MATCH REPORT: YOUNG TITANS DEFIANT IN CAMBRIDGE UNI DEFEAT

A YOUTHFUL Rams Titans put on an outstanding display in defeat as they went down 30-24 at Cambridge University.

Despite wet weather – which did get better throughout the contest – both sides looked to play from the outset in an entertaining opening quarter before the hosts took the lead with a straight-forward Jack Allinson penalty.

However, Titans then swept in front with a magnificent length-of-the-field try, a loose ball hoovered up five metres from their own goal-line before Jedd Paine spread the ball to wing Aaqil Attah.

The speedster then raced some 70 metres up the right touchline, beating a couple of defenders, before timing a perfect pass inside for captain Alex Sparkes to score the first try of the evening.

The Light Blues replied, though, and despite wave after wave of attack being repelled by some superb visiting defence, No. 8 Fergus Hughes eventually spotted a gap to dart under the posts from close range before Allinson made it 10-5 with the last kick of the half.

Cambridge started the second half brightly but again came up against a resolute red wall, only extending their lead when captain Ben Compels went over from a maul.

Yet Titans rallied, winning a trio of scrum penalties five metres from their opponents’ line before the ball was spread to replacement fly-half Tom Humberstone, the four-time Oxford Blue picking a perfect pass for Henry Lenthall to crash over with a fine line next to the posts.

Humberstone landed the extras to make it a three-point game, but there was an almost immediate response from the students as Allinson’s cross-field kick was claimed by George Bland to touchdown on the right.

As the game began to break up in the final stages, Charlie Robson hit back for the visitors with an early try-of-the-season contender which had even the stadium announcer purring.

Claiming the ball just outside his own 22, the full-back beat four men before chipping over the top, then showing a deft footballing touch to nudge the ball over the line before grounding it.

Yet Cambridge restored their two-score lead with a second maul score, edging 25-17 in front, only for Titans hooker Spencer Hayhow to show a cracking turn of pace to run in from 25 metres.

Humberstone’s conversion cut the deficit to one, but the students had the final word with a superb 50-metre break from Ikechi Mere, the outside centre’s try proving the final scoring act of a riveting contest.