time.

The plaice takes just a few minutes to prepare and five minutes to cook, so if you’ve done some preparation in advance – see the chef’s tip – this has the potential for being a quick but impressive supper for two, allowing you more free time to enjoy the lighter evenings.

To book a table at La Brasserie, Sofitel’s 2 AA rosette restaurant, call 01293 567070 (select 3 for dining) or email SLG@sofitelgatwick.com. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Share your recipes with us on Instagram by tagging @SofitelLondonGA.

Rye Bay plaice fillet roulade with cheesy dill potato croquettes and saffron mussel velouté

Serves 2

1kg plaice or four plaice fillets

2 tsp finely chopped mixed herbs – parsley dill, thyme and chives

1 tab white wine

Half a lemon

Knob of butter

For the croquette potatoes:

1 large or 2 medium potatoes

1 tab double cream

1 tab grated Parmesan cheese

50g grated cheddar

1 tsp chopped chives

1 tsp chopped dill

1 beaten egg

2 tabs breadcrumbs

1 tab plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 beaten egg

Vegetable oil for frying

For the saffron velouté:

150ml good quality fish stock

Tiny pinch of saffron

50ml double cream

Knob of butter

Handful of cooked mussels

Method

First, make the potato croquettes: peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender. Mash with double cream, then beat in the Parmesan, cheddar, dill, chives and beaten egg. When cool enough to handle, roll the mixture into balls. Roll the balls first in the seasoned flour, then beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Repeat this process if you prefer a thicker crumb. Deep fry the potato croquettes until golden brown.

If the plaice is whole, ask your fishmonger to fillet it into four – or find simple, step-by-step instructions on how to fillet plaice online. Season each fillet with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the mixed herbs. Roll up tightly.

Place the roulades in a baking dish, resting on parchment paper, and sprinkle over the white wine and juice from half a lemon. Add a knob of butter and cover the dish with foil. Bake in a preheated oven, 200oC, 5mins.

To make the velouté, heat the fish stock in a small saucepan, whisk in the double cream, a tiny pinch of saffron, and a knob of butter to make it glossy. Stir in the mussels and heat through. Serve the plaice roulades with the croquettes and drizzle over the saffron mussel velouté.

Chef’s tip

Once they have been rolled in breadcrumbs, the croquettes will keep for up to two days in the fridge so perfect for getting ahead. If the crumb of the croquettes begins to crack while deep frying, lift out with a slotted spoon and finish off in a hot oven, 180C for a few minutes until golden-brown.

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There are wine lists and then there are wine lists.

The variety and presentation is infinite, from a simple bistro where the wine choice is red or white – one wine of each – to the super-pretentious gastronomic outfit, where the wine list is presented in more than one volume, each being the thickness of Tolstoy’s War and Peace.

Thankfully, most wine lists fall somewhere in- between these two extremes, with the intention of presenting the customer with some form of information, including price, on the range of wines on offer.

An intention which often falls far short of its goal, except with regard to price.

A well-constructed wine list should have a balance of types and styles of wine in relation to the establishment and its clientele, with at least a few words on each wine so that the customer may determine to some degree whether the intended choice will suit. The more information, the better – up to a point. The majority of consumers do not want to read a short novel before deciding on their wine choice and reams of information may be both unwieldy and unnecessary, with some consumers being more interested than others.

And so, enter the wine list for the twenty first century. An electronic list on a tablet mounted on a stand. By no means unique, this was the style of wine list placed on my table last week in a restaurant in the centre of Bordeaux. The restaurant is called ‘Le Quatrième Mur’ and is located inside the Grand Theatre on Place de la Comédie. The chef, Philippe Etchebest, had a 2 star Michelin restaurant in Saint Emilion, but moved here to create ‘bistronomy’ rather than gastronomy, to be accessible to a wider audience, in a chic and contemporary brasserie atmosphere. And a further innovation is the i-pad style wine list.

From the screen menu, you can choose wines by the glass or wines by the bottle and subsequently red, white, rose, sparkling or sweet, firstly having chosen your language from a choice of eight - including Greek. Each wine naturally shows the price, together with a brief description as to its provenance and style. Then click on the wine and you are taken to an in-depth description of the vineyard, it’s climate, soils, history, together with detailed tasting notes.

A further button on the menu bar concerns food and wine pairings. Thus, from your chosen food menu, you select the dish and the programme will give a selection of wines which are most appropriate. The system perhaps begs the question as to the need for a Sommelier in such circumstances. Having posed the question to the restaurant manager, I was swiftly reassured that a sommelier would always be available for consultations and advice. However, there is only one sommelier and with a full restaurant of 150 covers, if you include the terrace, he/she maybe somewhat stretched. And hence the great advantage of the electronic sommelier, which can not only provide a detailed description of each wine, but advise on which wine to drink with which dish of the restaurant’s menu.

