Another big crowd is expected at Scottow on Saturday when North Walsham Vikings return to league action and with second-placed Cinderford the visitors a tough encounter is on the cards.

Another big crowd is expected at Scottow on Saturday when North Walsham Vikings return to league action and with second-placed Cinderford the visitors a tough encounter is on the cards.

The Gloucester side are experiencing their best- ever season in the National Leagues and with just two defeats to their name. They boast the meanest defence in the division, having conceded just 153 points in their 15 games.

In the away game they handed Walsham a lesson with a 61-0 drubbing, but the Vikings travelled with a relatively inexperienced side and then suffered injuries to four players including Andy Thorpe and Will Farrer and had all four replacements on the pitch within 20 minutes.

With the return to form of the team the support is growing, and the crowd at the London Scottish game was the biggest of the season and a similar or bigger number is expected this week.

Raiders were grateful to Crusaders for the offer of a game at Little Melton. Dave Smith had picked a side with a mix of experience and a good number of Walsham supporters made the journey to support the side.

Slow to settle, the Raiders found themselves a try down from Alan Carter after six minutes with the conversion from former Walsham scrum-half, Paul Robinson.

Six minutes later the Raiders conceded a second try (unconverted).

Raiders began to play their natural running game and the tries followed. Paul Parkin was the first to cross the stripe and then Karl Rumsby made a strong run down the right to touch down. Prop Stewart Forton emerged from a pile-up to claim No 3 and in stoppage time, hooker Al Turner, who had a good game in open play and with his throwing into the line-out, claimed the fourth, all unconverted.

The second half was much tighter and after both sides had players yellow carded and injured it took Walsham until the final five minutes to increase their lead. Skipper Soul Phoenix crossed after 36 minutes, and right at the end Leon Davies made a dash for the line.

His looped pass to Paul Parkin looked suspiciously forward but the centre made the touchdown, and replacement scrum-half Gideon Strydom converted for a final score of 32-12 to Raiders.