There is no doubt in my mind that the ‘tablet’ style wine list is here to stay and that it puts a wonderful amount of information at the diner’s fingertips – all of which is brilliant for those interested enough to get to the detail. But they should always be an additional resource of sommelier input, since it is impossible to replace the years of knowledge and experience of the professional sommelier, with his insight, tasting experience and personal recommendations, so invaluable to a perfect dining experience.

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April 23, 2017. A memorable day for all.

No, not because it was St. George’s Day, or even the 37th running of the London Marathon. It was of course the fourth annual gathering of the West End Wendys.

“What on earth is a West End Wendy?” I can hear you asking yourself. Well, to explain, a West End Wendy is someone who has appeared in, or worked on a West End show. And so it was that the great and the good (totally out numbered by the not-so-great and the downright bad) of show business, met to chat, laugh, drink and tell stories.

It was a joy to see old friends such as the talented choreographer Stephen Mear (Gypsy, Kiss Me Kate, Crazy for You) and the irrepressible musical director Jae Alexander (Oliver!, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street) and, as far as I know, no one asked either of them for a job!

Everyone was there to relax, especially Kenny Linden who arrived having run the London marathon, raising money for Guide Dogs. I don’t think I have seen so many people receive and give so many hugs during the course of an afternoon. If it had been a sponsored hugging and kissing event, we would have raised a million pounds.

Of course, such expressions of affection can be seen by non-theatricals as possibly disingenuous, but nothing could be further from the truth. Theatre people forge firm friendships that can last a lifetime. You see, there are not many of us in the profession and not many of us work regularly. I have seen figures suggesting that, at any one time, 95 percent of actors are out of work and only around ten percent work regularly. When you take into account that there are fewer than 40,000 Equity members, then it is easy to see why so many West End Wendys know each other, when there is such a gathering. Also, if you get yourself into a successful West End show, you could be working with the same people for a year or two, maybe more. In fact, I personally know one actor who was in a show for 12 years and another, who only did one show for his entire theatrical career – he was in Cats for 21 years! He only left because the show closed.

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Police are searching for a wanted woman who did not attend court.

Police are looking for 36-year-old Lara Green who failed to attend Worthing Magistrates’ Court in December after being charged with drink driving.

Green was arrested on October 22, 2015 after she was stopped in Beach Road, Shoreham, and blew a positive breath test of 53 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

She has links to Shoreham, Brighton and Hove, Littlehampton and Horley.

Anyone who sees Green or knows of her whereabouts should report online at https://sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ or call 101 quoting serial 311 of 22/10/15.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously via https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ on 0800 555 111.

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The MP for Crawley has backed a multi-million pound investment at Gatwick Airport which is expected to provide more than 100 jobs.

MP Henry Smith said the new maintenance facility by airline Boeing would be a ‘further economic boost for Crawley’.

He said: “At a time when the UK is looking out towards the rest of the world, this facility will also add maintenance capacity at Gatwick to support airlines as the airport continues to grow in both short and long haul services.

“The project at Gatwick would strengthen a joint commitment made between the UK Government and Boeing on a long-term initiative for prosperity and growth in Great Britain.”

The facility has also received the backing of the Exiting the European Union minister, MP David Jones.

He was asked by the Crawley MP in the House of Commons yesterday (April 27) whether he welcomed the investment.

He replied: “Yes, indeed. Boeing has announced 100 new jobs at its facility at Gatwick. 
“Aviation and the aerospace industry are vital parts of our economy, and we have no doubt that they will continue to thrive after we have left the European Union.”

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A number of pharmacies across Horsham, Mid Sussex and Crawley will be open this May Bank Holiday 2017.

The following pharmacies will be open in Crawley:

Asda Store Pharmacy in Pegler Way from 9am to 6pm.

Lloydspharmacy (inside Sainsbury’s) in Crawley Avenue, West Green, from 9am to 7pm.

Tesco in-store Pharmacy in Hazelwick Avenue from 9am to 6pm.

Boots Chemists in County Oak Retail Park from 10am to 5pm.

Boots Chemists in The County Mall Shopping Centre from 10am to 5pm.

East Grinstead:

Boots Chemists in London Road from 10am to 4pm.

Lloydspharmacy (inside Boots) in Brooklands Way from 9am to 7pm.

Haywards Heath:

Boots Chemists in South Road from 10am to 6pm.

Lloydspharmacy (inside Sainsbury’s) in Bannister Way from 9am to 7pm.

Horsham:

Boots Chemists in Swan Walk from 9am to 5pm.

Lloydspharmacy (inside Sainsbury’s) in Worthing Road from 9am to 7pm.

Tesco in-store pharmacy in Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, from 9am to 6pm.

If the pharmacy you are looking for is not listed above, it is unlikely to be open on the bank holiday but it may still be worth checking with them.

Sussex Cricket has announced the return of its annual Disability Cricket event.

It will take place on Wednesday, May 10 at The 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

This year the event has been renamed to #DIScoverABILITY Day to reflect our aim to promote disability participation in cricket through a variety of fun and innovative activities where we focus on ability not disability. The event is open to schools, day centres, community groups and individuals. For the last seven years, the Sussex Cricket Foundation has been extremely proud to organise one of the largest mass participation events in the South East for people with disabilities and reinforces our commitment to making cricket accessible to communities and individuals across Sussex.

Attendees will be able to get involved in a wide variety of activities including Coaching Zones run by our qualified coaches, The Lord Taverners' Table Cricket Single Wicket competition, the Sussex Cricket Inflatable “Fun Factory’ and Sid the Shark’s Biggest Hit Challenge!

Rob Andrew, Chief Executive of Sussex Cricket, said: “Our annual Disability Cricket event has been one of the flagship days in the calendar at Hove for the past seven years, and we are delighted to be once again opening our doors and being accessible to hundreds of people from across the whole of the South East. The Sussex Cricket Foundation focuses very much on ability and that has been reflected in the name change to #DIScoverABILITY Day. We’re looking forward to another hugely successful event and continuing our involvement in all of our local communities.”

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An evening of Prosecco and pampering is on offer at Maidenbower Community Centre on Friday May 5.

There will be a Prosecco bar, a raffle, beauty and pampering treatments. Shopping stalls will include Sou’s Homebakes (cakes), Choctopia (homemade chocolates), The Beauty Box, Phoenix Trading (cards), Stella & Dot (jewellery), The Body Shop, Tropic Skincare, Trolley Dolley Make Up, Elegance, Minnahs Gemz Shawls, Forever Living, Temple Spa, Oliver Twist Crafts, Utility Warehouse Divine VIPs, Younique, Cuticalls (nail and eyebrow treatments), Arbonne (hand massages), Renew Hollistics (Reiki and seated acupressure), Aventurine Healing (Hopi ear candling and reflexology massage).

The event, which will run from 7pm to 9.30pm, has been arranged to raise money for Maidenbower Pre-school Playgroup.

Tickets (£5) include a glass of Prosecco, and free raffle entry.

Pre-bookable treatments available are: OPI Manicure / Pedicure, Gel Nails, Eyebrow Shape (Wax), Hand Massage, Reflexology Hand / Foot Massage, Hopi Ear Candling, Seated Acupressure Massage, and Reiki Healing.

Tickets are on sale in the Maidenbower Community Centre, or via a message to Jackie Portwine or Emma Herbe on Facebook.

For more information and treatment prices, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1847181842188845??ti=ia

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Train delays last night were due to a drugs arrest confirmed by police.

Two 29-year-old men were arrested on a train at Shoreham railway station at around 11.30pm last night, British Transport Police said.

Sussex Police also attended, and confirmed one of the men was arrested for possessing a controlled substance.

Lines were blocked while the arrest was made, and trains were delayed for around an hour.

One passenger said he had seen the man sniffing drugs before police got involved.

He said: “Everthing was normal, then people started rushing into my carriage. People were scared and it was a relief when the police finally arrived. Everyone cheered when he was dragged off the platform.”

A British Transport Police spokesman said the men were ‘taken to a local police station where they are assisting police with enquiries’.

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Hospitals across the county have warned people to go to A&E only if absolutely necessary this Bank Holiday weekend.

An NHS spokesman said: “Our hospitals continue to be very busy – please help us to help those most in need this Bank Holiday weekend by accessing care responsibly. Remember, A&E stands for accident and emergency NOT anything and everything!”

They have advised calling 111 for advice before going to hospital if it is a non-urgent illness or injury.

For more information, click here.

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If you thought older age was all about slowing down, think again.

A busy social life, being physically active and helping others are all key to ageing well.

Royal Voluntary Service, which runs the Chesham House community centre and vintage tea room in Lancing, is highlighting the importance of staying social in older age following a recent survey.

The charity supports older people at home, in hospital and in the community.

It asked people aged 70-plus to name their secrets to a happy and healthy older age and found keeping the brain active, having a positive outlook on life, doing regular exercise and laughing were at the top of their list.

Three in ten are volunteers, which they say is a great way to learn new skills and give something back.

Andy Bloor, operations manager for Sussex, said: “Loneliness can be a major problem in older age, so it’s important to stay social and in touch.

“Royal Voluntary Service provides a host of social activities and events for older people in the community, supported by funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

“Across West Sussex, we provide a county-wide befriending service offering companionship and assisted visits. In Lancing, we have a friendly community centre with a fantastic vintage tea room. We also have a transport scheme in Adur and Worthing.

“These social events provide opportunities to meet up with old friends and make new ones, share conversations and common interests, and enjoy something to eat and drink in a friendly, welcoming environment.”

Being physically active has been shown to significantly reduce frailty in older people, which helps reduce the chance of falls and being admitted to hospital.

Taking the time to exercise on a regular basis can improve not just physical health but mental health, too, helping older people stay mobile and independent for longer.

Mr Bloor said: “We’ve always believed in the ethos that sharing time saves lives. Thirty-five thousand wonderful men and women, more than half of them over 65, give their time to help provide our services, which make a huge difference to older people’s lives.

“They settle older people back into their homes after a hospital stay, run cafés, clubs and community workshops, and provide transport to enable access to local services.

“They befriend lonely older people, share stories over a cup of tea and run household errands. These two-way relationships benefit both parties and many wonderful friendships have formed.”

Older people who volunteer are said to be happier, healthier, less likely to be depressed or lonely, and have a better quality of life than those who do not.

Contact Royal Voluntary Service on 01903 854640, email Coastalwestsussexhub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk or visit www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/get-help for more information.

Twelve Sussex Police staff are being investigated over the tragic murder of a 19-year-old woman.

They are the subjects of an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) into the death of Shana Grice from Brighton, who was killed by her ex-boyfriend Michael Lane on August 25.

The 27-year-old Portslade man was found guilty of her murder on March 22 at Lewes Crown Court and was later given a life sentence.

The jury heard how Miss Grice first contacted police in February 2016 to report that she was being stalked by Lane.

But she was later fined for ‘wasting police time’ after failing to disclose she was in an ‘on-off relationship’ with Lane. Click here for more information.

Six recommendations were put forward by the IPCC about how Sussex Police officers are trained in recognising cases involving stalking and harassment, and how to best safeguard victims.

They also focus on improvements to data storage and retrieval, better use of existing systems to ensure relevant information is accurately logged, considered and reviewed.

Associate Commissioner at the IPCC Tom Milsom made the recommendations. He said: “I am encouraged by Sussex Police’s positive response to the recommendations I have made as part of our ongoing investigation. Stalking and harassment are serious offences and in certain situations, such as those involving Shana, can have tragic consequences.

“I am also pleased to see the work Sussex Police has been doing this week, in association with Suzy Lamplugh Trust as part of National Stalking Awareness Week to encourage those who believe they have been the victims of this behaviour to come forward and report it.”

Detective Superintendent Jason Tingley from Sussex Police said: “We are committed to improving our response to these cases and the IPCC recommendations form part of our ongoing work.

“Since making a referral to the IPCC about how we dealt with incidents involving Shana leading up to her murder, we have provided additional training and feel we are much improved now – as a police service and as a society – at recognising stalking and its impact and our response to it.”

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Police have released shocking CCTV footage showing several near misses on our railway lines to warn people of the dangers of trespassing.

According to the British Transport Police, 170 people have lost their lives trespassing on the railway in the last 10 years, and almost half of those killed were under 25.

In the South East, 1,118 people were caught trespassing on railway lines last year – a figure which has risen by a quarter since 2012 and is the third-highest for any area the UK.

The biggest danger is being struck by a train, followed by electrocution, according to Network Rail.

The force is asking parents to speak to their children about the dangers of going on the tracks as part of an ongoing campaign to tackle trespassing.

A spokesman said: “Most trespassers say taking a shortcut was their main motivation, followed by thrill-seeking. But walking along or messing around on the tracks can result in serious life-changing injuries or death.

“We’re doing all we can to keep people safe by patrolling areas we know where trespass is likely to happen and stopping people from getting on to the railway.

“We’re also working closely with Network Rail and train operators to reduce trespass by improving security across the network, using covert surveillance to catch offenders and going into schools to warn children of the dangers of trespassing.

“But we can’t tackle this issue alone. We’re urging parents and young people to take a reality check when it comes to trespass. It’s not a game: they are real tracks, with real trains and real life-changing consequences.”

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Haywards Heath Town beat Horsham YMCA 7-1 to win the Southern Combination Football League Premier Division in style - but they have not been given the trophy as the league decides on claims they played a suspended player.

The Sussex FA, Kent FA and the FA are all involved in the decision after claims Melford Simpson was played whilst suspended. There could be a potential 12-point deduction which would hand the title to Shoreham

Joel Daly scored twice to make it 2-0 after 32 minutes before Kane Louis made it 3-0 before half time.

YM made it 3-1 on 54 minutes before Jamie Weston hit Heath's fourth with 23 minutes to go.

The floodgates then opened as Trevor McCreadie, George Hayward and Melford Simpson scored to make it 7-1.

Title rivals Shoreham lost 1-0 away at Arundel and this meant Shaun Saunders men finished top by four points.

Worthing Raiders ensured their National 2 South status following a tense final day this afternoon.

Dino Lamb bagged a hat-trick of tries as Raiders romped to an emphatic bonus-point 50-5 success over already-relegated Exmouth at Roundstone Lane.

Having started the day second-bottom in the standings, Raiders' fate was out of their own hands and the victory may not have been enough. However, Barnes, Barnstaple and London Irish Wild Geese, who were ahead of Worthing in the table heading into their final fixtures, were all beaten - helping Raiders climb three places to finish the season in 12th-place.

With the pressure firmly on Worthing heading into their final game, some early nerves were eased thanks to a flurry of tries.

Joe Watson-Brooks broke away to register the first of the day after 14 minutes, then both Kariym Irving and Lamb followed suit inside the half-hpur.

Mark Wathes' try could have handed Exmouth a way back in seven minutes prior to the interval, though, Sam Hewick's bonus-point fourth try on 38 minutes put Raiders in command.

Taking a 24-5 lead into the second period, Raiders had things virtually wrapped up less than five minutes after the restart. Both skipper Liam Perkins and Lamb, his second of the day, went over to open up a 36-5 lead for the home side.

Lamb completed his hat-trick after 50 minutes, before Matt McLean converted his own try seven minutes from time to seal a thumping 50-5 victory for Raiders.

There was a nervous wait while news of others results filtered through, but players and supporters need not worry, as London Irish Wild Geese, Barnes and Barnstaple all lost to ensure Raiders' National 2 South safety.

RAIDERS: Storer, Watson-Brooks, Gatford, Barlow, Lake, Lamb, Hewick, Perkins; Leeming, McLean, Irving, Loosmore, Richards, Coxon-Smith, Forrest.

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A goal in each half condemned Crawley Town to defeat at Cambridge United today (Saturday).

Scott Wharton gave the home side the lead with a header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner on 35 minutes.

Luke Berry sealed the win in the last minute with a penalty. Josh Payne gave away the penalty before being sent off for violent conduct.

After the game, Dermot Drummy told the club's website: "I know it’s the heat of the battle but we have to stay football intelligent and dictate the games. I didn’t feel we had the quality there but hopefully the players who will play on Wednesday will have the opportunity to show they can win the cup."

You can read a full match report on Crawley Town's website here

A mash-up that actually works...

Everyone loves a bargain or a buy one get one free don’t they.

Well SEGA are effectively offering just that with two classic puzzle games in a mash-up that - for once - actually works with Puyo Puyo Tetris .

For a puzzle game, Puyo Puyo Tetris has loads of personality and a colorful cast of 24 characters.

If you didn’t get it from the title, the game is a crossover between the Puyo Puyo series and the Tetris franchise, and features various gameplay modes incorporating both aspects.

The game features online play, voice acting (in English rather than Japanese) and the guest characters.

The story is a big 10 on the silly-ometer but in a good, fun way rather than being irritating.

Each character has different playing styles which is great in terms of longevity in Adventure mode.

PPT is immaculately presented and is bursting with modes and content.

The multiplayer aspect is massive and is so easy to pick up and play. While puzzle games like Puyo Puyo Tetris are more commonly associated with mobile gaming nowadays, this is a mash-up that definitely works on console.

For the casual gamer it won’t break the bank at £19.99 and it will also appeal to young children. But PPT is also the type of game that offers an adequate challenge for even the most hardcore puzzle players with its Challenge modes.

SEGA and Sonic Team have delivered a solid amalgamation of these two classics, something which isn’t always easy to pull off for developers - who remembers Typing of the Dead?

PPT’s great strength is the wide range of creative game modes and the multiplayer options which make it a superb party game.

The somewhat long-winded story mode won’t be to everyone’s tastes but I took it for what it was and enjoyed it. Plus any game with the Tetris music is worth having right?